A successful example of Oilking's suggestion is the Steam Yacht Canarda. The old iron hull was not salvageable but the elegant interior and machinery were removed before the hull sank. An entirely new steel hull was fabricated in California and the vessel's original interior placed inside. Worth loo...

DavisDD: I like your approach to preservation: An operating artifact is more likely to survive the ravages of time, even if its preservation replaces parts of the original. I've had this argument many times in steam locomotive preservation, and I keep pointing out that a 100-year-old locomotive is a...

This discussion is continued on a new thread "Steam Thistle Cluaran":

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2211

including the answer to the heritage of this Steam Thistle.
Enjoy.
RussN

I hope you succeed in restoring that classic hull. I had to give up on restoring a small 15 ft. long wooden steamer hull. I had neither the wood working skills to do it myself, or the funds to have a local boat yard do the work. The repair estimate was over $20K (US), and that was ten years ago! I d...

You are doing remarkable work!

And please remember that boiler materials (tubes, steam drums) need to be low carbon steel, to prevent cracking and welding failures.
RussN

Today we got Cluaran back on the waters of the Columbus River for a second hour of happy steam boating. This was the first ride for my Wife, and she had a blast! So Cluaran is now drained, blown out, washed and tucked away in the garage for the winter, which has been hinting of arriving soon. ...ish...

Frances-Anne is a beautiful Steam Launch!
Thanks for sharing.
RussN

The square or round holes in flywheels are for inserting a bar to rotate the steam engine as needed.
Drilling round holes in your flywheel probably is not necessary, but it will lighten it, which may be a good idea.
RussN

Having rebuilt a locomobile engine last year, I have one more comment off the Stuart No. 6 topic: Because the Locomobile engine sits vertically installed with the cylinders up, the valve chest can fill with condensate. Our engine had a drain cock, but not at the gravitational bottom. The chest sat p...

Bronze bearings with paper lubrication and periodic adjustments of clearance should last for many years of use. Having just finished the difficult task (for our team) of pouring 4 new Babbitt bearings for the 3" diameter main crankshaft of a 10-ton steam tractor, I wish the bearings had been bronze!...