Hello to you all. Steam powered paddle tugs is the interest. Would like to build one using the Westbury engine. Would like to start with a commercially made hull as is first attempt, so any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Welcome to you tug.......I have just re-fit a side wheel paddle tug( from a built hull purchased from a member in Wales)

I am in Oregon and I can tell you my sidewheel tug gets a lot of reaction from folks here at the boat ponds...rare --"So how many props does it have?" is a common goofy question

She is Cheddar steam powered wit ha Puffin twin oscillator-- love the smell of compound oil...Have fun and good to have you here.

Hi tug, welcome aboard. You ask for advice and mine would be to start with something smaller than the Westbury engine. From what I remember reading about it the engine is fairly large physically and would also require a fairly large boiler. To fit in the machinery and have sufficient buoyancy you will need to have a fairly large hull. I have a large (6'6", 2metre) steam powered tug and although I enjoy sailing it takes some getting organised. I need help to launch and retrieve her and have to add the ballast after she is in the water. I need another person to help with the lifting. She certainly attracts attention but I tend to only bring her out on important occaisions when there are plenty of helpers available. A smaller paddler, say 1 to 1.3 metre would be a lot easier starting point and there are plenty of engine plans and kits available. By all means stick with the steam idea, there is nothing I enjoy more but perhaps a more manageable boat as a first effort. Hopefully there will be a photo or two of my Waimarie attached. Best of luck, Ian.

The design of the shephenson link is not quite right on the wesbury and needs some expert adjustments. I have built one and had to take it to my model engineering club to get it to run. Lucky for me one member had one and knew what to do. I have 2 steam paddlers but have not used the westbury. Definitely not for a beginner just my opinion. R.G.Y.

Hi PD's.....& thanks for posting RGY [hammer in another forum] & without taking over this thread as posted by: tug on: October 08, 2012, 10:20:04 PM .... ....

That is a very nice twin horizontal displayed there 

Is it a Westbury as mentioned here?

Derek .....

Yes its a Westbury, I did make it narrower than the plan, to ease the installation. I did this by bringing the piston assemblies together. A bit of a mistake as now the timing has slipped it all has to come apart to get at the slide valves. It has only ever run on air. Geoff