Topic: A new steam launch (Read 7136 times)

mogogear · « **on:** August 24, 2008, 07:14:45 am »

I just snagged a steam launch in the US..... far and few between. It was nice to find something on this side of the pond!! And.....'twas also a pleasant surprise to have an Ebay seller take such care in prepping the box that the boat was shipped in. She isabout 40" long and 8" W...

It is a Krick Alexandra -type launch with an now discontinued Krick ( Wilesco twin enigne)

It will need a lot of small things done( swapping the power plant may come as I assess the current one , but lots of scale detail in the salon cabin , wood lagging of the inside of the hull, fenders and checking the original construction ethics will keep me busy for a while. It did come with all new Futaba gear and is originally from England with a sticker on the aft " Model Shipwrights of London". I have already lagged the gas tank, serviced the stuffing tube, made alot of drawings on where to move servos, and found that the engine and boiler have maybe been run 2 or 3 times-- this thing is very new... for being about 15 years old...

A great"dial it in " project that didn't have to ship from oversea's ..

Let the games begin!

bogstandard · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2008, 09:04:20 am »

Hi Mo,

Nice boat.

I had the same steam plant many years ago (about 20), in a Victoria.
The engine, powered from that boiler, can only just about move the boat along. Plus the engine isn't really designed to last, it is based around Wilesco's 'toy' engines. That was why Krick (the manufacturer), very quickly swapped over to using Cheddar steam plants instead of Wilesco.
I had major problems with the brass boiler. Within a matter of months, the gas fumes from the very inefficient burner had caused the inner funnel tube to leech out all the zinc from the brass, and it went as thin as tissue paper and sprung leaks all over the place. It was duly despatched to where it belonged. the trashcan.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news in your hour of joy, but it did need to be told as it is.

IMHO what you should do is try to sell the engine to a collector as a complete unit, and look around for a good commercial steam plant. After I modded mine to a 'Puffin' it sailed for many many years, with no problems at all. I still have the Cheddar steam plant and the hull was sold a while back.

John

mogogear · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2008, 05:05:00 pm »

No worries John...I had looked for and read you comments, as well as Steve's on his site...So I purchased with understanding. I was prepared, as I have another vertical boiler and gas burner and a Twin oscillator that was originally sold by a now defunct company called Modeen... It seems to be quite robust if I need to swap the whole out.

I saw one of the Wilesco Krick engines on Ebay just go for about $85 pounds- engine only. So with the boiler , burner, freshly lagged Gas tank and engine.. mine should turn out well if I need to liquidate it...There are few disappointments - juts lessons

Being as new as I am to this steam boat world..I always take council in those like your self that don't varnish the truth or opinion.

mogogear · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2008, 06:12:17 pm »

Quote from: mogogear on August 24, 2008, 05:05:00 pm

No worries John...I had looked for and read you comments, as well as Steve's on his site...So I purchased with understanding. I was prepared, as I have another vertical boiler and gas burner and a Twin oscillator that was originally sold by a now defunct company called Modeen... It seems to be quite robust if I need to swap the whole out.

I saw one of the Wilesco Krick engines on Ebay just go for about $85 pounds- engine only. So with the boiler , burner, freshly lagged Gas tank and engine.. mine should turn out well if I need to liquidate it...There are fewer disappointments as I go- just lessons

Being as new as I am to this steam boat world..I always take council in those like your self that don't varnish the truth or opinion.

mogogear · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2008, 11:52:28 pm »

Well the old plant has been sold and a Maccsteam boiler is en route. Just because my engine building skills are not there yet and my budget won't allow it for now I am going to build the Graham twin engine and see how that works..I always have the Modeen Oscillator for another option.. or if a old Cheddars engine falls in my lap or I have some monetary windfall perhaps a Monahan .. we will see what the winds of destiny hold.

I have stripped out most of the sparse hull and started with the "planking"

It looks like a Fall of learning how to make a a launch look more authentic-- of course anything is an improvement over the Royal blue FRP

mogogear · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2009, 05:56:06 pm »

Well- It has been a long time since I started the rebuild of this hull...I am 98% done and have documented the build over on a steam forum I am a member of.I wanted to at least update and share the final product here as well.

I did go with a Graupner power plant. It does have a "R" insignia stamped into the side of the brass and the entire wooden box it came in was all in German...I could only hope it is a early Regner before they switched to the version with the large flywheel. It is beyond me. The only thing missing right now is my condenser--it should arrive in a few days...

There are so many fine boats on this forum..( Berhnard sets a high mark for realism!!) and all though I did not make this boat from square one, this is my first effort at doing this..I think it turned out pretty good fro a newbie. I just tried to emulate those other boats I love so much. You have to start somewhere..

Some of the inside detail