"Keith Nuttle" wrote in message
...
Jim Willemin wrote:
"Dan Listermann" wrote in
:
"Jim Willemin" wrote in message
.131...
"Dan Listermann" wrote in
:

I need a boat for a very shallow river. Paddles, especially with
stiff rubber tips, seem like a good alternative and a riding
lawnmower drive train would give me reduction, reverse and a variety
of gears. Anybody know of some experience?



seems to me you'd almost be better off poling. Lawnmower drivetrains
are kinda heavy, forcing you to either a deepish draft or a huge
boat, and paddles just don't seem like they are all that efficient. On
the other hand, something like a longish jonboat and a nice 8 foot
pole should take you most anywhere you want to go...
I intend to use a 14' johnboat. As for poling, it might be an option,
but the river can get deep too.

Interestingly, the guy down the street has a decrepit John Deere
electric riding mower. Batteries weigh a lot too, but it would be
quiet.
Speaking of weight, this is a big concern because the boat will need
to be hauled up a 10' bank.



well then - an 8 or 10 foot pole and some 9 foot oars. In either case, I
suspect you'd be as fast as a paddle-driven boat, and you'd get your
exercise too . Especially if you already have a 14 foot johnboat and
have to haul it up a biggish bank, I'd strongly consider the
human-powered option. On the other hand, though, I suppose you could get
a 20 foot comealong and a couple of 2x4s for skids and just ratchet up
whatever weight you wind up with when it comes time to beach the thing.
Good luck! Your idea sounds ingenious, actually - I'm just something of
a Neanderthal luddite...

But a boat being poled or rowed would not look as good as your original
idea of using a paddle wheel to propel the boat. I have always like
paddle wheels.

You did not say whether you were originally gone to put the paddles on the
side of the stern.

With side-wheelers, you could use a belt tightening idler to stop power from
one or the other wheel and steer better. Low speed steering with paddle
power can be difficult otherwise.

Another consideration would be overall length. A stern wheeler could get
long and it cold be more difficult to keep the paddles from bottoming.

I suppose the rudder/s could be hinged for scraping the bottom.