Steamboat Register

Befur (SY-Befur)

Status: Steaming

Owner: Malcolm & Louise Duckett

Area: UK-North

Hull

Yacht. Construction: Strip plank, cedar and epoxy composite.
Hull model: Golden Bay 26 designed by Selway-Fisher at Wiltshire, UK in 2013
Built 2018 by Malcolm Duckett at Heggerscales, Cumbria, UK
Fit out 2016 by Malcolm Duckett at Hampshire/Cumbria
LOA: 26' 6", LWL: 26' 4", Beam: 6' 8", Draft: 2' 6", Displacement: 6600 lbs.
Fitted with forward cabin, and rigged with a 18sqM Junk Rig as a steam yacht in 2020. Hull, Engine and Boiler by Malcolm. Sails, Furnishings and covers by Louise. Fitted with Composting Loo, twin v berths, and kitchen. Automatic and manual bilge pumps, 300kg internal pig-iron ballast, Sailor and handheld VHF radios. 200Ahr batteries, solar panels and automobile alternator. See blog http://sy-befur.co.uk for full history of build of plant, hull and sailing rig.

Boiler

3-drum Yarrow WT Designed by John King,
Built 2017 by Malcolm Duckett at Heggerscales, Cumbria, UK
Fuel: diesel, Pressure: 250 psi, Heating area: 30 sqft, Output: 330 lbs/hr,
6" dia X 28" Steel 206 X 0.47" dia Cunifer tubes. Steel Drum, Cunifer tubes, bolted ends construction, Cunifer superheater,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, feed water heater, Windermere kettle, whistle,
Cunifer Economiser and Superheater in Boiler Shell - as per John King's design. Burner: pressure jet Bentone ST146 pressure jet burner powered by 1600W inverter, burning road diesel. 200Ahr battery, solar panels, shore power and automobile alternator for charging.

Engine

2 cyl compound. 3" + 5" X 3"
Built 2017 by Malcolm Duckett at Heggerscales, Cumbria, UK
Design: 3+5X3 by: A.A. Leak
pv on HP, balanced sv on LP valve. SLRG valve gear.
Power: 9 HP
Fitted with auxiliary drives for pumps and alternator - to allow engine to operate to 500+rpm and power burner, navigation lights, radio etc. Worthington Simpson weir-pump circulating condenser water, replaced by electric pump 2021.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, Right Hand, 21" X 19.5"
Shaft: 1.25" 316
Belt drive with 64:56 gear up.(1.41-1) Toothed belt (cam-belt) drive from engine to propshaft.

History

Hull, engine, boiler and sailing rig constructed by owner between 2011 and 2018. Launched on Ullswater June 2018. Launched with Sailing Rig as steam yacht in June 2020, home Windermere. Engine rebuild winter 2021 with improved timing ...

Added to the register: 2017.06.29. Last Modified: 2023.05.01.

First sail! On Windermere. June 2020

Photos

Just loaded onto trailer for first time!	Engine ready to install	Boiler tube nest
Launched for First Time - and floating straight! Ullswater 2018	Motor Sailing Windermere North Baison - Lay-up Supper 2022	Heading south from Ambleside - July 2020
Rebuilt engine in place 2022 (with new Kettle!)	Sailing on Windermere	Running north to Ferry Nab, with May snow on the Fells!