# Feeling a bit like a traitor....



## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Leaving my steam locomotives behind and moving somewhere else for awhile. Just want to expand my horizons so it's onward and upwards to Steam Boats!!











It's just a small one lunger for now but looking at building something bigger for this year's project.










Always wanted a boat and this looked like a good way to start.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I hesitate to ask what you're using that large hammer for ???


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Same thing as the pruning shears!

Hardware works better if you have something to threaten it with.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Can't be an electrical problem ,my guess!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, great start. I always wanted to make a working model of the famous African Queen, and the one you have there looks very much like it. Can you share if it is a kit, and if so from where. Thank You


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

The famous and infamous Diamndhead Steamup is held at a motel with a pool. The have to setup portable tracks for the trains. But the pool is used as is for Steam Boats.


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

i can understand why. i have seen how gross the pool is in videos!


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Tomahawk & Western RR said:


> i can understand why. i have seen how gross the pool is in videos!


The hot tub is even more sketchy.... Slowly rotating viscous fluid vaguely resembling water.

Falling in to either would require a full CBRN decon!


Joe, not really being a "traitor", Steam In The Garden used to do articles on steam boats. This is an acceptable diversion.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe
Enjoy the leisure of a slow boat across the pond with no derailments, no time schedule for use of track, no need to setup a train, all you have to take to the site of the water is the boat.


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Love a lazy afternoon on the water.


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

As for the tools........

As I was setting up the shot and removing all of the mess I was thinking which neat tool I could leave in the shot that would look really technical and sophisticated. My garden bag was sitting on one of the cabinets and I thought "why not". Sorry, just couldn't resist. 

I have found that it is far cheaper to get into steam boats than it was to get into steam engines. This kit is a Saito T-1 that I bought from the "Age of Sail" website. It's pretty much a starter kit and it's why I bought it. 

What I'm shooting for is a big tugboat but never having built a big boat I wanted to start small. Saito has a complete range of engines and boilers from this little spitter up to a 1/10 horsepower (25 cc) monster. I was originally shooting for their biggest tug that used that engine until Wanda looked at the specs and told me I was getting to old to lift something that heavy.

Settled on a 1930's ocean tug.

As to dirtying up the pool, I installed a drain tank that you pass the exhaust steam through to separate out the steam oil. Don't mind dirty ballast but can't pollute my river ;-)


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, thank you very much. I went to the web site and they do offer the African Queen. It is bigger than what I had in mind, but in this case maybe bigger is better as there will be more room to hide servos. I now have another FUTURE project. Thanks Again Joe. nick jr


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## KeithRB (Sep 25, 2015)

I can't tell whether that African Queen is display only or not. If you want a reasonably priced African Queen like model look at the Fantail Launch here:

http://www.naturecoast.com/hobby/midwest.htm


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Kieth, thank you very much. That is closer to the size I was thinking about and much more in line with my budget. I also like the Heritage Steam Engine. With minor modifications it will be a very respectable model of the African Queen. I placed a call and they are going to call me back to place the order. 
nick jr
EDIT: I got a call, both the boat and steam engine kit are manufacturer discontinued. I appreciate your input, and will continue to look. thank you again.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Scott for the posting of the St. Michaels Regatta. The start of the video shows our Fung Suey (black& red with sails tied up) from an era I particularly like (sail/steam crossover). 

Our steam experience on the water ties into trains with our PRR tug with car float:

Boats

Joe, we have a project awaiting the winter season:


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## KeithRB (Sep 25, 2015)

I have the steam engine and it works great. I got the kit and had my dad - the former metal shop teacher - braise the boiler.

ETA: oops, too much cooking, I think that is "braze" the boiler. 8^) I have been looking at that too, my son wants a model of a Jungle Cruise Boat.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Keith: i edited the previous post. I go a call from them. Both the boat and steam engine are manufacturer discontinued. Many of the items on the site are no longer available, maybe you should call first.
I appreciate your help, I will continue looking. nick jr


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## Steve Ciambrone (Feb 25, 2014)

Nick,
Billing makes an African Queen kit with an electric motor, it is a perfect size for the Midwest engines and boiler. I did a conversion years ago and it runs great. if you search the RC Groups website you should find pictures and I think video of it running.

Steve


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## Steve Ciambrone (Feb 25, 2014)

Joe,
Great boat build, what kit are you using? With the Saito engine it should run quite well, propeller selection is very important, what propeller are you going to use?

Steve


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## Steve Ciambrone (Feb 25, 2014)

Here is the video.





 
Steve


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve, thank you very much, will go to those sites today. The video is great, very nice. LG


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve,
The kit is the Saito T-1. I bought that model because it is the only Saito model that has boiler and engine included. All other kits you buy everything separately and it was the cheapest way to get my feet wet (pun intended).

If I was to start again I would pay a little more for the New Star and buy the next size up boiler and engine it was designed for. The main reason for the upgrade is not so much for more horsepower but for the instruction manual. The T-1 is an older manual and the older models from Saito have really bad instructions. More like "Here are a couple of pictures - good luck" type of instructions. 

They must have hired someone because the manuals on the newer models are quite good. One of the reasons I'm sticking with Age of Sail ( http://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/saito-live-steam.html?p=5 ) as my vendor is their website lets you download the instruction booklet before purchase. Seeing the instructions became a deciding factor in which model I intend to buy as soon as I finish this puppy.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve & Joe, thank you for the advice and where to look. Very nice kits and would love to build one. They are a bit more than I had hoped to spend right now, but I have something to shoot for. LG


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## Steve Ciambrone (Feb 25, 2014)

I did not quite understand the T-1 was the boat kit name from Saito, can't go wrong with Saito kits and engines. You will have everything all setup for you already as far as propeller and things needed. The engine you have is a real upgrade from the previously supplied oscillator engine.

Steve


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice I have a live steam boat kit that I need to build still. I have to modify it so it will work with my Midwest engine kit. I cant find the boiler and motor that goes with it.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Shawn, from what I have found on the site, many of the Midwest kits and products have been manufacturer discontinued, so I hope you fine the one you have. I have searched the net and have not found one similar to that one. If anyone have anything that would be compatible with the African Queen, please post it. Thank You.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Nick. I have one of the kits I got a few years ago. I know ebay thy come up still. I forget the maker of the live steam kit my boat was made for. I think it was a co. in Japan. Ill have to look it up.


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Saito has a whole line of steam engine and boiler combinations. The website "Age of Sail" has most of these in stock.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, thank you, that is where I have been looking. The one I want, BT1L is out of stock. I wanted that one because it has a vertical boiler, most like the African Queen that I'd like to build. I may have to settle on one of the others like on page 4 or 5. Thank you again.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

No need to feel like a traitor! It's all in how you paint it!

Robert


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert you made your point in spades, and that's beautiful tug. thank you.


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Here is a little video of my tug. She is scratch built based on a Stuart Turner D-10 two cylinder steam engine. I built a water tube boiler for it as Stuart didn't have a suitable boiler at the time. I then designed a 48" hull around it, and 1/32 scale superstructure and details. 

She is a model of a coastal tugboat. These vessels towed barges of coal from the rail head in Norfolk VA to ports up and down the east coast. The barges were often cut down sailing ships or old steam boats. They were essentially locomotives pulling mile long strings of 3-5 barges in dangerous ocean conditions. These tugs had about 1000 horse power with is very small compared to modern tugs, and they did get into trouble in storms. You can find coal washed up on Popham Beach in my town from a are lost in a storm in the twenties. 

She will tow a canoe in high style!

I built this tugboat before I really got into rail steam power.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric, VERY VERY nice. LG


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Eric,
That is some beautiful wood work there. I said I was going to be ambitious but my next project is going to be a kit.

I still don't have the patience or the skills for scratch building yet. That is definitely a boat to be proud of !!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Gentlemen, thank you for all your help and encouragement. I found as close as I could what I was looking for. A 1:24 scale model of the USN Picket Boat #1. While it does have a heroic place in Civil War history, and as tempted as I am to model it exactly as the kit shows, I want the African Queen just a bit more. I need to modify the fantail configuration into more of a square look with the rudder post exposed.
Since I have never built a wooden ship model I find this is quite involved. My office/hobby room now looks like what I imagine a construction office of Hartland and Wolff looked line in 1910, with 3' plans that are hanging in two places (those hanging on the file cabinet are 4 pages deep) and an instruction manual on the desk so I can fully understand what needs to be done. WOW, talk about a winter project. Again thank all of you that inspired me in this. LG


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