Talk Me Out of It...

[SailorHarry]

Hello all,

I have made no formal introduction as of yet, but I am working up to beginning construction of my first steamboat. I have experience with steam plants but know very little about hulls and prismatic coefficients and whathaveyou. Ultimately I would like an aluminum hulled launch of about 22' and 5-8hp, but as the cost of having a hull custom made is out of my price range just now, I am leaning toward converting a pontoon boat into a paddle wheeler steamer. Check out this website for my inspriation...except steam powered of course:

http://users.wirefire.com/gemort/vern%20p4.htm

But here's what I need you to talk me out of. I keep an eye on the local Craigslist and have spotted a very nice 21' motor boat hull. It's a fairly standard workboat hull set up for hobby shrimping, in very high quality 1/4" welded aluminum plate. Plain transom stern. It has a bad gasoline V-8 and sits on a serviceable trailer. I went and looked at it and basically its a very nice hull with some junk that I could sell, and the price is a steal. Pictures at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22974775@N ... 275789068/

As I said it's 21' long, not sure if that is counting the fantail or not though. The stern is 70 1/2" wide at the bilge keels. Fitting a steam-size propellor would be tight. I know its far from ideal for steampower but tell me just how badly it would perform with a little 5-8hp steam engine in the place of that big ugly V-8. Talk me out of buying this pretty piggy!

Peace,
Harry

[farmerden]

Harry I was looking at that pontoon boat and that huge flat deck and I started thinking "Party Boat" complete with steam fired hot tub![You know for ballast and other things]

[DetroiTug]

Hi Harry,

Welcome to the forum.

I've always thought that one of these would make a great small steamlaunch hull. It looks relatively easy to build and can be built in 14', 16' and 18' (20' if you're a gambler).









A small single simple and a small vertical monotube or VFT boiler. Has the beam where it is needed. Would make a nice traditional looking launch with not a huge investment of funds or labor.

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/special/drifter.html

-Ron

[mtnman]

My uncle in Alabama has a steam paddle-wheel pontoon boat. He started with a normal pontoon boat and an engine from a Stanley steamer car. HE built the rest of it. He steams it on Wheeler reservoir and loves it. I'm thinking my next Steamboat may be a pontoon paddle-wheeler.

[fredrosse]

It seems that the aluminum hull you are looking at is a powerboat, with 100 or more horsepower, not really appropriate for a steamer with a fraction of that power.

The most economical way to build a steam launch is to start with a good fiberglass sailboat hull. Get one with a centerboard well, not a deep keel boat. These hulls, with a trailer, go for very low prices on e-bay, if the boat has a broken mast or bad sails. For example, I paid $107 for a 14 ft O'day Javelin, with trailer, and broken mast, no sails.

Next step is to cut the centerboard well out of the boat hull, I used an ordinary 7 inch circular saw, making cuts about 1 inch on each side of the centerboard well. Remove the centerboard well, and fiberglass into the hull a propeller shaft tube, I used 2 inch PVC pipe, and an ordinary automotive fiberglass repair kit.

This boat was made into an inboard electric launch, for the outings with the steamboat group while my bigger steamer was being built. It has served well for 5 years now, having traveled up and down the Delaware River in Pennsylvania several times, in addition to the local lakes, etc. Usually 4 adults go out on this boat, and it goes at the typical steam launch speed of about 5 MPH. There is a full explanation of this project at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/electricboats/

Of course, you will be installing a steam propulsion unit rather than electric, but the typical sailboat hulls are ideal for this service and power level. They available in very good condition for a small fraction of the cost to build your own.

[fredrosse]

A few more pictures of the Javelin conversion process. The key to getting reasonable performance with low power is to turn a big prop at low speed. If you pick out a canidate hull to build your steamboat, I will do the calculations for speed, horsepower, propeller size, etc.

[SailorHarry]

It seems that the aluminum hull you are looking at is a powerboat, with 100 or more horsepower, not really appropriate for a steamer with a fraction of that power.

The most economical way to build a steam launch is to start with a good fiberglass sailboat hull. Get one with a centerboard well, not a deep keel boat. These hulls, with a trailer, go for very low prices on e-bay, if the boat has a broken mast or bad sails. For example, I paid $107 for a 14 ft O'day Javelin, with trailer, and broken mast, no sails.

Thanks all. My impulse to buy faded quickly. I know it is totally wrong for my purposes, it was just so well made that it had me wishing.

I have considered a sailboat for conversion; there are plenty of cheap ones. However I really dislike fiberglass os a material, for reasons I find difficult to articulate. I just associate it with cheap outboard motorboats. I prefer materials that have their own intrinsic worth, such as steel or aluminum or even wood, though the chore of maintaining a wooden boat is more than I care to undertake. The bayous around New Orleans are littered with old fiberglass hulls that aren't worth hauling away.

But that paddle wheeler does look like fun huh? If you can't go fast you may as well be able to bring some friends long. I think I can find an old pontoon boat with a bad motor for around $1000 this winter. I plan to source my engines and boiler from Tiny Tech India (www.tinytechindia.com). I am thinking of going with a pair of 2hp singles driving the paddle wheel thru two chain reductions and pitman arms. With a water tube boiler it should be under $4000, very reasonable pricing. I haven't yet seen one of his engines but Mr. Desai is a very interesting guy who is very enthusiastic about the future of steam power. I would recommend anyone wanting a basic, no frills engine or boiler at a great price give him a look.

.

[farmerden]

That's a cheap price for the complete unit.I wonder how good they are? And if he sells millions of them isn't he going to become one of those millionaire/billionare people he so detests? Merry Christmas Den

[87gn@tahoe]

Here is an email reply I received from Tiny Tech concerning boilers around 100 sq ft:

AADHUNIK GLOBAL ENERGY
C/oTINYTECH PLANTS,Tagore Road, Rajkot - 360 002, INDIA
Mobile # 91-92 27 60 65 70, Tel. 91-281-2480166 Fax # 91-281-2467552
Email : tinytech@tinytechindia.com Website : www.tinytechindia.com
Dear Wesley Harcourt,

At present we have following boilers which we can deliver quickly in 3 days on payment.

(1) Water tube Yarrow type boiler suitable for biomass firing with 140 sq ft heating
surface including economizer and superheater, test pressure
400psi,working pressure 160 psi complete with water
level gauge set, pressure gauge, safety valve, fire grates and 20ft
chimney 1 set+ interconnecting pipe lines, valves, pipe fittings
etc.Boiler is insulated with cerawool.
COST FOB INDIAN PORT US$ 5600/-
(2) Water tube Yarrow type boiler suitable for biomass firing with 100 sq ft heating
surface including economizer and superheater, test pressure
400psi,working pressure 160 psi complete with water
level gauge set, pressure gauge, safety valve, fire grates and 20ft
chimney 1 set+ interconnecting pipe lines, valves, pipe fittings
etc.Boiler is insulated with cerawool.
COST FOB INDIAN PORT US$ 5300/-
We had 2 such boilers which we despatched to Canada. We can make it and despatch to you in one month if you place order with full advance.
(3) Water tube Yarrow type boiler suitable for biomass firing with 90 sq ft heating
surface including economizer and superheater, test pressure
300psi,working pressure 150 psi complete with water
level gauge set, pressure gauge, safety valve, fire grates and 20ft
chimney 1 set+ interconnecting pipe lines, valves, pipe fittings
etc.Boiler is insulated with cerawool.
COST FOB INDIAN PORT US$ 4000/-
(4) Water tube Yarrow type boiler suitable for biomass firing with 83 sq ft heating
surface including economizer and superheater, test pressure
300psi,working pressure 150 psi complete with water
level gauge set, pressure gauge, safety valve, fire grates and 20ft
chimney 1 set+ interconnecting pipe lines, valves, pipe fittings
etc.Boiler is insulated with cerawool.
COST FOB INDIAN PORT US$ 3900/-
(5) Water tube Yarrow type boiler suitable for biomass firing with 70 sq ft heating
surface including economizer and superheater, test pressure
300psi,working pressure 150 psi complete with water
level gauge set, pressure gauge, safety valve, fire grates and 20ft
chimney 1 set+ interconnecting pipe lines, valves, pipe fittings
etc.Boiler is insulated with cerawool.
COST FOB INDIAN PORT US$ 2800/-
We have no any fire tube boiler at present. But we are going to make round vertical water tube boilers for boats. But it will take 3 to 4 weeks time.
If interested in any item, proforma invoice should be asked for by mentioning final destination which must be international port.

V. K. DESAI
Managing Director
AADHUNIK GLOBAL ENERGY

TINYTECH PLANTS
Tagore Road, RAJKOT - 360002, INDIA
91 92 27 60 65 70 ( MOBILE)
91 281 245 5730
91 281 246 7552 (FAX)
tinytech@tinytehindia.com
www.tinytechindia.com

[Rainer]

What a list! A variety like modern cell phones.

Would be interesting to see some pictures of the fittings like the water gauge.

Maybe you could ask for such detail pictures - also from the housing etc.

Some dimensions? Weight?