Steam Launch
Another small boat from the Classic Boat Festival of a week ago, this one is steam-powered. Steam engines are wonderful things to photograph. They have so many intricate parts, on display and not hidden under hoods, cowlings or decks.
To see more from this series, click on this link. My regular followers will recognise the stern reflection from the picture below as the source of the crops in this post of last week.
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Canon EOS 5Dmkii, SMC Takumar 35mm/f3.5 lens, ISO100, 1/200th, ~f-8
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burnt embers 
Love it. There is something about the scale of the boat and engine that just makes me want to giggle.
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Ha! It is a great sized boat. I can imagine a nice picnic outing to Discovery Island or somewhere similar off the Victoria coast in this boat. But the engine is rather voluminous, and if you were burning wood, there would have to be room for some of that too.
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That has to be someone’s real pride and joy. I wouldn’t begin to understand all the bits of that engine, but it looks fantastic and so well cared for. You’ve done a good job documenting this, Ehpem
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Hi Andy – you and me both on the understanding department. I am glad you like the pictures.
Everyone’s comments prompted me to look deeper, to do some research in fact! I found that this vessel was built in 1984 at a Victoria boatyard. Here is the information http://www.benford.us/pcty/17fantail.html for those that are interested.
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Steam engines are among the most interesting propelling systems for boats and using a small boat like this should be an awesome experience. These days they run on anything but coal. Butane, electrical, denatured alcohol and other such fuels power the steam engine, there even are fuel tablets of some sort. Love your overall coverage of this event, ehpem, but this little steam launch is among my favorites.
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Thanks Joseph for your comments, and for the information on fuel systems too. Interesting to know that. It would be a lot of fun to go for a ride in this boat. Apart from that, it has beautiful lines with a very nicely proportioned stern.
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You can go camping in a boat like this. cook and move, but oh man, to go out in it must definitely be a people puller, where ever you anchor.
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Yes, every dock you tie up at you will soon be making friends (like it or not).
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Hi again Joseph. If I am reading properly the brief description in the link I provided in the comment above, then this is a wood fired engine. Or at least was built that way in 1984.
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Awesome, that makes it west coast.
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Yeah. Douglas fir bark is probably a very good fuel for something like this.
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Neato! I could spend days at one of these festivals!
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Yeah, me too! It was fun.
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I’ve never seen a small steam powered boat like this. Fascinating! This one looks well cared for, too. Rightly so, it’s probably a rarity.
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Hi Ken, it is well cared for. I don’t know if the engine is original, or partly original, or totally new. Certainly lots of new parts on it as would be needed for an engine that old. I have seen this boat underway a few years ago, but it would be nice to see that again.
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I love the contrast between the organic wood of the boat and the shiny metal of the engine. Such an interesting subject to photograph; you always seem to have an eye for noticing and capturing these sort of things.
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Thanks Lynn, it is very interesting. Would have been that much better if it were emitting heat and smoke and making all those great steam engine sounds.
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Presumably it runs on furnace oil? Tanks hidden under the deck? Wish I had one !
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Hi Val. I have no idea, though I did wonder about it. I looked around for a coal bucket, but could see nothing like that.
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