Search found 245 matches

by RGSP
Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:48 am
Forum: Welcome
Topic: New member
Replies: 10
Views: 11004

Re: New member

Welcome to the steamboating community, and this forum in particular. It makes running a steamboat much easier if it can be put on a trailer behind an ordinary car, which implies a hull between perhaps 4 and 6 metres long. Longer hulls can be towed legally (and practically) but a heavier vehicle may ...
by RGSP
Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:36 am
Forum: Technical - non Engines and Boilers
Topic: Building Spiffy
Replies: 23
Views: 19487

Re: Building Spiffy

Honduran (proper) mahogany is bit eye-wateringly expensive, and not all of it's that good either. When I last needed some mahogany, my local timber yard said they'd got a lovely shipment of Sapele, and I might like to look at it. I did, and bought a fair bit. I wouldn't recommend Sapele though, with...
by RGSP
Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:27 pm
Forum: Technical - non Engines and Boilers
Topic: Plain Bearing materials
Replies: 7
Views: 7244

Re: Plain Bearing materials

I have come across it, and it's very good in a CLEAN environment. PTFE is generally a disaster in any application where there are metallic and other particulates floating about, because these embed into the plastic and can produce a very abrasive surface quite quickly. Iglidur is better, for reasons...
by RGSP
Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:06 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: After Coal?
Replies: 48
Views: 25056

Re: After Coal?

There was an inquest near here yesterday, for a man who died on his boat in December: it sounds as though propane just filled the boat up while he was asleep in the cabin, possibly aided by alcohol. This is despite regular legally binding inspections of the installation, a requirement for at least t...
by RGSP
Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:38 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: After Coal?
Replies: 48
Views: 25056

Re: After Coal?

Nobody has answered the original question about grate area. In England these days you have get home-heating stoves tested for both output and efficiency/pollutants, before you can legally sell them. For multi-fuel stoves such as the one I use to supplement a heating oil, the output ratings burning w...
by RGSP
Fri Dec 11, 2020 2:39 pm
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: "Isambard"
Replies: 8
Views: 7951

Re: "Isambard"

No, I put that badly, my nearest steamable water is the Orwell, which is always salty, and any boat I own MUST be able to go on it. What I meant was a surprising number of steamboaters won't go on salt water because it messes up the polished brass work, which I regard as a shame. In fact I'm between...
by RGSP
Fri Dec 11, 2020 12:17 pm
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: "Isambard"
Replies: 8
Views: 7951

Re: "Isambard"

Ah! I can't remember how far up the Tamar remains salty, but it's a shame not to be able to steam in salt water.
by RGSP
Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:16 am
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: "Isambard"
Replies: 8
Views: 7951

Re: "Isambard"

He/she certainly looks good in your photo. Good luck with the final details of fitting out: they always take longer than one can possibly believe beforehand! Where are you intending to steam her?
by RGSP
Sun Oct 18, 2020 1:44 pm
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: A new-old 25' launch
Replies: 14
Views: 14481

Re: A new-old 25' launch

There's nothing really difficult in restoring an old hull to seaworthy (or at least riverworthy) condition, but it does need a lot of time, thought, and effort, and I would say a covered working space for it. Nobody could really blame you for filling in the worst holes, replacing a few frames, and ...
by RGSP
Sun Oct 18, 2020 1:29 pm
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: A new-old 25' launch
Replies: 14
Views: 14481

Re: A new-old 25' launch

There's nothing really difficult in restoring an old hull to seaworthy (or at least riverworthy) condition, but it does need a lot of time, thought, and effort, and I would say a covered working space for it. Nobody could really blame you for filling in the worst holes, replacing a few frames, and t...