Hi all. Does anyone have experience with this kit as an operational model. In particular how does she sail ? Does she need very sheltered conditions to sail?
Any help would be very helpful.
Cheers Chris M

Hi Chris,

I' ve built the Mount Washinton with operational walking beam steam engine some years ago.

Because of the heavy weight of engine and boiler this wasn't possible without some alterations of the hull: The hight of the hull is extendet by 25 mm with two ABS stripes, so that the draugth is now much more. The proportion of the altered hull  - in my opinion - is still good.

Probably this is not necessery with electric propulsion.

In every case it will be much more secure, to fix balsa floats under the sponsons in front of the paddle wheels - the stability of the boat will increase very much.
The floats must be halve above and half below the waterline. They are painted white and red like the hull and can be removed in seconds, when the model is out of water and they are almost unseeable when it's in.

The supersructure is not altered, it was painted inside accuratly because of wet and heat of the steam engine, the funnel is made of a thin alu tube.

With this alterations the presentation of M.W. on a lake or river is rather good, but I didn't drive her when there ist wind, throught the high superstructure the boat is still sensible.

You will find my article and some pics of my boat under "construction", I think it was in 2009?

Sorry for some faults, I haven't my Englisch dictionary yet.


Thomas from Reutlingen in South Germany

"Mount Washington"

The presentation you will find in: Live Steam of 02 August 2009.

Thomas