This is the story of another boat

RocDoc · This is the story of another boat

Good news ....... the shipyards are open again, ready for the next boating challenge.

Eagle-eyed members of the forum will probably recognise the boat. It originally was moored up near Gainsborough. It is now here at the shipyards ... many thanks James.

The following photos show the boat and boiler-engine (an MM1). There is a bit to do ... a new paint job, new engine layout ... new rudder ... lots of new stuff. The boat is smaller and narrower then the Hobbies Arrow so there isn't much room inside the hull. Going to be an interesting restoration-build.

Close up of the MM1 boiler. As you can see, there isn't much room between the firebox and the hull. I intend to remove the chimney (I'm assuming it is soft soldered in place). I haven't decided whether to heat the boiler using a gas or a small custom-made meths burner.

Close up of the rear compartment. There is probably enough room in there for a micro server and receiver. There is a rudder ratchet bar across the rear deck. I might try to preserve that.

This photo shows the MM1 boiler assembly. It stands a bit high in the hull so the main task here will be to lower the boiler (to lower the center of gravity). I could trim the existing firebox or make a new one. That is a chair leg to the left of the chimney in case you are wondering ...

General view looking into the main compartment. Part of the decking is missing from the bulkhead to the right of the photo.

The very sleek lines of the boat.

First job ... give the hull a good clean, make it water tight and repaint in Bowman colours.

Pete

Sandman

Plenty of work to do there Pete.

I'll follow this with great interest.

Les

This is going to be a very interesting thread to follow, and you will find the chimney is pop-riveted to the boiler.

RocDoc

Les

RocDoc

Bugsy

mogogear

Hurray Pete-- I love these kind of projects ! She looks like an old clockwork boat!! This should be grand as you did such a splendid job on the Julliette( ?).

The RocDocBoatDock is now open !!!!

RocDoc

Steve_S

That's a great project Pete. I'm sure you'll make a good job of it! You should be able to drill out the chimney rivet and solder a patch over the hole. If you're not bothered about keeping the chimney for future use you could hacksaw most of it off first so that you can better see what you're doing.

James

Ahh good!

The boat's been in one of the stables outside for a long time, on a bench behind the Grey Fergie.

I worked out (what I thought was) the best way to mount the engine in the boat, but never got any further, too many projects (Marshall restoration, Land Rover, Fordson Standard, Foster threshing drum etc etc etc).

I can't wait to see the progress with this, I know it's in very capable hands!!

RocDoc

The gang have been busy down the shipyards ... out came the acid (Nitromors) and some steel wool and off came the paint. Took them quite a while to take it all off but we are now down to the bare wood ... hurrah.

The base of the hull is pine and the hull sides appear to be a harder wood, but I'm not exactly sure what. It has the appearance of mahogany or perhaps teak. The top deck is the same wood as the hull sides.

As part of the stripping process, I stripped off the top deck as well. It came off ... but split into three pieces (I muttered a few blue words ... but it is now glued all back together). Unfortunately, the break between the deck and the hull sides wasn't that clean towards the stern of the boat. I'll have to do some filling when I glue it back on again.

This is a close up view of the skeg and the prop shaft. It cleaned up a real treat. It is a quite distinctive way of attaching the prop shaft to the skeg. Has anyone seen anything similar?

There is still quite a bit of 'making-do' to do before I start to paint the hull. Lots of nail holes to fill. The join between the base and sides of the hull need particular attention (see the above photo). I plan to fill the holes using a mixtre of glue and sawdust.

Looking good so far ...

Pete

SlideValve

That's looking good

. If you a have MM1 boiler, how will you make another steam chest assembly for the MM1 cylinder because the MM1 is a boiler mounted engine?

RocDoc

James

Looking good, Pete!

I'll send you some pictures of how I had planned to arrange it, when I get a minute.

I thought it through for ages and how I decided was, I think, the best way to do it.

RocDoc

Hurrah ... some news from the shipyard (sorry it has been a quiet recently).

With the MM1 firebox, the boiler sit's a bit too 'high' in the boat. This might result in a bit of instability due to the higher center of gravity. So ... rather then shred the MM1 firebox, I made a new firebox based on the MM1 firebox but about 1/2" shorter.

The firebox started off life as flat piece of aluminium sheet. I used the MM1 firebox as a guide to making the holes and the curved recess to fit the boiler. The [future] corners of the firebox were lightly scored to help the bending along.

Using two blocks of wood as a press, I folded the sheet into the firebox shape and used two pop rivets to attach the sides together. A bit of filing and hey pesto ... a new firebox.

This photo is the boiler resting on the MM1 firebox. Compare with the next photo below which uses the new firebox. The boiler sits about 1/2" lower down in the hull. I reckon this should be ok.

I probably will remove the chimney.

Pete

mogogear

Problem solved I would venture..nice basic work- the best kind!

Steve_S

Good work Pete... that sits much better in the hull..

Sandman

I like that Pete.

Much better.

MooseMan

Hats off to you mate - that is a smart bit of metalwork.

27ace27

looking good!

I'll be watching this thread!

James

Looking good mate!!!

RocDoc

I'm beginning to wonder about the boiler being low in the hull. Check out the two links below. Both have their boilers pretty high. I'm not sure how well they sail but they look really nice.

Pete

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres...n%26sa%3DN%26start%3D160%26um%3D1

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres...n%26sa%3DN%26start%3D320%26um%3D1

Bugsy

Pete, I think yours looks better than those.
Go with the new low look you've created.
You still have the original firebox if you want to change back later.
Phil

Steve_S

I guess the tradeoff is that a lower boiler is better for stability but if it's too low there won't be room for the burner to work properly. You could do some experiments to find out how low the burner will cope with before you get too far into the build.

logoman

if the boiler is high, it should be sailed in only the very calmest of water.

James

Any more updates on this meyart?

RocDoc

RocDoc

Sorry I've been away for a long time. All work and very little play recently ... hey ho.

I've removed the chimney from the original boiler by drilling out the rivet. Unfortunately, the bottom part of the rivet fell into the boiler and I couldn't get it out through the SV hole. Only one solution ... remove an end cap. I must admit that I was a bit worried about removing an end cap but it came off pretty easily. I gave the inside of the boiler a quick clean and then soldered the end cap back on again. Fingers crossed that it still works.

To finish off the boiler, I gave it a good clean and polish and soldered on a small dome over the hole where the chimney rivet was located (the dome is in fact the 'dome' part cut from an M4 brass domed nut). Finally, I've soldered on a small section of steam pipe. It's beginning to look the part.

On the boat itself, I've filled in the numerous nail and screw holes and dents with wood filler and have replaced the deck across the rear bulkhead with a small strip of mahogany. There isn't much room between the side of the boiler and the deck ... it's a tight squeeze but looking good so far.

27ace27

oooh!

can't wait to see the finished product.

mogogear