What is the Civil War watercraft? I want to make one.

**ct ertz** · #1 01-14-2012, 03:38 PM

I am not sure what this is. It has what could be a pilot house and rudder but I see no smoke stack. So is it a barge? Is it engined and I am just missing the stack and steam pipe? I like it and will make one when I can figure out what it is.

CT

**lepercan** · #2 01-14-2012, 03:58 PM

CT, Isn't that a mast sticking up midships? Could be a sailing barge. Don't remember off-hand what they called them but they were a maid-of-all-work during the days of sail.
Lep

**ct ertz** · #3 01-14-2012, 04:04 PM

Yep, its a mast but I had assumed it was fr heavy lifting. I had not thought about sailing.

**murphyaa** · #4 01-14-2012, 04:09 PM

It doesn't look like it's got enough stays holding it up to be for sails (Look at the ship behind it with 2 masts, both with a spiders web of stays. Plus the boom and winch attached might get in the way of sails.

**ct ertz** · #5 01-14-2012, 04:14 PM

Did Barges have rudders? Was this thing towed by that sailing ship?

**lepercan** · #6 01-14-2012, 04:16 PM

It does'nt appear to have towing bitts in the bow. Yes, some of them did. I'm stumped.

**ct ertz** · #7 01-14-2012, 04:18 PM

A secret engine that runs on a new fangled fuel called diesel? Those Yanks where pretty sneaky.

**Texman** · #8 01-14-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ct ertz

Did Barges have rudders? Was this thing towed by that sailing ship?

I (being no expert) think your onto something. There does not appear to be any stacks,
and the deck areas are loaded with cargo. It does appear steerable, as previously noted
with a pilot house and what appears to be a rudder.

Do you have a larger/higher res picture?

**ct ertz** · #9 01-14-2012, 04:22 PM

No. I sure don't. I just happened across thi in a web search. No addition info was givin, other then it is during the war, and the cargo appears to be artillery supplies.

**murphyaa** · #10 01-14-2012, 04:23 PM

Maybe it's pedal powered, and the crew is out to lunch...