Paddleducks
Other Marine Models => Live steam => Topic started by: Hankwilliams on October 14, 2023, 08:57:52 AM
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Dear friends and neighbors,
I started a new live steam project: A steamdriven speedboat, again not a paddler - but rather interesting. I don`t have any plans, but two rather blurred historic pictures, made by Escher-Wyss & Cie shipyard in Zürich in 1909. My model will not be an exact build, but more a form of connexion to the original boat. Scale is approximately 1 : 10. Hull has sharp and elegant lines. The boat will get a strong boiler with 3 - 4 bar pressure, two flametubes and gas - steam regulation. I`m considering about the steam engine - possibel would be a Regner Neptun, perhaps a Stuart D 10 or a Chinese Kacio engine, which made good impression. Lenght of hull is 1560 mm, breadht 225 mm. I hope, deplacement will be below 10 kg.
Thomas
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That look's a really interesting project. I am always motivated by models that have 'ram' bows although I suspect in this case the bow projection may be a speed improving bulbous bow?
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I think, it`s more a speciality of Escher Wyss small steamboat design of that time than a real blbous bow. There is the "Seekadett" and the nice design of "Tivano" of the same epoch, which also show this ram bow. Probably it`s more a matter of fashion than the attempt to improve speed.
Thomas
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Yes Thomas, I think your are right; these bow designs seem all part of the 'ram bow' naval philosophies of the time for all designers of ships.
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Well Thomas...the Regner Neptune as we know is superb, the new Chinese Kacio LS2-14 twin also looks absolutely brilliant in the representation of a true full sized engine, and all for an attractive price
https://www.enginediy.com/en-au/collections/kacio-engine/products/kacio-ls2-14-2-cylinders-reciprocating-retro-steam-engine-model-for-model-ship-model-boat-above-80cm
I have no soft spots for the D10, as being lumpy ...the examples I have seen do not want to start smoothly :shhh :ranting
We, :gathering .....shall look forward to your engine decision
Derek
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Hi Derek,
I will order a chinese Kacio, bore 14 mm, stroke 15 mm, nearly new from a private owner in Germany. The advantage - a little bit cheaper and no waiting period.
I was busy in the last week, there are some advantage about the boat.
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I can`t post some new pictures - may be reason is in my laptop or different? I will see, whether it is possibel to post this text now.
The boat: Fore and aft whaledecks are finished, they can removed in seconds. I wanted to use an old Regner boiler with two flametubes and also return tubes, but i found them leaky. Perhaps it`s possible to repair the leaks with silver solder.
I expect a nearly new KACIO engine in the next days. The exact position of the engine will be the following position of the boiler. I will try again posting the new pictures.
Thomas
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may be, the resolution of the pictures is too hight. Oe more attempt...
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The resolutiom of the pictures is too hight!
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Looking good.
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The cockpit in the rear part of the boat.
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Looking Really good. :) :) :) :)
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The boat got a varnish similar to my Steamlaunch "Syrinx" - it`s the same class, but I expext some more speed than the last one. Tomorrow the KACIO steam engine will arrive.
In the following days it will take some time to prepare the participation at "Faszination Modellbau" in Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance from 3. to 5. October,
Thomas
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That's looking really special! Great job Thomas.
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Enjoy......"Faszination Modellbau" in Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance' Thomas .........
A bit jealous .....Derek....:darn
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The KACIO engine arrives - a very fine engin in the art of Stuart double ten, but smaller. Bore and stroke are 14 x 15 mm. This should be sufficient for the boat with a deplacement below 10 kg.
Thomas
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Yes, these KACIO engines [not necessarily the Saito look-a-like range] are certainly superb looking pieces of engineering
One wonders why the original purchaser did not want to keep it?... :picknose
Derek
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Connection with the screw shaft with cardan and flexible coupling now is ready. The old Regner boiler was beyond repair, I tried to tighten with silver soldering, but without success. Only the boiler shell will be used again. You see the removed flame- and smoketubes. This time I made two flametubes in one direction, no return and even no smoketubes.
But the last days before "Faszination Modellbau" I must be busy to prepare my four ships "HOPE", COLONEL LAMB, OCEAN and SIR WALTER SCOTT - even the FULTON`S FOLLY will be transported on trailer the 120 km to Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance.
Thomas
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Looking really good well done. :) :) :) :) :)
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Thanks, Damian, Derek and Spanbucket. It`s vehement passion for me to build that boat and it is a real joy.
In the ancient greek myth of the Argonauts they had a very fast ship, the ARGO. King Jason and his companions conquered with her the legendary golden fleece. So I think, ARGO will be the right name also for this boat.
I`making the new boiler now. At thursday I will drive with four models in the car and the FULTON`S FOLLY on the trailer to Friedrichshafen.
Thomas
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A superb choice of name for her!
You'll need a little model figure of Jason to go with it!
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So it is!
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At the pressure test some leaks are shown. Several work with silver solder was necessary.
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Boiler is finished now. Next job will be the R/C servos and the installation of steam tubes. Optical impression of the boat - from my side of view - is quite good.
Thomas
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Yes, quite good indeed Thomas :kewlpics
Is the water gauge from Winfried Niggle?
Derek
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Yes, it is, dear Derek!
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Dear frieds and neighbors,
only some minor works must be done. Engine, boiler, gas - steam regulation and RC are installed, but not yet tested. This boat is less a reconstruction of the original Escher - Wyss speedboat from 1909, it is more an attempt of coexistence of elegance, beauty and speed. We will see, whether last attribute will come true - more or less.
I made this boat without plan, only with sketches. Weight with empty boiler now is 7790 gramms, with water it will be approximate 9 kg - clear below the projected 10 kg. Some pictures should illustrate my imagination.
Thomas
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First steam up in the test tank!
Yesterday I made a steam up. Good presentation, only minor alterings shold be done: Some more ballast at the bow section, a little more at the stern. Gas/steam regulation from Chinese Microcosm nearly without function. Perhaps someone made some experience with this regulation?
At the other side: Steam production very sufficient - with two burners pressure with full ahead goes not below 2,8 bar while a longer time. There is no feed pump, after 35 minutes I stopped, water level at minimum. Weather is rather bad in the moment, but I hope to make a trip with "ARGO" in the next days.
Thomas
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Interesting , a waterproof camera? Thomas.... :sunglasses
However :a102 are or is these little threads?.....they appear rigid as not being drawn into the water being drawn into the propeller?
Derek
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Hi Derek,
at the first moment I didn`t realize, what you are meaning...But in the second I recognize the mirror picture in the plexiglass of the testtank. It`s a blurred part of my shoulder, but I don`t recognize the branch similar phenomenon. Probably real branches in the garden? In every case: You are are a fine observer!
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I can`t upload a short video of the boat steaming in the test tank. It should be possible to show the video in my facebook account. See: Thomas Hillenbrand, Maler und Journalist at facebook.
Thomas
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Weather still is very bad - rain, snow, temperature in night below 0° C. It was not possible to make a trip with "ARGO".
But I wanted to use my time, so I `ve build a new boiler for my old Regner 12/36 stationary engine. The old boiler I planned to use for the "ARGO", but it was leaking, only the shell was usable. Now I made a smaller boiler for the engine with materials in stock. Here some pictures of the yet improved steamplant.
Thomas
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Dear friends and neighbors,
at thursday and yesterday my wife and I made two test trips with "ARGO". Last weeks very strong snow- and rainfall has arised small plain lakes at the meadows of the Swabian Alb, not far from our home - ideal for testing a steamboat. In spite of temperatures of 6° C boiler reaches 3 bar pressure in short time. Presentation of the boat first was wonderful. Unfortunately a support of the servo for engine steering after 20 minutes broke - fortunately I had my boots on and there was no problem, to solve the boat.
At the second trip yesterday all was ok. The boat reaches a speed of about 1,8 m/sec = 6,5 km/h or 4 miles/h. The steam plume was impressive. No boiler feed pump is necessary, boiler water suffices for 40 minutes.
The little motor yacht I build as a boy in the late 1960-tis. I restored this boat in the days around chrismas time - it`s a nice toy now.
Thomas
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This is a really beautiful boat, the lines colours of the wood against the red and green paint. It's beautiful!!
Has it had many more sailings since it's first launch?
Regards
Jon
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Hi Jon,
yes, there were a few sailings in summer, also the boat was on display at "Faszination Modellbau" in November at Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance.
She is a reliable and fast model. Thanks for your kindly post!
Thomas
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You have built a very elegant boat. How is the speed under full steam?
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I measured a distance of 20 m at the shore. At full steam the boat reaches a little more than 2 m per second, this is about 7,2 km/h or 3,9 nautical miles. This seems not so much, compared with my electric driven speedboat model "Baby Bootlegger", a historic runabout of 1924.
But "Argo" has a displacement hull with power of steamengine of perhaps 40 watt.
The brushless electric motor of "B.B." has power of 700 watt, speed can reach 37 km/h.
Thomas