The Steamboating Forum

Wintertime again, working on many improvements to the Margaret S.

Building a half size boat on the same plan as the Margaret S. hull. I had spliced the sides and bottom plywood for the half size boat in the summer of 2010, and was going to build this before attempting the full size steamer, just to get some experience as I had never built a boat before. Schedules changed, and I built the big hull first.

Now that Katharine has bought a Kayak, it is time to put together this little boat, probably paddles instead of paddlewheels, but maybe a steam plant for this little one person boat? Certainly is easier to build a 10 foot long hull than a 20 footer.

This hull can fit onto the larger hull for transport. It should be handy during outings, as docking the sidewheeler is so difficult, so now I can just anchor and come ashore in the little boat.

A short film on youtube. Summer 2011 on Lake Noximixon. Some others also on youtube under "Sidewheel Steamboat"

Fred,
I've used both the graphite powder and the silica in various applications. If it is abrasion resistance you are looking for, the silica is the way to go. The graphite has worked well for me when I wanted low friction such as a sliding hatch track but it hasn't been particularly resistant to abrasion.
I have a hard bottomed Avon inflatable that gets run up on the beach regularly and the fiberglass was getting worn away along the keel. I built up the worn area with a thick mixture of epoxy and silica filler and it has worn like a rock for years now. Important to get it shaped the way you want it before it sets up as I don't know what it would take to grind it after it has hardened!
Mike

fredrosse wrote:A short film on youtube. Summer 2011 on Lake Noximixon. Some others also on youtube under "Sidewheel Steamboat"

Hi Fred.
As a newcomer to the world of steam-boating and have enjoyed the build history and love the end result you are real encouragers, I have a long way to go thanks.
Noel

A little more progress on the small hull. Thinking of using sidewheel paddles, with bycycle type pedal power, then I can put in a small steam plant some day, if I live long enough.

Weekend Work, got the 10 oz cloth onto the hull, and epoxied in place. Nex steps, some sanding, fill the weave, more sanding.

Fred-

Do you use marine plywood or regular hardwood veneer?
The marine ply seems pricey.

For the big steamer (19ft-3 in) I used marine plywood, British Standard 1088 Meranti, 1/2 inch sides, 5/8 inch bottom, this costs plenty, but well worth the price if you are building something to last.

For the small boat I used common 1/4 inch underlayment "Lauan" plywood, which should be Honduras mahogany. The Lauan stuff I got has no voids, I don't know if that was just luck? With 10 oz cloth over the entire hull, lower quality plywood is probably acceptable. Most canoe-kayak size boats use 4oz or 6 oz fiberglass cloth, I had the 10 oz stuff left over from building the bigger steamer.

With the labor required to build a bigger boat, spend the extra dollars and get marine plywood.

The little boat is just about finished now, put the final coat of epoxy on the hull exterior today. I plan to use double kayak paddles, but my son is welding together a foot pedal powered set of sidewheel paddles. This mechanism will drop into the small boat and be clamped to the frames, and it will look very similar to the wheels of the bigger steamer.

Fred-

The boat looks great.
Should be much fun to paddle.