The MooseFleet

MooseMan · The MooseFleet

Ok, there have been one or two references to my little collection of boats

so I'll post them here - they're all on my website as well.

My "Arrow" steam launch (called "Môr-Forwyn" by me). Built from a set of plans by Hobbies. I built this boat recovering from a serious illness, I had NO knowledge of woodwork when I started. There is a build diary at:
http://www.freewebs.com/odilon/arrowbuilddiary.htm
This boat has basic radio control. The power plant is a Bowman 135 boiler coupled to a SEL marine engine. Video at:
http://webzoom.freewebs.com/odilo...%20files/arrow%20sea%20trials.mov

Bowman-Hobbies Snipe" ca.1930. Single cylinder oscillating engine. The hull and engine are 100% original, but the spray hood and rear deck were missing when I bought this boat.

Midwest Fantail Launch, built from a kit made in the US. The hull was partially completed when I got it, but the engine still had to be made up. The hull is rather more sophisticated than you normally find. Basic radio control, goes very well.
Video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mknz0Cc1L18

"Mabel", a Basil Harley design, with a Clyde Model Dockyard outboard steam motor. The hull's nice, but the engine is absolutely unique, I've never seen another one. The superstructure was made by myself, but I'm not happy with it so will probably be changed.

1948 Bowman-Luton Snipe, requiring full restoration. Basically complete, but missing a few small bits like the rudder. I'm about to start work on this.

IndianaRog

Moose...very nice to see the fleet on the water and in dry dock...lovely collection for sure. That Snipe is quite the stunner for original wood!!!

fcrammond

Hi Moose,
I'm a little surprised that you named your fantail Ellan Vannin. The original Isle of Man Steam Packet Company PS Ellan Vannin went down with all hands and passengers on a stormy night in the Irish Sea. Even the Titanic had a few survivors. Not a lucky name really.

I'm sure I saw a steam outboard at Tilford this year. Will root through my photos. Stay tuned
Fred

SillyBilly

Super! I want to build a Hobbies Arrow now!

James

That FanTail just does everything for me!

I want!!!

John Chapman

Brilliant collection

fcrammond

Ahah! I have him.
I'm not sure who owns the thing but it's very covetable. It is clearly the very same boat and engine illustrated on page 39 of Toyshop Steam.

Whilst I'm there here is a picture of their pool

I'm hoping to have something similar but smaller at STIA2008. It's supposed to be a hard winter so if you are planning on boating it might be an idea to bring an ice yacht as a backup.And a pair of thick gloves.

A rather nice Hobbies Launch

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It's big, that's a Swallow in the background

And finally, one of mine own

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I like Tilford but you do get some rough types there

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steamyjim

Love the boats Moose!

Fred is it OK if i run me model steam boat in the pond at STIA its not a toy as such but its good fun

fcrammond

Steamyjim
Sadly, it's Steam toys in Action not A Lot of Fun in Action. We are forever under the Damoclean Sword of Health'n'Safety and so far we have avoided closure on the grounds that Toys are inherently safe or they wouldn't be suitable for children. Once we let models in with their home made boilers operating at G*d knows what pressures we will have to insist that ALL engines have boiler certificates. This is a road down which i do not want to go so I am afraid that it's Toy Boats only on the pond (assuming I get my act together and sort a pond out in time). If you fancy running a non toy boat you are welcome to use the adjoining River Soar but you will need to be confident of your boat.

River Soar is deep and wide
Got me a home on the other side

etc etc.

Cheers

Fred

steamyjim

I dont no what you class as non-toy. It could be considered a bit like Mooses Fantail. Its got full boiler and gas tank certificates

steamyjim

It was commercialy made by the way... well the engine was

fcrammond

Perhaps if you pm'd me some details?
Or included a full spec on your application form?
Fred

steamyjim

Ill put it in the car. If I cant run it then oh well.

What about a Basset Lowke Streamlinier?

MooseMan

Fred, the name of my fantail is not a reference to "Poor Ellan Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea..." but rather an acknowledgement of its origin, and a thankyou for its previous owner - our very own Manxman!

Fantastic to see that there is another outboard still extant, and even better to see that it survives on the very same hull featured in Toyshop Steam...thanks for those gorgeous pictures.

Manxman

[quote="fcrammond"]Hi Moose,
I'm a little surprised that you named your fantail Ellan Vannin. The original Isle of Man Steam Packet Company PS Ellan Vannin went down with all hands and passengers on a stormy night in the Irish Sea.

I'm partly to blame for the name. The Isle of Man has had a few ship named Ellan Vannin. Here's a song about the original ship and how it came to an end.

ELLEN VANIN

Snaefell, Tynwald, Ben Machree,
14 ships all on the sea,
Each one bearing a Manx name
But there is one, will never sail again

CH
Oh Ellen Vanin, of the Isle of Man Company
Oh Ellen Vanin, Lost in the Irish sea

CH
At 1.00 am at Ramsey Bay,
Captain Tier was heard to say,
"Our contract says deliver the mail,
In this rough weather we must not fail."

CH
Two liners sheltered from the storm,
Ellen Vanin on the waves was borne.
Her hold was full and battened down,
As she set sail from Liverpool town.

CH
With a crew of 21 proud Manx men,
Her passengers, Liverpool business men.
Farewell ye mourners, aye farewell
This little ship was doomed for hell.

CH
It was less than a mile from the Balroy’s ship,
By a mighty wave Ellen Vanin was hit.
She sank in the waters of Liverpool bay,
And there she lies until this day.

CH
Few Manx men now remember
The third day of the month December,
A terrible storm in ‘99,
When Ellen Vanin sailed the very last time.

steamyjim

If you look in the bottom right hand corner of the pic with the outbard boat it has a pic of it in Toyshop Steam

Manxman

I love this computer thing. The song about the Ellan Vannin was by a group called The Spinners (now you need to be old to remember this group).

But thanks to YouTube, here it is. Oh, and some great pics of my home.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c6v2jRqjHzg

fcrammond

When I were a lad I lived on Merseyside (it was the Wirral then) and the IOPSPC boats were a familiar sight. most of them wintered in the Wallasey Docks. However last time I was up that way I was very amused to see a large sign at the Pier Head stating that the IOM boats now went from Lancaster (take the M5). Imagine the emotions on arriving with car, wife and family with a comfortable 30 minutes in hand before the boat went and being faced with that sign!

The Spinners were one of the fixtures of my youth. I still recall the shock I had when I last saw them and they came bounding out onto the stage and had all turned into Whitehaired Old Men. Me, I'm still young............I think.

Good grief, does this mean Joan Baez is old and wrinkled???

fcrammond

Just watched the video. I hadn't realised she was a screw steamer, always assumed she was a paddler. Mind you the images of square riggers are a bit irrelevant although atmospheric. I've met a couple of narrowboats named Ellan Vannin, I assume after the island rather than the steamer but I still wouldn't name a boat of mine after a total loss.. Still the Navy does so I suppose it's not that bad.

bessytractor

MooseMan

Fred, I've only just realised that that looks suspiciously like a Meteor you claim as "thine own"

Wonderful stuff....I'd love to see that running!

fcrammond

She goes very well. I had to run her at Tilford when Seahawk sprang a leak and then caught fire. The big advantage of Meteors is that there is nothing to burn but the fuel!

Steve_S

I don't think I've ever seen so many fantastic pictures in a single thread!

SillyBilly

fcrammond

It's not a bad idea to have an RC electric tug fitted with a grappler of some sort for rescue purposes. I'm keeping an eye out for a cheap one, meanwhile I have invested in a fishing rod with a hook on the end. I have unhappy memories of Tilford when I had to wait for the wind to drift her into the side for me. it took an age.

SillyBilly

I wish I could go to Tilford next year, but I've landed myself with one of these things called a job

! Atleast I get to work on a railway!

James

LMFAO

In a hairdressers?

SillyBilly

James

Fun fun fun all the way!

MooseMan

Sorry, but

Play nice!!

Cranko

Did anyone see the Bowman replica on aussie ebay, nicely done I think

MooseMan

I believe that's Wallace selling.

Cranko

Best iask some dificult Questions then

tmuir

Yes its Wallace's

Cranko

Did wallace build it

Minor1PJG

Fred, Rough types??

I think you'll find that we are the most civilised of steamers

Wait 'till I see you at STIA.....I might just let off some steam

Paul

Minor1PJG

Lovely boats by the way.

I could be tempted as there certainly is a 'gap' in my collection there.

Wallace

Lovely boats Mooseman

Your Arrow is what inspired me to buy mine (no I didn't build it

)

MTA

Minor1PJG

Quite so - we really are the most agreeable types

MooseMan

Finished my Bowman Luton Snipe now....new parts are rudder, rear deck, tiller rack, decals, engine plumbing, engine bearing, propshaft, crankpin, plumbing, one lamp/vent and the little flag. BIG thankyou to John Chapman who provided detailed pictures of his immaculate original. All the original paint on this boat was long gone, so it's a full repaint, apart from some engine parts and the firebox and heat shielding, which I've kept original. By contrast is a picture of what the boat looked like when I got it.

Now:

Then:

James

Is that sitting on half of that Marshalls pattern??

Looks good Moosey!

Can you make repro Luton Bowman decals??

Steve_S

It looks really superb, and what a difference from the original condition!

MooseMan

Thank you guys!

James, yep - that's the pattern it's sitting on.

I made the decal starting with the picture John sent me of his. I doctored it in photoshop, printed it out on very good quality paper, stuck it on and finished it off with about 5 coats of clear gloss.

johnreid

Just lovely Moose, that is so nice.

steamyjim

Looks great Moose! You going to sail it?

You need a BL Streamlinier now

Sandman

Oh yes Odilon.

You've just got to be proud of that.

Stunning quality of workmanship.

That's got to be at the STIA.

MooseMan

Sandy, it's coming for sure....I'm sharing a table with John, so it'll be sitting next to the original!

Jim, yes I do.....wanna sell me yours mate??

tmuir

MooseMan

Awwww.....I'd have to make a paper boat out of that to sail it!

steamyjim

I sent you the plans of it. Have a go at making one

I know someone whos made a replica boiler for one. And I expect someone will make you an engine

MooseMan

steamyjim

A freind of my grandads has a BL Streamlinier. He has the origional boiler but he had a replacement made by Western Steam (i think thats the name

)