1913 - Evinrudes Used in Alaska Mining

Twelve years before Edwin Hoag enjoyed exploring the Juneau and Taku areas of Alaska, the United States Navy was checking out the coal possibilities of Alaska.  To this end they tried out the new rowboat motors, or as they called them, "Evinrude overhang engines".  They did note, as did Hoag a decade later, the inability of a single Evinrude to overcome a good opposing Alaskan wind.  They liked them though, 13 were on order from Seattle as of this writing!

The area in which they were experimenting with the Evinrudes is north-west of Juneau.  OCR was available, so I have copied the text concerning Evinrudes to include here, but if you want to read the whole paper scroll to the bottom of this post.

For some days all hands were engaged in boat building. Two different types of boats were desired; one for the use with the stern-wheel and other power boats, the other for overhang engines, a type of adjustable motor which hangs over the stern and is held in place by ordinary screw clamps and thumb screws. 

The small power boats, such as the sailing launch and dugout canoe would tow one of the former while the stern-wheel boats would handle two of them, one on each side with a spring line. In all, twenty-one boats were built, several were failures but were used at the relay stations as lighters for receiving coal; one was used as a mooring buoy.

The fleet as finally constituted was a large one, and consisted of the following:

• 1  33-ft. regulation sailing launch, with 15 H. P. navy type motor.
  
• 2  50-ft. flat-bottom stern-wheel river boats, with 50 H. P., 4-cycle heavy duty motors.
  
• 1  35-ft. dugout canoe with 9 H. P. 2-cylinder motor.
  
• 1  16-ft. boat with 6 H. P. 1-cylinder motor.
  
• 1  24-ft. metallic life boat, with 5 H. P. single-cylinder motor.
  
• 1  regulation 36-ft. steam launch.
  
• 6  river boats, 2 to 3 tons capacity, each fitted with two Evinrude overhang engines.
  
• 5  river boats, 6 to 8 tons capacity.
  
• 2  river boats, 4 to 454 tons capacity.
  
• 3  river boats, 1 1/2, tons capacity.
  
• 1  river boat, 2 1/2 tons capacity.
  
• 3  river skiffs for tenders.
  
• 1  Peterboro canoe.
  
• 2  12-ton capacity lighters.
  
• 1  50-ton capacity lighter.
  
• 1  80-ton capacity lighter.
  
• 1  50-ft. stern-wheel flat-bottom river boat, fitted with 15 H. P. motor.

The first coal delivered at Chilkat arrived June 23, 1913. This consignment consisted of two tons transported in a large river skiff, propelled by one 2 H. P. "Evinrude" motor. This delivery demonstrated the possibility of using the Evinrude motor, whereupon six boats were designed and built for this type of engine and thirteen motors were ordered by cable from Seattle. 

The advantage of this motor was that there was no installation necessary. The sterns of the boats built for these engines were given additional stiffening by means of iron braces. The motors were set in place at the start of the run and removed and placed under cover at the end of the run. Two engines were used on each boat, not only for additional power but also for safety, as these motors proved to be unsatisfactory for the duty to which they were subjected. They lacked power to propel, the boats against the winds, while the heavy driving rains caused considerable battery trouble. The propeller gears did not stand the action of the silt and sand in the river water, and were all badly cut and worn within a few weeks; some of them were completely stripped.

 

(I left out a page or two...)

(2) Up-River Repair Gang.—The gang included machinists, carpenters and helpers. They repaired boats and engines. The boats received hard service and were in constant need of repairs, such as caulking, plugging, bracing, replacing crushed side-planking, repairing broken paddles on stern-wheelers and overhauling engines, particularly the Evinrude motors which were in constant trouble. 

The importance of the work of this gang cannot be overestimated. They were on the river a great deal of the time and did much repairing while the boats were under way. They were largely responsible for the maintenance of the boat schedule and the high percentage of " on time." A small repair and blacksmith shop was established at the coal depot. This gang was quartered at the Stillwater Cache camp.

(3) Operatives of the Glacier Division, which included the crews of the stern-wheel boats. These crews also were quartered at the Stillwater Cache camp.

(4) Operatives of the Delta Division, which included the crews of the motor sailing launch, three smaller power boats and the crews of the "Evinrude" fleet.  These men were quartered at Coal Junction camp.

(5) Operatives of the Lake Division, which included two crews for the steam launch and two coal handling gangs. These men were quartered at the Chilkat camp.

(6) Boat building and repair gangs, quartered at the Chilkat camp.

(7) Administration.   This included commissary, general storekeeper, accounting and medical. These men were quartered at Chilkat camp.

The equipment of floating stock on the several divisions was as follows:

Glacier Division.

2  stern-wheel power boats. (These boats were for power only, not being designed to carry a load.)

5  six- to eight-ton river boats.

1  four-ton river boat.

2  two and one-half to three-ton river boats.

Delta Division.

4 power boats for towing purposes.

6 three-ton river boats, each equipped with two overhang Evinrude motors. 

The coal boats of the Glacier Division were routed through the Delta Division to Coal Junction, while the Evinrude fleet was occasionally routed through to the coal depot on Stillwater Creek.

and more...

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These photos are from the Naval Institute Proceedings, Volume 39, United States Naval Institute, 1913.  It is sort of interesting reading.