New here

[Railman1396]

Hello all!
I'm Adam from SC. I've been fascinated by steam power as long as I can remember. Joined the Navy and worked on a destroyer, although we only had waste heat boilers and steam was used for mostly hotel services.

I've worked on steam railroad locomotives for about 25 years. I volunteered to help restore the Norfolk and Western #611, one of the most 'modern' steam locomotives ever built in the US. I also am the proud owner of a tiny standard gauge 2-6-2 that needs a complete restoration. So steam is in my blood and I have a lot of experience with it.

I live right by a nice lake and have had dreams for a decade of building a steam powered paddlewheeler. Drawn up plans, purchased parts, etc.

Well I was lucky and a friend sent me a steam boat for sale on FB marketplace. So I drove to AL and now am the proud owner of the Ex-Southwind, a paddle boat built in 2019. I don't know by whom, but it was last registered in Delaware. It was used to make a documentary film and was steamed down the Mississippi collecting corn, where they eventually converted the boat into a distillery and made shine out of it.

Anyway, it needs a lot of wood work and freshening up. The hull was made of sawmill cut wood and covered in fiberglass. It seems very well built. There is only one hull passthrough, used as a drain. I need to add more for boiler blowdown, etc. It has a very nicely built dry end scotch boiler, (wood fired) and a home built 3x5 vertical engine, chain driving a riding lawnmower transmission, out to the wheel. I've disassembled all the piping, it was a hodge podge of schedule 40, 80, stainless, brass, and run low in the hull and there was no provision to drain it. This will be completely replaced with all schedule 80, steam rated valves, drains, etc. I'm also putting a reflex sight glass on instead of the open glass tube type. It has a gear pump on the engine and a hand pump for feedwater, and used the water it was floating in as the supply. I'm thinking of building a hotwell and condenser so I can use a closed loop feedwater system. I also plan to add an injector.

I'd also like to add a generator of some sort to provide for 12v power for lights etc. The wheel sits way too low in the water according to design plans and specs for a paddlewheel. I plan to move it up above the beams. This will also allow me to build much better rudders, as the ones on it now are wood and have broken repeatedly, with clothesline as the steering cable. I plan to install a helm in its current spot (starboard side between boiler and engine) and one at the bow, so you can run the boat by yourself or have a helmsman/captain while an engineer maintains the machinery. There was also no lubricator for the engine, I have several and will install one. I have a few 55 gallon drums of steam oil ready to go after all.

The cabin is getting removed, so that it just an open canopy. It gets way to hot inside according to the last owner. I also got a 10 whistle calliope that was built for this boat.

Anyway, looking for help with the design and parts for the condensing/hotwell build, and ideas for power generation.

[PeteThePen1]

Hello & Welcome Railman!

I am sure that you will get lots of help here once you have decided which specific question bugs you most. I have had lots of assitance from various folk over the years for which I am very grateful. Of course, unlike you, I had 30 odd years driving a pen rather than a steamer like you. So I think that puts you well ahead.

I like the look of you new boat and I am sure that you will make her very successful. My only thought about removing the cabin relates to skin damage from the sun. I have lots due to a careless youth, but your paddler might do well with a canopy such as can be seen on many Steam Boat Association of Great Britan boats. eg: https://www.steamboatassociation.co.uk/ ... /144262038 They vary enormously in terms of construction; some are plywood, others canvas and some have been know to use discarded truck trailer curtain. Mostly they are open at the side, but some designs include removable curtain so that the boat can be kept dry when moored in rainy territory (i.e. the UK).

Hope you will post up pictures of your progress.

Regards

Pete

[Railman1396]

Hello Pete!
Thanks, I look forward to learning even more from the great people here on this forum.

I agree completely about sun damage to humans and manufactured goods alike. I do plan to keep the canopy, just remove the walls on the front 'pilot house' as they trap heat and severely block the view of the helmsman. The canopy is currently plywood, and I will replace it with the same in marine grade (the plain plywood has suffered terribly). This allows me to have a firm mounting position for solar panels, the stack, and the calliope the boat came with. There are curtains rolled up along the back part of the roofline, that can roll down and snaps to secure them to the boat. I'd like to have more made to go all the way around after I remove the walls. I think this would be great if I have to leave the boat out in the weather for a period of time. I am looking at getting a good carport to park it under at the house so it stays dry and out of the sun.

I'll definitely keep pics coming! I have a youtube channel that I document all my other projects, so I'll post there too and add links here.

Thanks,
Adam