Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Steam => Topic started by: mook on July 01, 2008, 05:58:31 pm

Title: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 01, 2008, 05:58:31 pm
This is my first attempt at a boat build.
Its a krick Victoria with a few changes to suit my ideas. Not yet sailed but will be soon
  8)  O0
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: MONAHAN STEAM MODELS on July 01, 2008, 06:21:27 pm
Beautiful work Mook!!

Just a thought.. Would it be at all possible to lower the boiler a little bit further into the hull. I am concerned that its current placement might make your boat a little unstable in rough water. The closer you can get the boiler to the waterline or below the more stable the boat will be. Great craftsmanship though!!!!. Really clean work!!!

Nick
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 01, 2008, 06:54:28 pm
thank you Nick for your comments, I am a little worried about the height of the motor, I would have to find a way of getting the alignment of the drive if I lower the motor,  but then I would only gain about  an inch in height. i will sail her and see how it goes before changing anything.

regards

Malc
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: Bunkerbarge on July 01, 2008, 08:33:46 pm
Malc,  I agree with Nick,  lovely job for a first model and she will look superb on the water but the boiler does  look a bit high.

I would definately put the model in the bath, full of all fluids and gas, and push the top of the funnel to one side.  If the boat returns to upright slowly and swings over to the other side, do not sail her.  You will be caught out by a gust of wind or a wave in the middle of a turn and she will sink before you have time to do anything. 

If when you push the funnel over to one side it returns to an upright position quickly I might give it a chance.  I suspect that you might have to make a new base with the engine and boiler at differrent levels, exactly as I did with the Ben Ain, to get the boiler as low as possible and still have the engine lined up with the shaft.

I think there is a very real danger of you loosing this model if it is your first and you are not experienced with what signs to look for on the pond.  Your best option is to ensure that it is as stable as possible.
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: kno3 on July 02, 2008, 11:13:06 am
Nice work! What kind of engine is it?
As the others have said, you could try removing the boilers legs and place it as lower in the boat.
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 02, 2008, 11:38:57 am
Hi
The engine is a Hemmens Richmond while the boiler is from Stuart.

I am now lowering the boiler as everyone seems to think it is the right thing to do, and who am I to argue with the experience these folks have
thanks everyone

malc
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: Bernhard on July 02, 2008, 04:55:59 pm
 hi          it look good,,,,,,,,,,,,,nice boat it is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,great you lower the boiler will look a lot better to

  Bernhard
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 07, 2008, 06:49:11 pm
Ok I have lowered the boiler to its lowest point without making new brackets under the boiler. So now I have two mounting plates. Depth from inside floor to top of gunwalls (however its spelt  ;D ) is just over four inches, From floor to highest point of boiler is 5.5in. Hope this is better as I want to go out and sail her.
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2008, 07:03:56 pm


Bath test time Mook!  O0
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: kno3 on July 07, 2008, 08:56:53 pm
Looks better now. Did you test it in water?
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 07, 2008, 09:09:36 pm
Looks better now. Did you test it in water?

not yet tested in water as we do not have bath, will have to try it in the village pond this weekend. Hope it is ok

 :D
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: kno3 on July 07, 2008, 10:33:05 pm
Not even a shower tub? :-)
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on July 08, 2008, 11:37:03 am
nope. only a disabled shower which is flat almost  O0
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: GrahamV on September 07, 2008, 06:33:56 pm
I'm Very interested.  Did it Sail OK.  You have gone quiet about it since July.  I hope not a bad omen!
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on September 08, 2008, 11:42:20 am
only had the chance to sail her once due to bad weather and not having a helper as i am disabled due to cancer. Hoping for some good weather soon. On that occasion she appeared to be ok with the lowered boiler

Mook
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: ROSYTH on September 09, 2008, 10:32:46 pm
Hi Mook, pleased to hear the test steam went well and I hope you can have her back in the water again soon which is all as usual subject to our fantastic summer weather this year.
Mind you sailing in any weather is great you've just got to get out there and do it mate.
Did you manage to sell the Steam Plant you offered as I have just mentioned it to a fellow Traction Engine owner who is looking for one ok, so I posted the link to it for him so see what happens ok.
Keep us posted with updates on boat and enjoy well done.

Best regards
Cliff
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on September 10, 2008, 01:41:33 pm
Hi Cliff
Thanks for the kind words, sorry to say the steam plant is still not sold
Malc
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: GrahamV on September 25, 2008, 05:07:12 pm
Hi Mook,

Glad that the first sailing went OK   As has been said, it is a fine boat.  Please let us have some pictures of it in the water!

Hope all goes well with you, I have suffered with cancer but am now apparantly "cured".

Best wishes,

Graham
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on October 13, 2008, 10:51:55 am
Ok here are some pics of the boat on the water, went to Wicksteed Park yesterday (thanks for the warm welcome lads) had a good day out in perfect conditions
Mook
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: SteamboatPhil on October 13, 2008, 01:06:39 pm
Looks great on the water, how does it handle  :-))
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on October 13, 2008, 01:10:43 pm
I am wondering about the prop size as there does not appear to be much difference in performance between half and full throttle, apart from that she is good on the water, which is better than on the shelf  {-)
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: mook on October 13, 2008, 01:18:27 pm
Its onl me that could put up two pics the same  :embarrassed:
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: ROSYTH on October 13, 2008, 01:54:29 pm
 :-)) Malc, well worth the wait and she looks the Dogz Bo%%&*£ and leaves a real nice looking wake behind her too.
I like the Steam trail too, then folks know what she is whilst on the waves.

She sure does look a lot better on the water with the Lowered boiler and a lot better than on that high shelf you have her on, I almost missed it when I walked into
the Modelling room, I guess i was to busy looking at the Tug Build to notice her sat up there. lol

It won't be too long mate before you have them both cruising away on the pond, when I get mine done which I hope won't be too long now we will have to meet up again,
I'll come down to you though, then we can take a few hours to chill out and do a little steaming and I ain't don't it before but how about a RACE yours against mine?? Should be
quite an afternoon.
Onto other things, yep I re set the safety valve to its correct pressure and then re fired the plant and took it over 80psi and then let go a little at a time so as to warm the engine
up first then opened her up a little more and had her running quite well and I managed in the end to steam the Plant for over an Hour on one boiler full of water.
I have just remembered, did you want me to post that spare attenuator down for your launch Malc? Let me know ok, it has instructions with it and it is a Cheddar product too.

Have a look at some off Bernhard's Steam Launches he has pictured, he certainly knows how to make them look really authentic and work like a dream as well as look great, just some food for thought.

Let's see some more pics when you can and the next time you go out take some video and stick it on YouTube with a link to it on the forum.

Cheers for now Malc
Wal
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: GrahamV on October 13, 2008, 03:11:15 pm
Hi Malc,

Does look great on the water.    :-)  Thanks for your note or I may have missed it!

Graham
Title: Re: my finished steam launch
Post by: Proteus on October 13, 2008, 03:16:00 pm
   Looks good on the water , steam plants take time to run in , bit like diesel cars, after several hours running they start to ease up  and the throttle should be more responsive, it mayl also run a bit longer.

Proteus