HOBBY III
Boat Name: HOBBY III (HOBBY)
Owners: Denny Dawson of Cross Lanes, WV E-mail address dennman@aol.com
J. D. & Mara Pauley of St. Albans, WV E-mail address jdmj@charter.net
Home Port: "Port of Indecision", Sometimes Dunbar, WV & sometimes Winfield, WV
Hull: All steel with 1/4" bow and stern with 1/2" overlays. Sides and bottom are 3/16". The hull is scow bow with 5 water tight compartments and a 12" x 20' scag in the center. The old hull was removed and this new one installed in 2000. The Hobby has 4 rudders.
Hull Size: 16' W x 54' L x 34" D sides with a 3" dead-rise in the bottom.
Paddlewheel: 8' x 8' with 12, 1" thick poplar buckets.
Engine: The current engine is a Mitsubishi 100 hp, 6 cyl. diesel. This will soon be replaced with a 150 hp Caterpillar, 3056 turbo diesel.
Drive Train: The Hobby has a Velvet Drive 72C, 1.51:1 reduction transmission coupled to a V-belt reduction wheel which is coupled to a 6:1 Western reducing gear box and to the paddlewheel with a #160 chain.
Builder: The late Captain Harry Wilson began building the Hobby in 1977. It was finally launched in 1985.
Superstructure: The Hobby has a wooden superstructure with the lower cabin area measuring 12' W x 44' L. The boat sleeps four down stairs. Two on a pull-out couch and two in the bedroom. The recently renovated 10' W x 23' L Pilothouse/Texas cabin also sleeps four. The Hobby has a full bath and a complete kitchen with propane stove. She also has central air and heat.
Misc: The Hobby has a 6.5 KW Kubota diesel generator and holds 210 gallons of fresh water, 240 gallons of diesel fuel and has a 110 gallon holding tank. The pilothouse is also radar equipped and has a Garmin GPS system. Additionally there is a satellite TV hookup in the lower cabin area and the entire boat is now protected with a rather sophisticated security system.
Narrative: Check out the Hobby's website at: http://webpages.charter.net/jdmj/hobbyhp/