Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Full Scale Ships => Topic started by: Sandy on August 17, 2015, 09:19:47 pm

Title: Prince of Wales
Post by: Sandy on August 17, 2015, 09:19:47 pm
Hello all,

Yesterday, Sunday, GRMBC members went for a sail on the Waverley from the centre of Glasgow to Tarbert. Unlike last year the sun shone:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Waverley%20on%20the%20Clyde_zpsj2olco9w.jpg)

On the way, we passed where Fairfields, the builder of HMS Bellona (my current build), used to have their yard and the slips are still there, angled quite severely so the ships could launch down the Clyde:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Fairfields%20slips%20on%20the%20Clyde_zps9ygvzx3d.jpg)

As luck would have it, yesterday was the day they were moving a third of the new HMS Prince of Wales and there it was, ready to go:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Fairfields%20slips%20and%20the%20PoW_zpsljwmitag.jpg)

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Prince%20of%20Wales_zpsqf3iqk2r.jpg)

Sitting in Fairfields old fitting out dock:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/20150816_103648_resized_zpsu6ndji9d.jpg)

As we went further down the river a couple of tugs pulled out of a dock in front of the Waverley. You really could hear the bam-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump, bam-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump, that odd offbeat rythmm caused by the king float and the seven others as she speeded up to pass the pesky Norwegian and Italian ships in what is still quite a narrow river.

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Tugs1_zps4sd0jogt.jpg)

We were already 30mins late due to a 'problem' with the vacuum in the ladies toilets so the Waverley wasn't in the mood for hanging about.

As we passed the Italian tug it gave a sort of apologetic toot of its horn, to which after a derisory couple of seconds delay, the Waverley replied with a very long blast of her steam whistle. Much to the delight of the Italian tug crew, before we thumped on past.

Later on the trip and  she slotted through the Kyles of Bute at a fair speed.

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Kyles%20on%20the%20way%20out%201-4_zps3dtezxqt.jpg)

And yes, it is that narrow.

So, nice to see the Fairfields slips, nice to see we can still build warships, and nice to know a 68 year old grand lady can still move when she wants.

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Engine_zpss3jza9iq.jpg)

All the best
Sandy
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: irons01 on August 17, 2015, 09:21:53 pm
Awesome pics, going on Waverley is on my bucket list.......
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on August 18, 2015, 09:33:49 am

Lovely thread.  Twas like being there.     :-))   :}

ken

Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Brian60 on August 18, 2015, 10:25:32 am
I've always had a soft spot for paddlers, ever since crossing the Humber as a toddler on the 'Castles' that plied between Hull and New Holland on the South Bank.
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 18, 2015, 10:28:33 am
 
Yes, a great read Sandy!

Could you explain a bit more about; "bam-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump, that odd offbeat rythmm caused by the king float" please?
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Sandy on August 18, 2015, 11:37:00 am
The Waverley has eight float paddlewheels which are actually rimless (and wooden) in the old North British fashion.

The floats feather using a feathering mechanism which means the angle of the floats to the rim or shaft change depending on its position during rotation.

Non feathering blades would be fixed and set at 90 degrees to the rim and point directly at the shaft.

The feather works so that as the float comes over the top and then comes down to the water the blade angle sharpens so that the blade enters the water at a sharper angle. As the float passes through the bottom (six o'clock) position the mechanism has angled the blade so that it is at 90 degrees to the shaft then as it passes backwards before leaving the water it angles less so that, effectively, the float pushes the water backwards a bit. It the blades did not feather at this point they would be lifting the water up into the paddlebox rather than pushing.

Feathering much more effective than fixed.

To do this each paddle float swivels on the rim and has bracket extending from the float that has swivelling arm attached and all these arms point towards the centre shaft and a central star assembly. However, this star is displaced from the main shaft so that its pivot location is, usually, in front of and above the main shaft and it is this displacement that causes each float to change its angle as wheel makes one revolution.

However, all eight floats cannot have articulation linkages or the mechanism wouldn't work so one float's linkage is fixed and that is the king float and all the other floats take their positioning from it.

It is the king float that, for reasons not quite known, causes the bam, and the others the bump as they hit the water.

Various Clyde paddlers had differing setups of kings giving differ patters but Waverley has hers identical on either side.

Varying speeds alter the loudness, as does paddle box to water level height and float dip. For example the old Jeanie Deans had eight blade rimless floats, quite high paddle boxes and a shallow dip so, it is written, when she was at speed she sounded like a speedboat or machine gun.

Waverley sits lower.

Folk forget that, if pushed, the Waverley can hit 18knots. Last year on our club run coming up river, she was really motoring on a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fccfEtklovk

You can see in Kim's video of his model paddle wheels that one of the feathering arms is larger than the others. That controls the king float.
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Sandy on August 18, 2015, 12:01:27 pm
Some more photos of the sail:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Sailing_zpsq23iiiuu.jpg)

Tighnabruaich:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Approaching%20Tignabruaich_zpsziopsrwj.jpg)

Leaving Tighnabruaich:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Leaving%20Tighnabruiach_zpsvr39fimu.jpg)

Approaching Tarbert:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Approaching%20Tarbert_zpsifewcpja.jpg)

Backing out of Tarbert for the cruise on Loch Fyne:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Leaving%20Tarbert%20astern_zpscp0mlifp.jpg)

Lining up for the Kyles of Bute on the return:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Kyles%20coming%20home%203_zps7b1ek0fa.jpg)

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Kyles%20coming%20home%202_zpsgdq8ozxw.jpg)

Safely through:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Kyles%20coming%20home_zpsuus6imii.jpg)

Coming up river:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Coming%20up%20river%202_zpsnvyql9gv.jpg)

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Bridge_zpspe2jsdg1.jpg)

Safely tied up in the centre of Glasgow:-

(http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh499/sandymercer/Home%20on%20the%20Clyde_zpsfok15gu9.jpg)
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 18, 2015, 12:24:04 pm
 
Re: King float. Thanks Sandy, didn't know that!   :-))
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Ardnave on August 18, 2015, 01:44:31 pm
Hi Sandy,
Smashing photos, esp. the "narrows" ones!
Nice description of the feathering mechanism, I assume that every 8th beat is different because the king float's radius arm is bolted to the star centre, giving a different tone to the other 7.
Also the NB/LNER paddlers' wooden floats were flat (apart from Jeanie Deans - the wooden planks were arranged in a very shallow "C" shape), which gave a different sound to other paddlers steel curved floats.
I have seen it written that, that in times past certain steamers could be identified on the sound of their paddle beat alone  :-))

Clark
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Sandy on August 18, 2015, 02:56:58 pm
Hi Clark,

Yes, I think it is the rigidity of the king float's attachment that causes the difference. Someone mentioned on Sunday that Waverley's 'beat' has changed since its last maintenance, no doubt as things have bedded in (or loosened) since and the bumps are now quieter while the bam is the same.

One of the NB boats had a bam-bump-bump-bump-bam-bump-bump-bump and I assume this was because the king was 180 degrees out on each paddle wheel.

One of the old Holy Loch boats was quite unique they say and the Jeanie, when she was a flyer, was very distinctive as was the Duchess of Fife. While the DoF would be rimmed, both her and the Jeanie were Fairfield built. May be something in that...

Hope you are well?

ATB
Sandy
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: Ardnave on August 18, 2015, 03:34:51 pm
I'm very well thanks Sandy,
Not been at the modelling table for a wee while but the next project to start will be one of two NB paddlers I fancy.

Interesting to note the change in Waverley's paddle beat, - maybe the axle for the star centre has been moved slightly giving the floats a more vertical entry?

I have read that some of the early NB vessels with a single diagonal engine had a strange paddle beat, as they were starting up from a pier, - 4 beats and a pause, 4 beats and pause, as the single crank passed over dead centre. This apparently settled down as the ship gained way.

Clark

Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: SteveB66 on August 18, 2015, 04:01:54 pm
Great pictures, scenery and boat. Like how you know the working of the paddles too, great explanation. Especially as I don't know anything about them.
Would love a RC Paddler but being a beginner, they seem a bit technical for me.  :-))
Title: Re: Prince of Wales
Post by: ballastanksian on August 18, 2015, 07:14:11 pm
It is great to know that we can still build super sized warships. Some deride the new class as being smaller than US carriers, and yes they are, but, they are much bigger than any warships we have ever built before, and will provide us with a capability we could not have dreamed of twenty years ago. Even if we never have a war/conflict again (Lets hope this is the case) they will be first class vessels for humanitarian and rescue work. Thanks for sharing the images of the beautiful Waverly and the views as well:0)