Length overall 14’ 6”

This beautiful craft was built in the early nineties, recently restored and maintained to a very high standard.

A replica of a Welsh steam launch of c1855. The heavy-duty GRP hull is dressed in mahogany from the laid decks to the curved combings, this took a craftsman three years to complete. Hull houses six-storage lockers under the seating with additional fore and aft peak storage, plus two further water storage tanks.

Open launch Hull:

• Size:                         LOA- 14’ 6” LWL 14’ Beam 5’ Draft 1’ 6”.
• Construction:            White GRP hull and decks with Brazilian mahogany laid deck, thwarts, lockers and full interior trim.
• Build:                          Hull only built 1991 by Gibbs and Thurston at Edmonton.
• Fit out:                       1991-94.

Engine – Single 2.25″ x 2.5″:

• Design:                      Cyril Taylor
• Construction:            C.T. castings the crank is machined from solid EN8. A larger Stuart Turner flywheel is fitted
• Builder:                      John Hill
• Drive:                         Drive is from the flywheel end with a Stevenson link reverse, through stainless shaft and 14 x24 bronze prop.

Boiler – Water tube coils:

• Design:                      Blackstaff 5A Marine
• Construction:            All copper 1995
• Working pressure:   100 PSI.
• Type approval:         SBA
• Fuel:                           Paraffin/Kerosene through vaporising burner.
• Fuel tank:                  19.5 litres in high-pressure tank.

Unlike most steam locomotives, the plant recycles the water/steam passing the waste steam through a heat exchanger before exiting the hull and passing through underwater condensing tubes before re-entering the hull and reservoiring in the stainless steel hot well, situated ahead of the boiler. A piston pump driven by the engine through a toothed belt draws the water from the hot well and pushes into the pressurised system through a non-return valve. Inevitably, water is lost in this process so additional water is carried on board in forward tanks, balanced on port and starboard and using a two-way selector valve additional fresh water can be pumped into the system, Water can also be supplied from these tanks to be drawn in by a steam injector.  After a day’s steaming, the system can be blown down through a discharge outlet through the hull. A nice touch is the “Windermere Kettle” for making hot fresh tea. The boiler runs on kerosene on a non-vented pressurised system. In essence, the fuel is introduced through the sealing filler on the foredeck until the system is full which is indicated by an internal drain to a container. The system is then sealed and pressurised to about 120 PSI through a foot pump the air pressure being stored in a high pressure air vessel located in the forepeak and as indicated on a pressure gauge. The burner is similar to a blowlamp vaporising the fuel. By passing over the burners then back through the jets. This is controlled by a needle valve controlling the liquid and then a gas valve located in the front of the boiler.

S.L Chatwin is offered for sale in fully restored condition, benefiting from a new unfired boiler, new engine, trailer, cover, and detailed inventory.