Steam Boats

Yankee dates from the late 19th /early 20th century and may have been initially powered by a primitive gasoline engine. She's now fitted with a veteran single-cylinder, double acting steam engine and a new 65 sq ft VFT boiler. Length 25 ft, beam, 6 ft and a draft 2 ft. She burns soft coal and or wood. The prop is a 23'' X 27'' three blade. 600 lbs of machinery produces an astonishing 8 hp.! However that's more than sufficient to drive this easily-driven craft at hull speed - about 7 knots. 

September, 2025. Steaming on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire

Confused? Nothing to it.

We are experimenting with a Dreadnought type "Ram Bow" design added to Yankee.

Steam launch "LOON" on Lake Winnipesaukee.

 "Gas Engine and Power Company," were builders of naphtha launches.

Loon lost her brass naphtha engine to a scrap drive during the Great War and was later fitted with a 70 sq. ft. VFT boiler and a 3.5" & 6"X 5" 

Edward S. Clark compound steam engine. She is fully-condensing, meaning she can operate in either fresh or salt water. 

 Loon is 30 feet in length and will make better than eight knots. She burns soft coal or wood.

Making steam at the Connecticut River Museum / Steamboat Dock in Essex

Note the steamer "Osprey" to the left

S.L. LOON

DESCRIPTION

CLASSIFICATION:          CHINA CABINET LAUNCH

SCREW:                           SINGLE 24" DIAMETER X 32" PITCH, RIGHT HAND 3-BLADE, BRONZE

MATERIALS:                  WHITE CEDAR PLANKING, COPPER-RIVETED, WHITE OAK FRAMES, CASE COVERED SHEATHED, LAID FOR AND AFT DECKS

WHEN, BY WHO                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     AND WHERE BUILT:     CIRCA 1896, BUILDER: GAS ENGINE & POWER CO. "CONSOLIDATED BUILDERS OF NAPHTHA LAUNCHES," MORRIS HEIGHTS                                          ON THE HARLEM, NEW YORK, NY

HULL:                             CARVEL BUILT WITH STRAIGHT STEM, ROUNDED FOREFOOT AND COUNTER STERN. A FULL WINDOW SALOON CABIN IS                                                LOCATED FORWARD. (GLASS IS TEMPERED SAFETY THROUGHOUT). TWO OVERHEAD HATCHES TOGETHER WITH PINTLE                                            HINGES WINDOWS PROVIDE ACCESS. COMPANION WAY AND HEAD HAVE RAISED PANELED MAHOGANY DOORS. ENGINE                                            SPACES ARE LOCATED AMIDSHIP WITH PARTIAL WINDOW PROTECTION. A COVERED COCKPIT AFT HAS ROLL-DOWN                                                    DODGER. THE CABIN IS SURROUNDED BY A COMBING WITH LAID DECKS FORE, SIDE AND AFT. 

DIMENSIONS:               LENGTH OVERALL:                     30'                                                                                                                                                                                                            LENGTH WATERLINE:                28'                                                                                                                                                                                                             BEAM                                            6'6"                                                                                                                                                                                                           DRAFT                                          30"  

ENGINE:                         BUILDER: EDWARD S. CLARK, BOSTON, MA. CIRCA 1890                                                                                                                                                                     3 1/2" & 6" X 5" DOUBLE PISTON VALVE, DOUBLE ACTING COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE                                                                                                             STEVENSON LINK HOOK-UP AND REVERING. SIMPLING VALVE. CYLINDER DRAIN COCKS.                                                                                                       MULTI STATION VISIBLE DRIP OILER. STEAM LINE DISPLACEMENT LUBRICATOR . 

BOILER:                         VERTICAL FIRE TUBE TYPE. 84 ONE INCH TUBES, WATER LEG, CAST IRON GRATES.                                                                                                                   APPROXIMATELY 70 SQUARE FEET OF HEATING SURFACE.                                                                                                                                                               TRI-COCKS, BLOW DOWN SYSTEM, SAFETY VALVE (SET AT 150 PSI). BURNS SOFT COAL OR WOOD.

FEED WATER:              WILLIAM LOW HIGH PRESSURE ENGINE-DRIVEN FEED PUMP, PEMBERTHY INJECTOR, EXHAUST STEAM FEED WATER                                                    HEAT EXCHANGER.  

CONDENSING                                                                                                                                                                                                                                SYSTEM:                     COPPER KIEL CONDENSER. ENGINE DRIVEN WET AIR (VACUUM) PUMP. OIL SEPARATOR, HOT WELL, WATER MAKE-UP TANK.

GAUGES:                     BOILER PRESSURE (ENGINEER), BOILER PRESSURE (PILOT), ENGINE PRESSURE HP. COMPOUND GAUGE. BOILER FEED,                                                 VACUUM. BOILER SIGHT GLASS.

HEAD:                        BRONZE AND PORCELAIN PUMP TOILET. FOLD-DOWN MAHOGANY AND PORCELAIN PULLMAN TYPE SINK. BRASS FIXTURES.

ACCESSORIES:        STEAM WHISTLE, BELL, BUILDERS PLAQUE, CHAIN LOCKER DECK CAP, JACK STAFF, FLAG STAFF, FLAGS, FENDERS,  ANCHOR,                                    100 FEET OF ANCHOR LINE, DECK LINES, SPRING LINES, CUSHIONS (RED VELVET FORWARD, TAN CANVAS AFT), ROOF-                                                 MOUNTED WILCOX AND CRITTENDEN BRASS SEARCH LIGHT, OIL PORT, STARBOARD AND STERN RUNNING LIGHTS, BRASS                                         BINNACLE, BELL TELEGRAPH BETWEEN PILOT AND ENGINEER, ROOF MOUNTED BRONZE EAGLE,  BOAT HOOK, TWO BATTERY-                                   OPERATED AUTOMATIC BILGE PUMPS. DECK HARDWARE IS GENERALLY BRONZE.

GENERALLY:           LOON IS AND ATTRACTIVE VETERAN STEAM LAUNCH WITH GILDED SCROLL WORK AT THE BOW, RED BOTTOM PAINT, WHITE                                     TOPSIDES AND BLACK SHEER STRAKES. CABIN DECKS COLMING AND RUB-RAILS ARE BRIGHT.                                                                                            STEERING SYSTEM IS BRONZE WHEEL, CABLE AND QUADRANT.

                                 POWER IS PROBABLY EQUAL TO ABOUT THE MAXIMUM WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED BY AN EASILY-DRIVEN HULL OF THIS                                                LENGTH - ABOUT 7 OR 8 KNOTS. SHE PERFORMS WELL BOTH ON INLAND WATERS AND AT SEA DUE TO HER RE CONDENSING                                    CAPABILITIES.

Calliope at Mystic Seaport, circa 1981

On a picnic circa 1983  Note: New fire tube boiler