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[Bernhard]

hi...got this from Ebay,,,will be send to me monday,,,,,,i will use it for my Anton engine,,,is it a river queen launch,,,,,,
here whas it sai from ebay  regards Bernhard
RADIO CONTROL STEAM LAUNCH ELECTRIC 1920s POND YACHT. IT IS POWERED BY A ELECTRIC MOTOR NOT STEAM  THIS IS A MODEL OF A 1920s STEAM LAUNCH, BUT WAS MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.  IT HAS A LABEL WHICH SAYS ''LES BROWN MODELS, 12 BIRSTALL, BATLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE''.  IT MAY HAVE BEEN MADE BY THIS PERSON OR SOLD BY HIM.  IT MEASURES 36 INCHES (91 CMS) LONG  BY 11 INCHES (28 CMS) WIDE.  IT IS FITTED WITH RIPMAX RADIO CONTROL AND SPEED REGULATOR.  IT IS IN FULL WORKING ORDER.  IT DOES NOT COME WITH THE CONTROLLER OR THE CHIPS.  I WAS USING THIS ON NUMBER 5.  THE RUDDER DOES NEED TO BE CONECTED.  THE HULL IS MADE FROM VERY THICK FIBREGLASS.  IT IS DECKED-OUT IN WOOD AND BRASS FITTINGS.  IT IS VERY STURDY AND BEAUTIFULLY MADE. 

[Bunkerbarge]

This may very well have sailed on my own home waters at one point coming from Batley!

I'm sure with a going over by you Bernard and the addition of your wonderful levels of detail you are going to have a very nice launch there.

[Bernhard]

Hi,,,Many Thanks......i think the Anton engine will look good ,and just be the right size fore this launch...there is a Hemmens launch on ebay right now,,,it cut have be fine to,,bot i allready have one off them,, the Lady Jane  photo from Ebay,,,,,

regards Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

That looks like Vic Smeed's "River Queen" design. A fibreglass hull was available from MAP - maybe it is still. I have one some 25 years old now made from wood. Nothing like as pretty as yours. It has a 3/8" bore and stroke slide valve twin. Drive is through a fwd-neutral-reverse gearbox as I didn't fancy fitting reversing linkage to such a small engine. This has turned out to be very useful as when the prop picks up weed, I can select neutral, and still run the engine to drive the boiler feed pump. It also has automatic water level control and gas control.
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

hi.........woww that launch look so real.....and so made in wood...  where is the water tank,,,and how mouch water can there be in..........how long running time do you have ,,,,,,,>Many thanks
regards Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

There is no water tank - water is drawn from the pond, river, lake etc. Pure water is no good as it's electrical resistance is too high, and the level control system can't distinguish between steam and the water.
So running time depends on the fuel available, and that depends on the throttle used. Flat out the whole time about 40 minutes, but who charges round like that all the time. I usually come in and have a look at the fuel level every 15 - 20 minutes. The picture shows my re-filllable tank under the forepeak. You cas see the level gauge.
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

hi..Thanks.......yes thats true,,,,15-20 minuts,,,and so in for a check ,,,i see that nearly every one is doing that.......you boat look so real...not to clean and lots of bling.bling...cant stop looking at it....eny vidio when you have it in water.........have you use this launch offen in the 25 years....i have 2 wood launch...bot have allways problems to keap them water tight,,,so fiberglass is better for me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Regards Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

A few years ago, a couple of the joints along the planks opened a little - luckily above the waterline so I could still use the boat. I did a rebuild in 2003 I think. The joints were remade with a thick cyno and all the ribs were replaced. The hull was varnished and the green inside and below the waterline repainted red.
The last couple of years it has only been out a few times, but before that it was used regularly about evry other weekend, and some times in the winter.
Sorry but I don't have a video of it running.
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

Thanks,,,,,,,,i forgot,,,,,,,,,where do you let the used steam,and oil go...i cant se that extra oil seperator tank,,,,,,,,,,

Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

Up the funnel. The exhaust pipe goes about half way up and is belled out at the end. This gives a nice soft gxhaust. I found that with a sharp ehxaust like they do on the locos, opening the throttle quicklyt could draw the flame off the burner. It also gave a jet of steam that didn't look much like the real thing. On start up I push a piece of plastic pipe over the exhaust to collect the condensate. Some oil gets blown out, and some falls onto the top of the boiler under the dome. It needs cleaning from time to time, but causes no problem. My lubricator has a needle valve to control how much oil is used - without that, things would be considerably messier.
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

Thanks Malcolm.....First time i have here about that,,,every boat i have see before have a condensate tank...to keap the oil and water in...i will like it ,just as you do,,,bot im afraid...the water will blow aut the flame,,,,,,,i run my proteus around 60 psi,,,,,,,and Anton  40 psi,,,,,,,,how big a propeller do you have on it,,,,,,,

Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

Well Bernhard, if I don't get rid of the condensate at the start, my burner is also likely to go out, but once warm, there is very little condensate. If you do fit a condensate/oil trap, it should be kept as hot as possible so that it doesn't fill up with water. In the "River Queen", there's not a lot of space for a trap.
My propeller is a home made one about 2.25" diameter (about as big as I could fit in) and 3" pitch (sorry about the imperial dimensions).  The photo earlier in this thread shows the boat almost at full speed. The engine will be turning at about 1500 rpm and the pressure 25 psi. I can run at a higher pressure and the engine obviously turns more quickly, but the boat hardly goes any faster and there is a lot more commotion as it is up to "hull speed".
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

Hey,,,,,,,i have got the launch.......and it is reale well builld......be working on it,,,try to have the anton in there,,,,,,,,Malcolm.....i cant make rum for a watertank in there.so i will try to do it as you do,,,,i have a water pump on the enginen...do you use a filter to clean the water up before it go to the enginen...and where under the boat do you take the water in,,,,,,,,,,i have build a oil trap tank...i have it under the boiler,,so it is hiden,,,i will take photos sun  ok
regards Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

Bernhard
The water intake is about 1 inch from the keel, and the by-pass about 1/2 inch above the waterline so I can see when water is being by-passed.
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

Hey thanks....Malcom....eny filter on.......and eny problems fore the pump to bring up the water

Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

Sorry - forgot that bit. There is no filter - as I said, I've been running this boat for around 25 years, and during that time I've never had any problems due to dirty water. If a leaf or somthing of that sort got over the intake, it would obviously stop working, but with the intake well under the hull, this hasn't been a problem.
As the pump is at about at water line level there has been no problem with picking the water up. When I start, this is usually done out of the water, once running, it is put in the water, and I feel underneath to see how much suction there is. You should certainly be able to feel if the pump is working. Sometimes, one of the non-return balls sticks. If you feel nothing, it will be on the suction side, but if you feel a suck and blow it is the delivery ball that is not working. Sometimes a tap on the pump will cure things. If that fails I loosen the banjo coupling on top of the pump - this also keeps the ball in place and allows the pump to work against no load which usually frees the ball.
Thought I had a photo of the pump etc, but find I havn't. Will see if I can get a good shot of the system tomorrow.
Cheers     Malcolm

[Bernhard]

Thanks........i will try to do it that way,,,,,,,,,i like the ide,,,,,and allso that with no oil seperator on,,,,,,look better with aut...so i have hide it under the boiler,,,,,,
yes  photo will be great ,,to get ides from

Bernhard

[malcolmbeak]

If I can download a word document, this should show a picture of the plant with the various parts labeled
Malcolm

[Bernhard]

GREAT,,,,MANY THANKS.........first class

Bernhard

[Bernhard]

hi......so after some good ahours work

Bernhard

[Roger in France]

Super workmanship. I also love the Captain and especially his dog!

Roger in France.

[Bunkerbarge]

Another superb job Bernhard.  Is it finished or are you going to put some of your trademark tools and bits in it?

Were do you get those figures from?  They really are superb and a huge improvement on the dolls house pipe cleaner and felt type that never look quite real to me.

[Bernhard]

Hi..Many Thanks.......you can find them on Ebay...usa Canada,,,,,,,,under,,, Shelf Siiter  captain or seaman.   dog,,  from usa and uk    Bulldog figurine
i reale like this English bulldog and the france Bulldogs,,i did have one fore 12 years,,,,,,,,,,,yes i will find some nice parts to it,,,

regards Bernhard

[kno3]

There is no water tank - water is drawn from the pond, river, lake etc. Pure water is no good as it's electrical resistance is too high, and the level control system can't distinguish between steam and the water.
So running time depends on the fuel available, and that depends on the throttle used. Flat out the whole time about 40 minutes, but who charges round like that all the time. I usually come in and have a look at the fuel level every 15 - 20 minutes. The picture shows my re-filllable tank under the forepeak. You cas see the level gauge.
Malcolm

Hi, what kind of fuel are you using and what burner?
And where is the gearbox from?

These boats are really nice!

[Bernhard]

hi.......so are the rc in,,,and some more work is don
Regards Bernhard