Paddle wheel boat

A steering means for a vessel adapted to navigate a shallow stream and marsh comprising:

• a rudder support arm pivotably mounted at the top of said vessel near the bow section of said vessel so that said rudder support arm is pivotably about a horizontal axis at the rear end of said rudder support arm and said rudder support arm is adapted to pivot upwardly about said horizontal axis and having a generally vertical rudder shaft pivotably mounted at the front end of said rudder support arm, wherein the front of said rudder support arm extends beyond the bow of said vessel and with said rudder shaft being adapted to pivot about a vertical axis near the front of said rudder support arm and said rudder shaft having a rudder blade attached to the lower end of said rudder shaft and said rudder shaft and rudder blade extending downwardly below the bow of said vessel so that the rudder blade is adapted to engage the stream in which the vessel floats and said rudder shaft having a steering arm attached at a first end of said steering arm to the upper end of said rudder shaft with a steering means attached at the second end of said steering arm and being adapted to move said steering arm about said vertical axis and said steering means extending to an inboard portion of said vessel and being adapted to be operated to move said steering arm about said vertical axis and said rudder support arm is pivotably mounted at the rear of said rudder support arm so that the rudder blade and arm assembly can freely pivot upward about said horizontal axis and said steering means having a guide means which maintains said rudder support arm in a fixed orientation relative to the bow of said vessel when the rudder support is in a downward position and allows the rudder support and rudder assembly to freely pivot upward about said horizontal axis at the rear of the rudder support when the rudder strikes an obstruction.