So what is this name of this steamboater and his launch?DetroiTug wrote:That is a great family history and interesting pics.
Your plan is similar to a boat here in Michigan. It's a pontoon as well with a VFT boiler and I think a 3 X 3 1/2 Olds steam engine. It is a paddle wheeler, Moves along nice, lots of room. One of the unique features on the boat is the engine mount is actually a tank or the hotwell, he has a float in there with an arm that comes out the side near the flywheel with a small bell on it. There is a pin in the flywheel - when the water level gets low in the hotwell it rings the bell. Also he has no engine or steam driven pumps (or didn't when I was aboard). Rather a large manual pump that he uses about every 3 or 4 minutes to maintain boiler water level.
If I'm not mistaken, he added one short pontoon in the center mostly forward to carry the extra weight of the boiler. It's a great boat, moves easily, trailers well etc.
-Ron
I'd like to call him up and talk to him about Nyitra...
-CB
http://nyitra.blogspot.com/