A new Ohioan Steamer

[cyberbadger]

Hi,

I have always been interested in steam, but never really did much until a year and a half ago when I bought a small non code vertical firetube (VFT) boiler.

I was more or less alone in the woods at the start, learning the ropes running my boiler in the driveway experimenting/learning different aspects of steam operation (different engines, injectors, feed water pumps, making electricity from steam). I found the smokstak website and have been posting there for about a year.

But I knew from early on I knew wanted to build a launch. I just don't have all the parts yet.

I own two candidate engines:
1) A single cylinder simple 2.75 inch bore by 3 inch stroke, slip eccentric reversing running gear, built by John Winn in Abingdon, UK. (It was the engine in 18 ft SL Chimera in the UK)
2) A 1902 Toledo Steam Car simple/single expansion 2 cylinder 3"x4"(both cylinders) with Stephenson reversing gear

The non code boiler I have really doesn't really have the steam capacity for the kind of launch I want to build (It's a dry bottom vft), so I have my heart set on an ASME code VFT from LundMachineWorks.

I will be running non-condensing.

I have various injectors, a simplex pump, a duplex pump, ejector, oillers, etc.

After I get the new boiler, more or less all I'll need is a hull. But I haven't decided on a particular hull design yet.

I'm not terribly interested in making the launch look authenticly historical, I'm going primarily for functional.

Any ways, that's my story!

-CB

[fredrosse]

Welcome to this endeavor, seems like you have the steam part well underway.

Many centerboard sailboat hulls can be easily converted to steam, cut the centerboard well out, fiberglass in a stern tube, and you have a reasonable hull for a typically low price. Some of them have a traditional plumb stem (or nearly so), and work well at displacement type speeds. Sailboats with a broken mast or bad sails go for a song. I got mine, with trailer, for $107.00, only a 14 footer, but 16 to 22 ft sailboat hulls are very available.

[cyberbadger]

Many centerboard sailboat hulls can be easily converted to steam, cut the centerboard well out, fiberglass in a stern tube, and you have a reasonable hull for a typically low price. Some of them have a traditional plumb stem (or nearly so), and work well at displacement type speeds. Sailboats with a broken mast or bad sails go for a song. I got mine, with trailer, for $107.00, only a 14 footer, but 16 to 22 ft sailboat hulls are very available.

Thanks fredrosse!

I don't think I've seriously considered a sailboat hull yet, but your post made me think that I need to look into it as an option for a hull.

I struggle with my dream of a steam launch and one that would be practical/simpler to get water.

I have this dream of being able to have it also be my house.Tony Bryant and his Thrush Steamer in the UK is one of my main steam Heros. Never met him, but I hope he is still steaming around the UK.

On the other hand, I have to avoid over complicating my desires and build a smaller practical launch that I can get into water or I may never get any steam launch to hit the water.

-CB

[87gn@tahoe]

Welcome to the forum CB.

What part of Ohio do you hail from?

[cyberbadger]

87gn@tahoe,

North East Ohio, North West of Akron, about 30 minutes south of Cleveland.

-CB

[DetroiTug]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm up in the Detroit area. There is another steamer here that has a 14' lifeboat for sale set up for steam already, he removed the engine and boiler and is putting it in a larger boat.

The boat in this thread, although a different owner now.

http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/for ... 3&start=50

-Ron

[cyberbadger]

Thanks for the link DetroiTug, but I'm aiming for a much longer hull then 14'.

20' minimum for me.

I'd really like to be able to sleep in the launch if possible, so some sort of cabin ideally. If not a cabin at least enough space on deck where I could put a canopy or tarp above me and be very comfortable and plenty of space in a sleeping bag.

I need to look more at sail boat hulls....

-CB

[PeteThePen1]

Hi CB

Welcome to the Forum. You should do well with a John Winn engine - I have one myself, it is a vee twin.

Thinking about the idea of a converted sailing dinghy, you might like to follow the story of maid of Scrap in steamboating magzine. That is a small boat, but the techniques would be exactly the same for something a bit bigger. If you send an note to Ron Fossum, I am sure that he can set you up with the back issues.

Regards

Pete

[smokestackmag]

Hello, CB,

I'm sure you're really busy putting your new boat together; I hope you found a satisfactory hull. There's a steamboat meet on the St. Lawrence Seaway at Clayton, NY in third week of June. It's held at the Antique Boat Museum. Bring your boat, even if it isn't finished. There will be 20+ boats there and lots of camaraderie.

I'm the Editor of Smokestack, perhaps you'd like to join the North American Steamboat Association? You can email me at smokestackmag at yahoo.com for info.

Tim Lynch, Editor
Smokestack
SL Flying Cloud
Oxford, CT