Telescoping or retracting funnels/stacks/chimneys

[NeilL]

Does anyone know if there were attempts by the Confederate forces to employ retracting stacks/chimneys/funnels? I do not remember reading of Southern usage of that, which is surprising -- in light of the endemic poor engines and low power of the ironclads -- and the obvious problems encountered by Virginia II and the Tennessee (II). If not, why not?? Thanks.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

They were really only a factor on a vessel that wanted to use full sail (that, and uncoupling or raising the propeller). CSS Alabama had a telescoping funnel and a lifting propeller, for instance.

 

[Dilandu]

They were really only a factor on a vessel that wanted to use full sail (that, and uncoupling or raising the propeller). CSS Alabama had a telescoping funnel and a lifting propeller, for instance.

I think, colleague NeilL was talking about ships build by Confederacy, not obtained from foreign shipyards.

For my opinion, the main reason was technical difficulty. Confederates already have a awful lot of problems with almost every ironclad they produce; even the small improvements would mean additional problems, additional resources, additional workforce and time. They simply couldn't afford this.

 

[georgew]

Does anyone know if there were attempts by the Confederate forces to employ retracting stacks/chimneys/funnels? I do not remember reading of Southern usage of that, which is surprising -- in light of the endemic poor engines and low power of the ironclads -- and the obvious problems encountered by Virginia II and the Tennessee (II). If not, why not?? Thanks.

Several vessels were reported to have telescoping funnels. CSS Manassas was claimed to have them (and didn't). At least one of the confederate subs was reported to have one (St. Patrick) but there is no evidence she used it if true. Funnels were a weakpoint on nearly all of the southern built or converted warships. Arguably, they would have been better off with shorter stacks and ram induction. At least two of the ironclads were reported to have blowers. On the other hand, a number of the purpose built blockade runners had telescoping funnel and/or blowers.

 

[NeilL]

Thanks, guys. It seems to be a bit of a mystery that most (all?) of the actual warships left that vulnerability. Even the Monitor, early on, took that into consideration.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The basic problem is that a stack only really works while it's up (unless you have some sort of blower system, as georgegw mentioned).