The Steamboating Forum

Looks nice. A couple of the books iv read recently offer a lot of stitch and glue plans. I'm still pretty torn between that method or using chines. I'm not the most patient of workers and stitch and glue requires more finesse in the cuts on angles etc which I can imagine frustrating me greatly. On t...

Many paths to getting a workable steamer, and we wish you well in this project. A few things you may consider: A used fiberglass sailboat hull can make a reasonable steamer with very low cost and much less labor than building a new hull. A small sailboat, with broken mast or bad sails, will sell fo...

Outboard steamers have been built, with boiler either mounted on the outboard itself, or with steam hose feeding from a boiler mounted in the boat. I have also seen a paddle boat (sidewheeler) that had the entire steam plant and paddlewheels which are lowered into, and clamped to the hull on a cano...

Seems like I'm back to the drawing board....

I will have to price up alternative (better thought out and safer) boiler options... It may mean my steam dreams go on ice for a few years if I can't get something cheaply. Will probably build the boat anyway and make some oars! Lol

8 feet boat length is rather small, however there have been a few steamboats near this size. As to the cartop carrying concept, the only car-topable steamboat I have ever seen is described on Radow Rainer's website: http://www.steamboating.de/ Look up "Scanoe Steamboat" for a description....

Many paths to getting a workable steamer, and we wish you well in this project. A few things you may consider: A used fiberglass sailboat hull can make a reasonable steamer with very low cost and much less labor than building a new hull. A small sailboat, with broken mast or bad sails, will sell fo...

Been reading a few books about building small boats and a couple of authors suggested external ply should be ok if it's coated with a couple of epoxy spit coats before its painted. This appeals due to the price difference and the fact my bought will only be in water about ten to twenty days a year. ...

I'm looking to convert a small 2 stroke lawnmower engine (or similar) to steam. At the moment I'm thinking of getting hold of an old gas cylinder or fire extinguisher for a boiler. Anyone who has completed a project like this got any words of advice or offer any assistance? I'm looking to keep costs...

Looking to build a small flat bottomed boat. Something like a punt or a mini skiff. Nothing too complicated. Looking to make her out of ply and odd pieces of 1x1 2x1 etc to keep weight and costs down. Also around eight feet is my max length as I will be car topping her. Any advice or assistance offe...

Hello Ladies and Gentleman of the steamboat world, I am embarking on a project to build a small wooden boat then power it via a steam converted 2 stroke engine from a lawnmower, hedge trimmer etc, probably using a bash valve arrangement. The boat itself I will be built with exterior ply, something f...