Some people consider me "American Lab Picker", as in the similarly named TV show on the History Channel.

No, I haven't, but several of my former students work at Norfolk Naval Shipyards as nuclear engineers so maybe ...

Actually it would be a useful water transport after a collapse.

No more channels being dredged, and a paddle boat has a shallow draft for its size. It would be harder to foul a paddle wheel than a prop as well. It could go places a lot of other water craft could not. Especially if it was converted to use wood as a fuel.

See any auctions for nuclear submarines?
(Not the Russian ones with faulty design, thanks)
Hide out of plain sight. Only really big pirates (fedgov) would be a threat.
Also much safer from hurricanes and the like.

I buy and (rarely) sell used lab equipment. This auction was put on by an auction site I use sometimes. When I saw this I thought of hiding in plain sight.

I'm not a gambler but interesting. How did this come to your attention? no quick getaways in a paddleboat