The Steam Boat Experience

09/07/2023

Forging bronze for Gallant's stem band yesterday. Once fitted the stem will be primed and await painting when the time comes. Lots of work also going on repairing frames and removing spent nails before the final push on the planking.

10/06/2023

In the back of the yard in very silly temperatures we are making progress on Gallant again having got the scaffolding and shelter over her before the new year, we've only had chance to get a few bits done on her, but work has started again at a pace with the new sheerstrake completed and we can finally see what her sheer looks like again- albeit a little different to how her old stem had her planks running.

Hopefully there will be some regular updates for a while now!

If anyone would like to lend a helping hand in bringing this very old lady back to life and possibly learn a few skills along the way, please get in touch.

All the best from a very warm and sunny Cumbria (30deg under the scaffolding if you're wondering)

05/07/2022

Our lovely boat has two ends once more! And the sun was shining again. Great day.

Started with the old stem knee coming out. The new stem having had a few weeks to dry out had shrunk quite a bit, but stabilised somewhat in the last couple of weeks with no more movement detected. The heel was planed true after drying out, the back faired into a nice curve and installed on temporary bolts to clamp it in place. Numerous measurements were taken and a good eyeball given to make sure it was lined up on the centreline. Braces were clamped in place while it was adjusted, then screwed into place, the stem glued into place once it could only go back in the right position. With an hour to spare before end of play I got the shortest replacement plank spiled and fitted with just the stem rabbet left to fit it before fixing in place.

21/06/2022

Deck beams in for the aft deck and king plank ready for fitting on the longest day of the year, and what a day it's been here!!

20/06/2022

They have arrived!

14/06/2022

Working from both ends of our steam launch now with the counter stern receiving some attention where the counter chock- the large and shapely timber that forms the stern and allows the planks to land neatly- had been replaced a couple of years ago it hadn't been jointed into the gunwhales on the port side and was somewhat asymmetrical! A centreline and a jigsaw soon sorted that problem out. Also the stem has been roughed out, much of the water in the oak having dried, the linseed oil feeding regime had massively slowed any checking down, so this roughing process allows the stem piece to continue seasoning without drying too quickly- linseed oil will still be applied over the next couple of weeks and end grain waxed to slow evaporation down to a steady rate through the whole piece.

05/06/2022

The first deck beam fitted on Gallant over the weekend, also serving as a main beam, it ties the stern post (large vertical timber) to the gunwhales, which are now both installed with frame head bolts left out for the moment where new planks are going to be. A nice bit of shape on the beam as access is a bit tight under the deck, but strength was needed too. Knees will be added in due course.

The oak for the stem has been shaped to rough dimensions and is now being stored inside where the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much and has plenty of weight keeping it pressed flat. This will now start getting a linseed oil feed to reduce checking.

23/05/2022

Plenty of work going on with Gallant over the last couple of weeks. We had a lead on some oak that the winds brought down at the end of last year so the stem timber is now in hand and some traditional timber riving techniques used to split the timber without cutting any strength out of it.

The timber is still very green so it will be seasoned carefully and making sure not to cut through the grain is another way of making sure movement is managed to some degree, hence the Viking boatbuilding methods!

New floor timbers are being fitted where necessary as the garboards don't have a particularly meaty keel to land on they need all the help they can get and this also allows support to the planking when we remove original frames that need replacement/repair.

Paint scraping also continues, awesome!

10/05/2022

Stealing a couple of sunny (and really windy!) hours to follow up Caroline's herculean efforts burning off the old paint inside Gallant with a slightly more satisfying but equally horrible finishing off with a flap disc.

Look at that original pitch pine planking!!! Black tar varnish will be going on instead of paint allowing the condition of the timber to be monitored better than sitting under paint, and watching it soak in leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

05/05/2022

An excellent day spent at Windermere Jetty for the inaugural Shipshape Network Hub event.

So many interesting projects and people to meet! Great to meet the inspirational family behind Ship Happens - Saving Sarinda ML1392 and to share some of Windermere's unique boat history with them while getting some much needed tips on YouTube-ry- watch this space!

Thanks to Windermere Jetty Museum and National Historic Ships UK for hosting the event, look forward to more in the future.

23/04/2022

A fair bit of progress to report on Gallant's restoration so far.

The stem had some issues! So it's out, and a template made to find a suitable oak crook to make the new one from.

With the crooks we have in stock a start has been made on replacing the frames that are broken or rotten. It was interesting to see how the planking below the waterline hadn't been backed- out (made to fit curved frames) and had instead been made to fit flat with only the outside shaped- given that the seams are all the right depth still it would appear this is an original feature, albeit an unusual one.

And the paint removal continues....and continues...and continues. The topsides are no longer yellow at least- she won't be yellow when she's finished, so it's with mixed feelings the last bit of yellow paint came off; Fowey's yellow steam boat is no more!

Planking that needs replacing has also been marked up and will be replaced I'm some local larch (grown on the Wray Castle Estate on the shores of Windermere).

Work is also going on in the background with the new website being busily worked on by Furness Media, who are doing a grand job and we are taking steps to make the YouTube channel an interesting place to visit.

12/04/2022

The restoration of Gallant has started properly this week with the interior stripped completely, the topsides almost stripped of paint and a start made on the stem replacement.

Removing planking to get to the stem revealed the state that the stem had gotten into- another year or two and planks would have started to spring, some already had started to let go, and the brass and steel fixings had long since stopped being useful.

Interesting to compare the original nails (galvanised rose head) in the original pitch pine planking was in much better condition than the newer replacement steel nails, which presumably were galvanised too originally.

The stainless fixings used in places were sound, showed no signs of pitting or corrosion and were doing the job they were supposed to be doing just fine.

We can't wait to see her new stem in place and start putting planking back in!

06/04/2022

Thinking back to last week when we had Gallant lifted out of her home waters in Fowey, and onto her new trailer for the 400 mile journey north to the Lake District.

In her almost 30 years service giving trips to thousands of people around the harbour and up river Fowey she made a big impression on locals and visitors alike- it was humbling to hear how many locals are interested to know she's going to a good home.

We hope she becomes a part of life for locals and visitors alike in her new home in the Lake District.

She's certainly made quite an impression on us as we have made a good start on her restoration and will be posting updates soon.

If you'd like to come down to our boatyard and see her, or even better would like to get your hands dirty and help restore this special boat, do get in touch.

Thanks for your support!

29/03/2022

Our first proper post!

A steam boat experience company needs a steam boat- so allow us to introduce 'Gallant', soon to be our star of the show!

Working since the mid 1980s out of Fowey Harbour and up river Fowey, she's given tens of thousands of people many happy memories over many thousands of sailings.

Retired 7 years ago, we learnt she was still for sale and have now bought her lock, stock and anchor.

Her history is a little vague, though she's thought to date from the end of the 19th century/beginning of the 20th, she eventually ended up being restored by well-known man of steam, Clive Lee, with a view to running passenger trips with her. He built a boiler and engine himself and proceeded to do what he set out to do for the next 30 years.

We have quite a bit of exciting work to do to this beautiful old girl to get her ready for perhaps another 30 years of giving people happy memories, but we'll be posting our progress and hope you enjoy watching her come back to life.

12/01/2022