Pipe laying paddle barge.

After posting previously asking about barge plans I found this tractor crane and instantly thought this is my next build.

 

While stuck in the house out of the heat this past week I started on a plan of a modern day paddle barge prototype, it's quite big at 73.3cm x 33cm x 9cm high

Bow with paddle thruster steering.



Hull layout from bow pencil line a bit light but you'll get the idea.



The stern half of the plan the rear drive wheels will be inside the width of the hull.



The side elevation gives a general idea of the layout 2 bridge assemblies one above each stern paddle with the crane able to pivot between them in the pic the crane is sitting in the position it will be in on the finished model.



This pic' shows the stern view in progress.




The load will be 16 lengths of 32mm x 300mm PVC pipe the crane  is an RC model and I'll disable the track drive and clamp it to the deck.

good one Damien...look forward to seeing this one. neil

Thanks Neil cool day 26c after a 39.7c yesterday out to the shed for me.

View of plan from stern.

And the bow view showing position of the paddle thruster position I've drawn it this size to keep the wheel spindle above the waterline.

 

Any suggestions or things I may be doing wrong on feel free to comment.

Had a thought today yeah shock horror how ever the thought was perhaps a bow thruster would be an easier option than a paddle thruster although a fair bit more expensive.

I didn't understand what you were wanting to achieve when I first looked at this, Damien, but I now think that a paddle thruster would have to have angled paddles to achieve any sidewards thrust unless it was made like an azipod where the whole thing rotates on gears 360*

you are very ingenuitive though and am sure you could get one to work...............it would have much more power than a propeller thruster if you did.
neil.

I'm trying to achieve bow steering with the paddle I think it would provide more power than a conventional thruster.

Neil please explain what you mean by angled blades?

I'm assuming a close fit of wheel to hull is needed for best results.
It might be best to make a dummy bow section to test it.

Easy to see I'm going stir crazy in our heat wave.

Don't worry I've changed the plan to 2 quite long rudders on the transom.
And added 2 heavy ramps for the crane to alight for servicing & repair.



and the ramps.

2 pic's of rudder placement.