Steamboat Register

Liberty Belle

Status: Steaming

Owner: Beat Bolzern

Area: Switzerland

Hull

Paddle Launch. Construction: Cold-moulded plywood and epoxy.
Hull designed by Glyn Lancaster Jones at Port Dinorwic
Built 1987 by Traditional Boat Shop at Port Dinorwic
LOA: 24' 0", Beam: 6' 10", Draft: 10' 0",
No.14. Varnished deck and interior, counter stern, wheel steering. Reconstructed and modified in Switzerland 2007 by Owner.

Boiler

Lune Valley type 2-drum WT Built 1987 by Traditional Boat Shop
Fuel: Coal or Oil, Pressure: 147 psi, Heating area: 0.1 sqft, Output: 66 lbs/hr,
6" dia X 18" long Steel drum(s). Steel tubes. Stainless Steel superheater,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, injector, feed water heater, whistle,
No.1015, drums 6" dia x 18" Long. Reconstructed and modified in 2009 by Owner.

Engine

Diagonal Twin. 2 1/4" + 2 1/4" X 5"
Built 2005 by Beat Bolzern at Switzerland
Design: Burnage by: Beat Bolzern
sv valve. SLRG valve gear.
Steel plate frame, Kcond, 2 Xhead driven fp, 100 rpm, 3 IHP. The original engine was build by D.C. Burnage at Bedford. In 2004 a new engine was build by Owner, with some parts of the original one.

Paddles

8 Feathering floats.
25.2" diameter, 9.8" wide.
Paddles Dimensions: 250 x 210mm

History

The boat was built in 1987 by G.Lancaster Jones for a local client in England. It is the last one from a series of three small paddle steamer. First he manufactured a 20 foot boat of the Minette class, then a 30 foot boat of the Minerva class, and finally Liberty Belle, a member of the Minerva class with 24 foot length. The first owner resold the boat, which he never drove, after a relatively short time to Mr.Penman. Since the paddle steamer was nearly unusable in the original state it was not of much use to the new owner. He let the ship decline even further until he decided to sell her. In 1993 Chraesi Herbert Schuler bought the boat from Mr.L.W.Penman and transferred it to Switzerland. It was overhauled completely and received major modifications. The water-tube boiler was converted from gas to Diesel firing and instead of the keel condenser a lateral v-condenser was installed. To improve the handling, a new, larger chrome-plated steel rudder blade was installed. In addition, the boat was smartened up cosmetically: the front mast was removed, the top sides of the side boxes are now natural wood painted and the diameter of the chimney was reduced from 30cm to 25cm. In order to protect from problems caused by strong winds, the fixed roof was replaced by an easily dismountable tent-roof. The machinery also had the benefit of a general overhaul with many new parts being manufactured. On 1st October 1994 the boat was tested in a swimming pool!! And on 5 October 1994 the boat made its the first voyage on Swiss waters. In the following years further improvements were accomplished: the original rigid paddle wheels were replaced in 1995 with controlled ones (controlled via eccentric). Later a fresh water suction was installed so that the conventional feed pump can fill the Hotwell (three-chamber). To improve the efficiency of the boiler a water pre-heater was installed. After some time the oil firing proved unsatisfactory. The energy consumption was too high, the burner worked unreliably and the affair was generally too dirty! Thus in 2001 the water-tube boiler was converted to conventional wood/coal firing. The present owner bought the boat in 2004. After several modifications It was in a good condition and ready for giving us much pleasure.

2014 Venice, Italy