Hello

[Aheadslow]

This is just to say hello to everyone here, and of course to introduce myself. I am a mechanic by trade and a devote of steam by inclination, there is just something divine about the motion of a fine steam engine under power. having said that I live in the Midwest and although we have few steamboats if any in my area ,what we do have are Traction Engines , and not a few large stationary engines. Ive been around steam since I was six and have helped with the restoration of several fine old engines and a couple of boilers. But now I have decided that it is time to pursue my own version of the dream so to speak. I am only starting to lay down my plans still gotta decide on a hull and engine combination as these will dictate the size of boiler I'll need. I have what may seem like an endless list of questions,so I will thank you for your patience in advance.

[Edward]

Welcome to the Forum ,

I'm sure that between the membership we should be able to answer most questions , or at the very least steer you in the right direction . One word of warning (several actualy) : you'll often find that one question can elicit many answers all of which may be correct but different ; it's selecting the option that suits you best that is difficult !
I can't help you much with steamboating contacts in the Mid West as I'm in the UK but at least traction engines are steam although the people who run them are rather strange compared to steamboaters .

All the Best Edward

[csonics]

Welcome! Where abouts in the "midwest" are you located? There a few of us steamboat nuts up here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

-Mike

[Aheadslow]

Oklahoma,Tulsa to be exact. But I grew up about 10 miles from Pawnee home of The Oklahoma Steam threshers Association. Hope ya wont hold that against me,,So I've been around steam a long time. The questions will probably start coming as soon as I can decide on a hull

[farmerden]

Welcome to the group! I have a question for you.I was moving a friend's steamboat from an old farm where he had it stored and lo and behold in one of the sheds was a small horizontal stationary steam engine! It was getting dark so I couldn't look very long [Plus the owner of the property wasn't home] It's small-maybe a 12-14in flywheel ,maybe a couple of horse-but what a cutety! Of course I gotta have it! I've seen pictures of "Mill" engines but they are big-this isn't. Any ideas on what it might have been used for? I've been back but the guy is never home. Eventually I'll get some pics-at least and the story on it .Stay tuned!! It's odd to find much steam stuff out here- B.C. Canada-cause we've only been discovered for about 150 years or so,so steam had already started to wane. Den

[Aheadslow]

Den what you have found may very well be an old shop engine used to run small machinery.
pics would be helpful,I have seen shop engines so small that you might think they were table engines for display only. There is a man who comes in to the annual Threshers show who has a tiny shop engine that was actual built by a watchmaker to power his workshop. So get some pics and I will be glad to try and help to figure out what it is you have found. And if I cant figure it out I may know someone who can .

[87gn@tahoe]

Welcome to the forum!

[artemis]

There's a lot of stuff out on the internet, but whnat to use/where to go?
1. Go to the International Steamboat Society website at http://www.steamboating.org and navigate to the calendar. The only annual meet in your area is the Caddo Lake Meet held MAY 21 and 22 at Uncertain. TX. Go - or if you can't make it, contact the name on the calendar page.
2. Join/subscribe to one or two clubs/magazines about hobby steamboating. The ISS/Steamboating Magazine is one. The Steam Boat Association of the UK/Funnel is excellent, even though it is put out by the same country that was ruled by King George III <grin>. Find them at http://www.steamboat.org.uk . And the North American Steam Boat Association http://www.northamericansba.org also puts out a bi-monthly magazine with emphasis on meets AND equipment suppliers.
That should get you going.

[PeteThePen1]

Welcome (from Wales currently)!

Do tell us about the kind of waters that you are planning to consider using. That is quite critical in the UK as lake use, sea use, canal use or river use all demand slight differences and impose certain limitations. For example Edward and the Windermere folk run their boats on lake water (Am I right Edward?), whereas on the canal near us the dissolved minerals would clog up the boiler in short order without bolier treatment. Thus condensing is sensible Our narrow canals also impose a draught and width limit, and so on.

There is, of course, a lot more to it but those are a few thinks that I have run up against.

Best wishes

Pete

[Johnlanark]

Hi Mr Slow and welcome to steamboating and the forum. Artemis pointed you to the steamboat association website. Did you pick up that you can browse details of several hundred boats, their engines and boilers, at the boat register within that site. Dreaming and scheming is a big part of the fun.
Regards, John