Photos of Small Steamers

*RE: Small steamers/Photo*
Hi, W.R. & steamboating colleagues:
Your inquiry for "simple, small steamboats" interesting; and the above photo even more intriguing. Can't tell for sure even enlarged, but would the approximate date on this cute little boat be possibly late 1850s to 1870s?

This posting should catch the attention of Cap'n Walnut as he owns not one, but two small steamers. Model builder John Fryant may have some interesting points of observation also. Thanks for posting.

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati

Liam,
Look on Amazon for a copy of 'Modern Steamboats & Steam Launches" or for a listing of (from decades ago, back when I owned the SL Mikahala ) "North America Steamboat Register" as it lists specifications for the many small steam launches that were part of a loosely organized association of steamboaters (we even had our own magazine).
I still own the remains of the SL Sinbad, but they are going rapidly downhill--however the engine and accessories live on in another boat that is/was in Mexico as a tourist attraction.
S'
David D.

Get A copy of Chicago Marine Ironworks catalogue. There are modern reproductions of it. That is what I used for designing the Graceful Ghost, 40' overall. Several different small steamer designs.

W. R.: I can help you but you'll need to be more specific to your wants/resources/location etc. Lexie's GRACEFUL GHOST is large by my standards...you can walk around on it but mobility out of water is extremely limited. My launches feature accommodations (seating) for four to six and extremely limited mobility on board but easily trailerable to new venues, out at night for snug storage in barn for maintenance and security. Go on Facebook and see Cap'n Don's CLYDE for a nice paddle-wheeler albeit not steam powered. It, too, will not be readily movable out of water. Generally, trailerable boats do not have room for sanitary facilities aboard. When the winds blow, the floods descend and the ice threatens, it is extremely nice to have your steamer safe in the barn away from the elements and moorage fees which accumulate like taxes. Lemme know what you want and I will try to advise. My two steamers are 20' and 22' long...the 20', built in 1972 is fiberglass, seats four and is fueled by Propane; the 22' is a wooden boat built in 1910 and fueled by wood. Both are screw launches turned by authentic steam engines, a simple and a compound, respectively. Do you intend salt water or fresh, condensing or not? These things make a BIG difference in the design for satisfactory service. A lathe, drill press and milling machine and the knowledge to use them are NOT necessary, but will save you a TON of money over time. Cap'n Walnut.

Small SB - Georgetown Yacht

Mr D

I have provided the link to a photo of the small steamboat that carried people between Georgetown, PA and Smiths Ferry, PA on the Ohio River. The boat was locally called the yacht, yet truth be told, a launch seems a more appropriate designation. I do not know the date or photographer of the image. I do know that the photo is pre-1950.

There was a ferry between the Georgetown and Smiths Ferry but it closed in 1950 because of a number of fatal accidents. That ferry had been operated by Dawsons and Smiths from Georgetown since before 1800. In fact a militia from Burgettstown, PA marched to Georgetown to use Dawson's Ferry to join Mad Anthony Wayne's forces in Ohio in 1794.

Fran Nash

Thanks all for the help so far! I am aware of the Chicago iron works catalog but have not been able to purchase it since I have not been able to find one. As to more specifics about the design, it would be operating in only freshwater and would not consist of a condenser. It would also have to have a fairly shallow draft as it would be operating in shallow lakes and rivers. Thanks all for the photos and help so far! I greatly appreciate it! Liam

Location of this steamer is really important, especially if your lakes freeze over in winter. Trailerability is a good idea for many reasons. You should start small and work up in size, with experience. You mentioned shallow draft. How shallow? Are aquatic weeds present. This can present a problem if your boat is not somewhat flat bottom. Cleaning weeds off of a hard to reach prop is no fun. I will look for my Chicago Marine Iron Works catalogue. I think I might have 2 of them.

Lexie,
Thank you for posting! I hope this can answer all your questions. The location of the boat would be in rivers and some lakes, and would have to have a very shallow draft simply to operate without grounding. Propellers are out of the question, and the hull would be a skow type and would feature a flat bottom. I can think of some lakes that have some extensive vegitation below the surface that could very effectively fowl a propeller. This is why I would be incorporating either sidewheels or a single sternwheel for propulsion, most likely a sternwheel. So, when I say shallow, I mean very shallow! I'm not sure how shallow exactally because I would have to factor in things that I am not sure about quite yet, like superstructure, weight of the boiler and engines, etc. Thank you for looking for your copy of Chicago Marine Iron Works Catalog, I greatly appreciate it!

Liam

You can put a lot of weight on the water with little draft with a flat bottom boat.
Your mention of prop fouling materials reminded me of the "Mud Lump Detector" that the steamboat group here used to have. I don't know what else to call the group, members were from all over Calif. and parts of Oregon, and we usually met on Shasta Lake, Klamath Lake, and still meet on the Sacramento Delta every fall. Now Klamath lake is noted for not only grasses, but clumps of grass with roots & soil (Mud Lumps), so a detector was fabricated that held a miniature paddle wheel on a pole and could be rotated to check the waters ahead (of course, this device never worked, it was just a "device"). The detector was passed from one member to another, as decided by the previous year's recipient. Also, you were expected to make "improvements" during your year of guardianship. When I got it, it had suffered an accident, so I repaired it, and added some port & starboard lenses, as well as a nicely documented "instruction manual." After a few decades of being passed around, it just disappeared. Kinda miss that tradition.
BTW, I did once run a boat aground on the mud of Klamath lake--but we managed to "plow through it" and at the dock, unwound the grass reeds tangled around the prop. And no, it wasn't my boat!! (ooops!! So much for being a "guest pilot") 🙂
S'
David D.

Take one down, pass it around....

You all must have been passing something else around as well.

More Shallow Draft Info

Check out the web-site marshrider.com. They build paddlewheel boats that go where few boats dare to tread. The large boat in their videos and photos is one we had built give tours in a swamp. The boat itself was built by Alwed (alweld.com) and is their biggest boat, a 28' monster. Our boat was powered by an electric golf cart motor, the duck hunter boats are powered by an inboard gasoline engine, but there would be plenty of room for steam operation. Nothing fancy or classic about it, but it works. Another shallow paddlewheeler I know of was built using a flat bottom deck boat. The steam engines were the smallest engines built by Bob Scripps, who built the engines on the Graceful Ghost. I do not know if they still make the Scripps engines. I checked and found out that Mr. Scripps had passed away recently. As his estate includes the Scripps Howard News Service and the Scripps Oceanographic Institute, there is no telling what the disposition of the Foundry will be for some time to come. One or two of his sons was continuing to produce the engines while he was still alive. I hope they will continue to do so. Do you plan to make your engines?

Lexie,
I visited the Marshrider website and the hulls and overall design is just about what I had in mind, but with a canopy and the paddlewheel wouldn't be quite as big and maybe a little lower down. Thank you for sharing that link! Would you happen to know if they sell 28 footers still?
Also, the steamer that you mentioned as being built from a small deck boat, would it happen to be named the Far West? It sounded an awful lot like a sternwheeler that I had seen in a YouTube video that I have attached a link to. It starts at 1.05 minutes in, and if anyone recognizes the boat or has any additional pictures, information, etc. I would GREATLY appreciate it as I have been in love with this boat for some time!
As far as engines go, I am very familiar with the Scripps foundry and had planned on hiring them for what I had in mind. I was not aware that Mr. Scripps had passed away and hope the sons keep the foundry.

Lake Caddo Texas: Part 4, Steamboats - YouTube

Thanks,
Liam

Far West

Yes, it is the Far West. I know the builder and his sons quite well, although I haven't been in contact with them lately. They live in the Ft. Worth area. Are you interested in buying it or just knowing more about it?

AS for the Marsh Rider boats, we did have ours covered with a permanent roof and retractable awnings, which we built ourselves. The 28' boats are built by Alweld in Arkansas, and, depending on where you live, they have dealers in several states. Marsh Rider is one of their dealers. They still make the 28' boat which is considered commercial.

Thank you, lexie! I am not interested in purchasing the far west but am interested in any information or photos you have of the steamer. I hope you can help! Liam

Wanting to Build Scale Model of Small River Steamer

I just posted a new thread related to this thread. May I request that we cross post any helpful information and photos/sketches.