Roderick Smith reports on the Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Echuca.

"A full report is at www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5981.0. There was one wooden putt putt in the parade: 'Kananook Queen'.  I never got the chance to speak with the owner, so I don't know if it is local or if it had been trailed in from a long distance.

There were two steam launches: 'Breezy' (local) and 'St Elmo' (Kerang).  I don't know what the hulls are, but steam launches are a like-minded kindred body.

Many of the paddlesteamers have wooden hulls, but it is often hard to tell because a common style is composite: metal above the waterline to prevent problems of shrinkage in the fierce Australian sun.

Because the water was down, I would have had trouble launching at either Echuca ramp, and didn't have the time to spare for a 5 h positioning cruise from/to Deep Creek.  Also, my boat is unheated.  I took up the invitation to be aboard PV 'Struggler' (aluminium hull)."

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