Boat Propeller History
The development of the boat propeller is a fascinating journey that spans centuries – from the early concepts of the screw, through paddle steamers and on to the propeller designs that we have today. Let’s take you on a brief trip through boat propeller history.
Pushing an object forward using thrust (whether it is through the air or water) is the main purpose of a propeller. They are often called “screws”, as at a basic level they are based on a similar principle. Just like a screw is driven into a piece of wood or a wall using a helical thread, a propeller has two or more blades fixed to a central rotating base that are pitched at an angle. As it rotates it generates thrust which can be used to drive an object forward or backwards.
Early Concepts
The earliest sign of a “screw-like” device being used was Archimedes Screw (around 200 BC) that he used for irrigation. It had a novel hollow segment that was used by the Egyptians to draw water up from a well using a spiral movement.
Other early concepts include the ‘bamboo dragonfly’ or ‘Chinese top’ that existed in China around 180 AD and was a popular children’s toy. Consisting of a propeller attached to a short stick – as the shaft was rotated so the top lifted up into the air.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci sketched designs for what could be considered early propeller-like devices. While he is perhaps best known for his art, such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, da Vinci was also an inventor and engineer.
Among his many sketches and designs are concepts that bear striking resemblance to modern propellers. His drawing, created around the late 15th century, predates the practical development of propellers by several centuries, but clearly demonstrates his remarkable insight into the principles of fluid dynamics and mechanical engineering.
17th-18th Century
In the 17th and 18th centuries, inventors and engineers began experimenting more seriously with propeller designs. Various configurations, including screw-shaped propellers and paddle wheels, were tested.
In the late 1680’s, Robert Hooke took a step forward, modifying a horizontal watermill design in order to provide forward motion for a ship. In 1752, the Acadamie des Sciences in Paris granted a prize to for a design of a propeller-wheel, whilst similar development was being done by French mathematician Alexis-Jean-Pierre Paucton based on the Archimedean screw.
19th Century Propeller Design
In the early nineteenth century there were several attempts to push the idea of propeller propulsion forward (if you pardon the pun). In 1794 a triple threaded screw was patented by William Lyttleton. It was mounted in a frame attached to a ship’s hull. The drive train was based on a series of ropes and pulleys and was trialled in Greenland Dock, London – but only speeds of 2 two miles an hour was attained.
In 1800, Edward Shorter came up with a similar concept, this time a two-bladed propeller attached to an inclined shaft at the stern of the boat. The inclined shaft was driven through a universal joint by a second shaft above the waterline. Shorter fitted his propeller to a transport ship called the Doncaster, and with eight men providing the power, she attained a speed of one and a half miles an hour.
John Stevens successfully attached a four blade propeller to a 25 foot vessel and managed to reach 4 mph in 1802; and in 1827, John Patch oversaw the first successful Archimedes screw-propelled ship.
Steam Power
With the advent of steam power, the design and application of the boat propellers really took off. Inventors like John Ericsson and Francis Pettit Smith began developing practical propeller designs for steamships. Smith conducted his early experiments with a clockwork driven model on a pond. His model boat was so successful he scaled up the idea to a 6-ton boat powered by a steam-engine.
Smith’s single-threaded propeller with two complete twists, (resembling part of a large corkscrew) was patented in 1836 and became widely adopted for steamship propulsion.
In 1837, whilst running another test on the Paddinton Canal, half of the wooden propeller was broken off. To Smith’s surprise the speed of the craft was immediately increased.
From then on, a metal screw, consisting of one complete turn instead of two was fitted to the vessel and she attained speeds of five and a half knots sailing along the Thames Estuary from London to Folkestone. Smith subsequently filed a revised patent in keeping with his accidental discovery.
The Royal Navy were suitably impressed with Smith’s set up – particularly as it was observed making headway in stormy seas by a group of their officers. In 1838, they commissioned the build of SS Archimedes, the first steam ship to be driven by a screw propeller. The Royal Navy went on to add more screw propeller driven ships to their fleet in subsequent years and more commercial vessel were built with his invention.
In 1843, Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the world’s largest ship named the SS Great Britain in 1843, and it was the first screw-propelled steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1845.
Modernisation and Optimisation (20th Century)
Throughout the 20th century, ongoing advancements in materials, hydrodynamics, and engineering led to further improvements in propeller design.
Steam was largely replaced by diesel / electric propulsion, and propellers became more specialised for different types of vessels and applications, such as high-speed boats, cargo ships, and submarines.
While propellers remain the dominant form of marine propulsion, especially for recreational and commercial vessels, alternative propulsion technologies like water jets and podded propulsion systems have also emerged, offering advantages in specific applications.
Propeller Innovation
In the 21st century, research and development into propeller technology continue, focusing on further efficiency improvements, noise reduction, and environmental sustainability.
Our very own FeatherStream propeller is one such innovative design that offers a simple solution to many problems caused by fixed propellers.
Throughout its history, the boat propeller has undergone numerous transformations, evolving from simple paddle-like devices to sophisticated, highly efficient components crucial for modern marine transportation.
Posted on