[Emperor Palpatine]

Back in the old days some of the steamboats were equipped with what were known as 'jack spars' or 'grasshoppers'. It was two long heavy wooden poles with spars and booms rigged up to a harness that was rigged to the steam capstan of the auxiliary steam engine.

These shallow=draft boats could use this rig to hop its way over shallow spots and shoals like walking on crutches. The sternwheeler "Far West" is so equipped

[Sequoyah101]

These were common on western rivers. I recall one account of a boat making its way all the way up the Yellowstone some distance using these.

It almost looks like these old packets carried not much more than wood for their own boilers!

[Edward Teach]

Wow! You river rats sure have some peculiar ways of doing things!