Another Big boat

Down town running errand and see another big boat at the levy.. This time was the "America" Which evening news just said was "America Duchess" ? I don't know only said "America" on it??? Anyway it another big rear wheeler tour boat. looks pretty much same as last one.. I looked it up on net was built in 2016 so not that old...










Mac

Nice. Thank you for sharing it

be fun to ride a floating hotel like that from the gulf to lake Itasca.

Paddle wheel functional or are there props? I'm guessing just for show.

Danny,
I'll guarantee you wouldn't even make it to Brainerd. You can jump across the Mississippi at Lake Itasca.

Heck you can swim the Mississippi at Shreveport ! Louisiana woman Mississippi man !!

I'm not sure on these newer boats if the wheel actually is moving the boat?? I know they put on a pretty good show with it when the move and it turns up some water..I do know they have side thrusts as I've watched them leave the levy.. I know the big wheel turns whole time boat is moving, at least when I've seen them..Wouldn't surprise me if there are screws under it. Way back when I was kid I got to go on board the old Delta Queen steam boat. At the time it was the last of the original old wooden boats still on river. It used to come threw here every summer for years. Then it got to point where Coast Guard considered it's wooden structure unsafe..Not sure but I think it burned at a dock down south some where it was set up as museum??

Mac

According to that boats website the stern wheel is for looks, the boat is actually powered by two Z drive units. The stern wheel turns, sprays water but doesn't propel the boat.

I was thinking no way they navigate the locks with a paddle only , I am surprised just 2 Z drive units . for that length I would have figured one at the bow also or some sort of bow thruster especially when in locks on a windy day with all that side sail

That paddle wheel propels that boat about as much as Rambo's mud motor propelled the boat in the movie.

But I'd wager all my 'coon money this fall that most folks who take the time to watch the paddle wheel spin figure its primary job is to move the boat upstream.

I rode in this boat.......

http://harrisburgriverboat.com/

And it's not near as big, but i was impressed on how much power the paddlewheel had. I have no doub't now about the power of paddlewheels. When he kicked it in gear, it went.

We did the paddle wheel tourist thing on the Mississippi River when we were in Memphis a few years ago. The boat was not as big as this one. I investigated the paddle wheel to see how it worked. I found two inboard engines driving props below the paddles and the paddles just free-wheeling in the moving water.