Paddle wheel

Paddle wheel

A paddle wheel (also called side wheel or stern wheel) is a large wheel fitted with paddles which is used to propel a boat. Paddle wheels powered by steam engines were the means of propulsion for the paddle steamers of the nineteenth century when the technology reached the height of its popularity, but paddle wheels powered by other means were apparently known about long before, by the Byzantines and ancient Chinese.

During the late nineteenth century, the steam powered paddle wheel was gradually replaced in ships as a means of propulsion by the screw propeller, which utilized energy much more effectively (30% wasted energy as opposed to 70% for a paddle wheel). Another problem with paddle steamers is that they were difficult to steer in rough weather, as one or another of the paddles on the side of the ship left the water as a wave passed under the ship, causing the paddle on the other side to turn the vessel.


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  • Paddle wheel — Paddle Pad dle, n. [See {Paddle}, v. i.] 1. An implement with a broad blade, which is used without a fixed fulcrum in propelling and steering canoes and boats. [1913 Webster] 2. The broad part of a paddle, with which the stroke is made; hence,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paddle wheel — paddle wheel, adj. a wheel for propelling a ship, having a number of paddles entering the water more or less perpendicularly. [1675 85] * * * ▪ ship part  method of ship propulsion that was once widely employed but is now almost entirely… …   Universalium

  • paddle-wheel — (n.) also paddlewheel, 1805, from PADDLE (Cf. paddle) (n.) + WHEEL (Cf. wheel) (n.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • paddle wheel — ► NOUN ▪ a large steam driven wheel with paddles round its circumference, attached to the side or stern of a ship and propelling the ship by its rotation …   English terms dictionary

  • paddle wheel — n. a wheel with paddles set at right angles about its circumference for propelling a steamboat …   English World dictionary

  • paddle-wheel — See paddle wheel. * * * …   Universalium

  • paddle wheel — noun a large wheel fitted with paddles and driven by an engine in order to propel a boat • Syn: ↑paddlewheel • Hypernyms: ↑wheel • Part Meronyms: ↑paddle, ↑paddle box, ↑paddle box * * * noun, pl ⋯ wheels …   Useful english dictionary

  • paddle wheel — noun A large wheel, fitted with paddles, used to propel a vessel (especially a paddle steamer) …   Wiktionary

  • paddle wheel — pad′dle wheel art at paganize n. naut. navig. a wheel for propelling a ship, having a number of paddles entering the water more or less perpendicularly • Etymology: 1675–85 …   From formal English to slang

  • paddle wheel — noun Date: 1685 a wheel with paddles around its circumference used to propel a boat …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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