Steam Launch Brunel
whose details are:
Hull Open launch Frolic 18 moulded in glass fibre by Steam & Electric Launch company in Wroxham, England in 1986.
Fitted out with mahogany cappings by Brian L. and A.D. D.
Length over all 18 foot - 5.49 metres,
Beam 4 foot 9 inches - 1.45 metres,
Length at water level 16 foot 6 inches - 5.03 metres.
Draught 1foot 6 inches - 0.46 metres.
White with varnished woodwork. Tiller steering, new epoxy ruder fitted 2003, keel deepened and lengthened to protect prop and rudder 2004.
Boiler
Babcock style water tube boiler built and fitted by Ken C. in June 1966.
Designed by Mac S. with 1 x 6 inch header drum and 2 x flat 'mud' drums.
Fuelled with anthracite and smokeless fuel mix.
Max pressure 130 psi, Evaporation rate 150 lbs/hour.
Engine
Built by Phil M. (his first engine, has since built 4 more) in 1988.
Designed by Anthony Beaver, model Beaver compound twin.
2 inch + 3.25 inch x 2 inch.
Slide valves changed from Stevenson's Link Reverse gear to slip ring eccentric in 2002/3.
First installed in Garlandstone. Sold to Ken C. in 1997 and fitted to Brunel in 1999. Rebuilt by Geoff V. in 2002/3 with new vane air pump and twin boiler feed pumps added.
Bronze High Pressure Piston and Titanium Low Pressure Piston fitted to equalise weight.
3/4 inch Stainless Steel prop shaft fitted with 3 blade 14inch x 20 inch propeller.
I keep her in my garage with my cars and take her to the Forth / Clyde and Union canals - she has been up the Falkirk Wheel several times -, the Scottish lochs, lake Windermere and the Port Soy traditional boat festival on the North sea coast of Scotland by trailer.
Each winter I remove the boiler and engine for cleaning and inspecting and last winter I turned her upside down (parbuckling) and repainted the hull.
All the best and good steaming
Roger
