The Palmipède was an early steamboat created in 1774 by French engineer and inventor Marquis Claude de Jouffroy . It was tested in June and July 1776 on the Doubs river between Besançon and Montbéliard and thus became the first steam-powered vessel. The boat was driven by a Newcomen steam engine and was the predecessor of the Pyroscaphe, also made by Jouffroy. It had a length of 13 m (42 ft). The steamboat was not considered a success due to its lower than desired speed, which led to the development of the first paddle steamer.
Specifications
The Palmipède was 13 m long and was equipped with a Newcomen steam engine which drove the rotating paddles installed to move the boat.
References
Palmipède Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA