Steamboat

The terms steamboat and steamship refer to vessels powered by steam engines. Steamboats might be shallow draft vessels, suitable for navigation on rivers, but not seaworthy enough for ocean travel.

Early steam engines relied on a boiler to generate steam, which then pushed pistons, which, in turn, turned paddlewheels or propellers.

During the development of early steam vessels it was unclear whether paddlewheels or propellers worked better at propulsion. Propellers had a distinct advantage, in sea travel.

The triple expansion boiler was the pinnacle of steam engine development. The steam from steam turbines's boilers turned turbines similar to those in hydroelectric generators.

Modern ships, that use turbines, use gas turbine engines, similar to aircraft jet engines.