The very first boat I ever built was the steam yacht Greta designed by James Pottinger, and I have had a fascination with steam and motor yachts ever since. I had always wanted to build a small steam yacht of around 60 to 90 ft long but could never find the right drawing. I had built a second hull to Vic Smeed's Silver Mist design, again enlarged to 36'', and I began to wonder whether this would make a suitable steam yacht. Having studied the Steam Boat Association handbook for years I realised that many different types of vessel had been converted to steam yachts, from fishing vessels to pilot vessels. I reasoned that for a freelance model, nothing could be regarded as 'wrong'.
I originally designed the boat with a forward wheelhouse and this was built by someone else when the boat passed into other hands. It looked a bit like a garden shed to me, so when the boat came back to me, I determined to build it without the wheelhouse but with an open desk, as many yachts of the late Victorian and Edwardian period had. This looked much better to my eye. I also decided to add a clipper bow by the simple expedient of adding a 6mm ply profile and trail boards. I think this looks good and changes the nature of the hull quite significantly.
I had purchased a Cheddar Pintail steam plant for the boat many years ago and this came back to me when I re-purchased the model. Whilst I was tempted to use this plant I have finally decided that I will use electric drive so that the boat remains clean and tidy. I shall use 2.5: 1 toothed belt drive as in Veleta. I also plan to use a mist unit from Model Boat Bits to provide 'steam'. I have acquired a Masterblaster from Model Sounds with a repeated steam whistle sound. Apparently the original sound file comes from a boat on Windermere, so that should be fun.
She is still a work in progress (as so many of my boats are!) but I hope to get her in the water by the beginning of 2019.
April 2020. Still working on Minnow and the prospect of a maiden sail this summer seems poor at the moment due to Covid 19 lockdown. Railings are being constructed, the motor, esc, sound system (Master Blaster) and mist unit are all ready for installation. I have changed to a 540 low drain motor with 1:1 belt drive as in Silver Mist.
May 2020 Constructed eyebolts, rigging screws and mast steps and mast buttons, biinacle and wheel.
17th May 2020 Gave Minnow her ballast test today. She weighed 9.75lb before ballasting and when down to her marks she came out at 12.75lb. This was closer than I would like but she seems quite stiff in the water. May get to put her in the 'big pond' next week as lockdown has been relaxed somewhat.
24th May 2020 Finalised the mist unit and tested and getting ready for a maiden voyage.
5th August 2020 Proper maiden voyage at Cheddar Steam Club - see video page
Below is a short video clip of Minnow on her maiden voyage on May 28th, 2020. It was a short trip as the wind was funnelling waves up the channel and she heeled as she turned into the wind- nothing dangerous though. She needed ballasting down by the stern a bit and that will be done before another trip. The whistle worked well but the mist unit refused to function despite working the evening before- perhaps the water had evaporated over night!
May 2020
After the maiden voyage I decided to increase the displacement by a small amount. This meant adding to the waterline which I did by adding a couple of extra strips of trim tape. It doesn't look quite as nice as at first but will help with stability.
August 2020
There is now a much better quality video on the video page taken at Cheddar Steam Club.
May 2020
After the maiden voyage I decided to increase the displacement by a small amount. This meant adding to the waterline which I did by adding a couple of extra strips of trim tape. It doesn't look quite as nice as at first but will help with stability.
August 2020
There is now a much better quality video on the video page taken at Cheddar Steam Club.