Dear Ribble Rose , I'm afraid I can't see the pictures , but I am almost completely computer illiterate . I'm sure one of our more up to date members will be able to advise you how to post pictures . I think Gondolier may be the person to advise about the provenance of your boat . A large propeller ...

Dear Audlin , Without knowing what sort of boiler you have in your boat (or will have ) one can't give too precise an answer but I would have thought a wait of an hour to let it cool down a bit would be much more than would be needed. If you plan your return to the marina correctly you will arrive w...

Dear Audlin , The costs of the canal/inland waterway licence can easily be worked out so you can decide whether your planned usage warrants a full year licence or a series of short licences to meet your requirements . The marina costs are more difficult to work out as each marina has its own range o...

Dear AlbaSteamFan , I know you want to cut costs as much as possible , and I am sorry if I'm pouring cold water onto your enthusiasm , but I don't think either of your proposed boiler options are feasible . Fire extinguishers aren't designed to withstand more than a few psi , I'd guess perhaps 50-60...

Dear AlbaSteamFan . Welcome to the forum . One thing you can be almost certain about in the world of steam is that however sure you are that your latest idea is novel and unique someone somewhere sometime has thought of/done it before . There are a lot of very knowledgeable people in this forum and ...

Dear lighthousekeeper , On my boat's boiler the insulation is 1 1/2" mineral wool loft insulation which is fairly compressed by the teak staves . Nevertheless it is quite effective enough . BUT the boiler has a wet firebox/waterleg ; so at 200psi the insulation only has to cope with 200C degrees . L...

Hello Daniel , I'm obviously undercharging you !!! For the benefit of other forum users not privy to the messages which have passed between Daniel and me I have a gauge which meets his requirements and I am selling it to him , but looking at Steamboatjack's post I am clearly not charging anything li...

Dear wsmcycle, They look like air inlets : on ships they were essential to bring fresh air to the lower decks and to the engine rooms , especially if the boilers were in a pressurized boiler room , to provide forced draft . They had slightly flared cowls to trap more air and sometimes could be turne...

Dear Daniel ,

Do really mean 300 bar or should you have typed 300 psi ? I would have thought that at 300 bar you'd get Emily Anne onto the plane .
If it's only a 300psi gauge that you need I have a Reeves 0-300psi back flanged gauge that might suit.

All regards Edward

Hello Junkie and welcome , I agree with both the above comments about the Stuart 5A and Stuart No 1 and the fact that with the No 1 you would need a smaller boiler . Both of these engines were designed primarily as models rather than to do hard work . In order to get useful work from them with a rea...