Slow down, guys! Pete Culler's launches were specifically designed for steam. The ones I pictured were all I had handy from google pics. The ones pictured (two boats) have little slow turning diesels in them. The design contemplated the weight of a steam plant and with the diesel, they are a bit abo...

R.D. "Pete" Culler designed a number of very fine fantail "steam hulls" in the late '70's. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZOHeO10wOg/TXqoAItxJPI/AAAAAAAAAYA/HMvXBlRkG-Q/s1600/IMG_7915.JPG http://www.cannellclassicboats.com/images/cbbculler.jpg https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8173/8039643595_43ba478141_z.j...

Her builders, the Millerick Brothers of Petaluma/Sebastapol, CA are still alive and well here and working away.

I'd say trying to keep copper and bronze polished in the marine environment is a pretty daunting task. Brass is another thing. Traditionally, brass is polished aboard, while other metals are not. Bronze will develop a nice shiny brown patina if left to its own. Polishing copper only removes the pati...

Hear! Hear!

It's in New England... ain't that always the way it goes. Five grand for a complete shop like that is a steal... but you'd probably pay twice that just to get it professionally moved out, properly crated, and hauled and then installed any distance away. Those high quality cast iron precision machine...

Somebody in here has just got to have a period launch that belongs to this Perkins Marine Lamp Corp. port/starboard bow mount oil running light. I've been in the game for a long time, but I've never seen one like it. This was made in the steam launch period and is what would have been mounted on sma...

Rainer, as a native San Franciscan and amateur maritime historian who grew up in the maritime industry, I can only offer a not very helpful "yes and no" answer. I've seen a lot of SF Bay historical photos of the period, but I've never seen this one. The vessel appears to be is what was (and now in i...

Might it be regular insulation wrap coated with something like what used to be called Arabol? Arabol was a milk-derived heat resistant lagging adhesive used back when pipes were covered with asbestos. I suppose when the asbestos went south, so did Arabol. It was made by Borden's Dairy Co. They no lo...

Saw this launch advertised in the San Francisco Bay Area Craigslist "boats" section. Does anyone know her? She seems beautifully done, and justifiably priced accordingly at $46,000 USD, although in this boat market it's hard to say what reception it might get. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/boa/411...