Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a boat or vessel that is propelled by steam power driving a propeller or paddlewheel. The term steamboat is usually used to refer to smaller steam-powered boats working on lakes and rivers, particularly riverboats in the USA; steamship generally refers to steam powered ships capable of carrying a (ship's) boat. Nuclear powered ships and submarines use steam to drive turbines, but are not referred to as steamships or steamboats.

Lake, loch, estuary and sea-going steamers

Henry Bell's Comet started a rapid expansion of steam services on the Firth of Clyde, and within four years a steamer service was in operation on the inland Loch Lomond, a forerunner of the lake steamers that still grace the Swiss lakes. Today the 1900 steamer SS Sir Walter Scott still sails on Loch Katrine, while on Loch Lomond the PS Maid of the Loch is being restored.

Related Topics:
Firth of Clyde - Loch Lomond - Swiss - 1900 - SS Sir Walter Scott - Loch Katrine - PS Maid of the Loch

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the Clyde itself, within ten years of the Comet's start there were nearly fifty steamers, and services had started across the Irish Sea to Belfast. By 1900 there were over 300 Clyde steamers.

Related Topics:
Irish Sea - Belfast - 1900 - Clyde steamer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The paddle steamer Waverley, built in 1947, is the last survivor of these fleets, and the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world. This ship sails a full season of cruises every year from places around Britain, and has sailed across the English Channel for a visit to commemorate the sinking of her predecessor of 1899 at the Battle of Dunkirk.

Related Topics:
Paddle steamer ''Waverley'' - 1947 - Paddle steamer - Britain - English Channel - 1899 - Battle of Dunkirk

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

People have had a particular affection for the Clyde puffers, small steam freighters on a traditional design developed to use the Scottish canals and to serve the Highlands and Islands. They were immortalised by the tales of Para Handy's boat The Vital Spark by Neil Munro and by the film The Maggie, and a small number are being conserved to continue in steam around the west highland sea lochs.

Related Topics:
Clyde puffer - Para Handy - Vital Spark - Neil Munro - The Maggie

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Clyde sludge boats had a tradition of occasionally taking passengers on their trips from Glasgow, past the Isle of Arran, down the Firth of Clyde, and one has emerged from retirement as "SS Shieldhall, Steam powered General Cargo-Passenger Steamer available for Trips in the Solent" offering outings from Southampton, England with views of the two triple expansion engines.

Related Topics:
Glasgow - Isle of Arran - Firth of Clyde - SS Shieldhall - Southampton - England

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Built in 1856, P.S. Skibladner is the oldest steamship still in operation, serving towns along lake Mjøsa in Norway.

Related Topics:
1856 - P.S. Skibladner - Steamship - Mjøsa - Norway

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 1912 steamer, TSS Earnslaw still operates on regular sight-seeing trips across Lake Wakatipu, an alpine lake near Queenstown, New Zealand

Related Topics:
TSS Earnslaw - Lake Wakatipu - Queenstown, New Zealand

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~