The Steam Boat Association of Great Britain
The Steam Boat Association of Great Britain
| Owner: Cdr.J.V. Hodgkinson R.N.. (SBA member - South West Region) Area: Rivers Dart & Sarthe (France) (UK). | |
| HULL | Open launch Built 1988-89 by Steam & Electric Launch Co. at Wroxham. Designed by R Latham & JV Hodgkinson. Model: Frolic 21 Fit-out by J.V. Hodgkinson. LOA: 21', LWL: 19' 6", Beam: 5' 8", Draft: 2' 3", Displacement: Approx 1 ton. GRP White, wheel steering, with all over canopy and side curtains. |
| ENGINE | Compound, 2˝" + 4" x 3". Built 1990-91 by J.V. Hodgkinson. Design: Stuart Turner, 6A. Valve(s): pv on HP, sv on LP, Gear: SLRG with ‘Marine links’ to owner’s design, Pumps: Variable stroke engine driven main feed pump; hand stand-by feed pump . Keel condenser cleared by modified ‘Edwards’ air pump on engine. Steam bilge ejector. 2 tfc, 2cbs, 600 rpm. A standard 6A with modified crossheads to accept motor cycle con rods. Pressure lub to mains; big ends, crossheads/ guides and into steam. Fitted with a proper simpling valve which diverts H.P. exhaust to condenser and puts live steam to L.P. sv on both cylinders prior to 2006 |
| BOILER | VWT. Built 2004 by JV Hodgkinson. Fuel: paraffin, Pressure: 150 psi, Grate: 6 jet JVH Mk 9 Vapourising burner, Heating Area: 16 sqft. Central vertical drum in malleable iron; 12 copper coils interlaced around it Blackstaffe style and surrounded by 24 copper water wall tubes which cross the fire annulus below the coils before spiralling up the wall, doubling back and recrossing the fire annulus to join the drum above the generator coils. All tubes joined to drum by flared unions LIFU style. Stainless steel superheater immediately above fire. Feed heater above tubes. Raise steam in ten minutes from Flash-up. Wkettle. keel c. |
| PROP | 3 blades, bronze equipoise, 18" x 24". Shaft: 1" SS with ball thrust. Fitted with a ‘Spurs’ weed cutter.. |
| HISTORY | Built 1988/89 from a Rupert Latham moulding and hull kit. Launched March 1989. Originally fitted with ‘Swan’ engine and an ‘Illingworth’ boiler from ‘Finch’ built by Raymond Vallings. Re-engined winter of 1990/91 with a Stuart 6A built by owner. Steamed every year since launch. Re-boilered winter of 2003/4 with a VWT boiler similar to ‘Illingworth’ but with coiled generator tubes and a ‘Water Wall’ designed and built by owner. Externally indistinguishable from the original. Taken to France every Summer since 1990 where she has steamed more miles than in U.K. Has only failed to get home under her own steam on one occasion. Fate: Discontinued 2008. Plant removed and converted to electric |
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