Steam launches

Last news, April 8 th

2006-12-30T09:55:00.000+01:00

New link to the steamboat Chucao in Chile, boat rebuilt by Philippe a Breton of the southern sea
This blog is the translation of my blog Chaloupes à vapeur

PS: Please be indulgent with the quality of the translation!

New paint for my small boiler

2006-04-08T10:04:00.000+02:00

After a good scraping, a small layer of acid phosphoric,I spread a first coat of paint high temperature

Lune Valley and Oil burner

2006-04-03T09:56:00.000+02:00

I have received some informations of Glyn Lancaster Jones, (with who I am discussing about boiler), about his last réalisation, a boiler Lune Valley which has been fitted with the first oil burner, he has manufactured.
The integration which was delicate seems to be a success.

Here are the pictures of the first steam launch equpped with this new boiler

Test of boiler

2006-03-28T21:59:00.000+02:00

I finally tested my small boiler, Bruno and Patrice gave me a hand. We test it till 10 bars, some small leak on the valves and the fittings but it is ok, the pressure gauge is graduated up to 60 psi, and the safety valve starts in this range.

After the tests, I dismounted valves and fittings and the level to clean them all, while dismounting one of the tap of the water level I break in two parts! it had already been resoldered!
Jean-Yves who was resoldering the tubes of his boiler, nicely re-brazed it for me.

Once cleaned and re-painted, it will remain me to carry out an ash-pit then this boiler will be re-tested according to the Abv procedure, and it could be used on the stands to feed small machines.

A V twin

2006-03-01T15:20:00.000+01:00

THE machine!!

2006-02-10T21:23:00.000+01:00

Georges and the machine, a triple, that I have found on Ebay, we are very impatient to make it turn!

Front view

The oiler

Oxbird

2005-08-08T19:21:00.000+02:00

A wonderful boat:Oxbird

This superb launch, 18 ft long, is fitted with a Stuart 6A and a boiler Lune Valley with a parafin burner.
I would like that Midship looks like her.

The Abv's lunch in Chatou

2005-07-11T10:43:00.000+02:00

Saturday, on the island of the impressionists, about thirty steam enthusiasts, met around a table, on the initiative like always effective of Jean-Jacques, to share technical ideas, photographs and easy ways.

Bruno testing the volume of my water pump!

The participation of members, strong sympathetic neightbour, of the Séquana association, enabled us to move from theory to the practise by visiting the working of construction of the steam-launch Suzanne, which is located just in lower part of the restaurant.

Suzanne in his working
what a splendid prow, isn't it?

Work of Pro!

What I say of Pro ,I should say of Artist rather!

The splendid machine of time of the Suzanne original boat

In this convivial environment, which enabled us to better know each other and exchange our addresses, we evoked the future general assembly of Abv which will be held of the May 25th to 28th ,2006 in Cappy in the Somme, the search for an insurance which can cover our boats and their boiler, work of restoration of the boat VIGIE realized by Bruno and Jean-Yves….

New pictures of Enghien les bains

2005-07-08T11:15:00.000+02:00

Pascal sent me many and superb photographs of Enghien, here they are!

The stand with Chantal, Laure and her husband, Pascal

A Steam DN 15 scale 3

On the right Pierre and his tug boat Volharding, a Cape Sizun

Caprice seen of Nosca, charm is on board

A dream of child

Still the charm on board Lili, and this time,this is Guillemette

Humphrey full steam!

Very soft!

Splendid Stuart 5A of Jean-Jacques

Beautiful row

Pretty canoé

It goes nevertheless less quickly than Humphrey!

Jean-Jacques on board of Lili (odd the boat does not have the air in its base!)

Michel (our president founder) and Chantal

The President of the tourist office on board Nosca

Mike

The music is on board of Nosca

Mike again

Rétronautique at Enghiens les bains

2005-07-03T11:06:00.000+02:00

Jean-Jacques, our merry organizer, who with good mood and devotion spent his day under the sun to be tried to satisfy everyone while juggling with: loadings of the ones and others, problems of logistics, the fresh drinks supply (that is water, of course!)…

Thank you with you Jean-Jacques, the success of this day owes you much!
Thank you with all those which have, with constancy and kindness, under the heat of the tent, held the Abv stand, thank you in Pascal for your super pictures album….
Thank you with all those which made the reception on board, Michel, Patrice, Peter, Bruno and François.
Finally thank you with the tourism office of Enghien les bains, with its president and especially with Guillemette, who was so efficient, cheer still, to remake ….
Here some photographs of the day:

The fine team on board Whim with Peter
(from left to right: Benoit, George of back, Peter and me)
The fine team onboard of Caprice with Peter
(From left to right: Benoit, Georges backside, Peter and me)

Mélusine

I will speak again you of the lucky finds and the ingeniousness of his owner

Lili,François'launch

A merry poem with Patrice (surnamed Humphrey Bogart)

Peter giving me a first lesson on the condenser on board of Caprice

And here thoses plot

Before the departure, Anne (my preferred daughter!) and Patrice

Anne on board

discussions!

Mikein hauling

Patrice's machine

Model building with Borkrum (made by M. Usereau)

Benoit with the levers

Gaz filling

And during this time there Georges (inter alia) on the stand

Re-do-it-yourselfing on the Dodge Dodge

Skiff of Séquana

Wonderful isn't it!br />

First pictures of Enghien les bains

2005-07-02T11:08:00.000+02:00

It remains still tomorrow not to miss that!!

Strange meetings

Mike

The Dodge

Its “Figurehead”

and its small concern!

Pierre onboard Patrice's boat

Jumble inside!!

Michel, the founder of Abv in his Nosca boat

Stuart 6A of Nosca in full work

Nice machines found on the web

2005-06-28T16:32:00.000+02:00

It look like a Swan!

A beautiful object

2005-06-27T15:32:00.000+02:00

It is about an apparatus which is used to measure the power of the steam engines, how? here is the question!
If one among you knows how it I works please let me know!
In any event, I find that it is really a beautiful object!

Keltia in the workshop

2005-06-14T16:27:00.000+02:00

It is true that it is beautiful when it is new! Admire work in the construction of the floor timbers, they are the parts located at the bottom of the hull perpendiculars to the keel and being used as support with the engine mount. Their cutting implies a tracing on three axes! Cheer Jean-Jacques

Charente continuation

2005-06-10T16:19:00.000+02:00

Mélusine and the new Patrice's boat

Bruno looking for coolness

Patrice on board

Patrice's whistles

The same in action

It is really a mini-Midship

Abv in Charentes

2005-06-08T16:12:00.000+02:00

Will that be the new Patrice's boat?

A brittish steamboat:

Polly

Thank a lot to Pascal who send me those pictures.

Water festival in Sevres

2005-06-06T16:06:00.000+02:00

Superb water festival in Sevres with all the activities of the club, promenade in Pabouk, water tournaments, walk with the steam on Mélusine, exposure of “works of the members” of which splendid Ilur and a wonderfull Finn in moulded wood.
The whole of course accompanied by pancakes sprinkled with cider, the music was also present with ringing of and chamber music hunting horns.

Ilur of Jean-François

Preparations

Enghien Rétronautique

2005-05-30T15:50:00.000+02:00

Gathering of old boats

On july 2nd & 3rd ,2005, Enghien-the-Bains will accomodate its 1st Festival of steamers “Enghien retro Water sport”.

Organized by the Tourism office, in collaboration with the French steamboat association (ABV)), this week end, placed under the sign of the steam, wants to be to be the witness of a gathering of boats of pleasure, designed, restored, titivated and controlled by their owners, who will sail together with old riggings, skiffs and other canoes of the beginning of the century.

The roses garden, as for it, will be transformed into small port, accomodating stands on which very beautiful fixed and functional machines will be exposed; animations of small-scale models boats, functioning them also with steam, will be proposed by the models clubs: Rainbow, and the M.Y.C.P (Model Yacht Club of Paris).
Sailors (from the Navy!) will be also present to explain you the signs of navigation and the secrecy of the knots .

Nautical parades, regattas, animations for children and adults, during these two days, Enghien-the-Bains will make you discover the world of the steam and the water sport to old.

A steam train of association AAVV of Sannois, will enable you to discover the pier of the lake as at the time of the beautiful time.

An appointment not to be missed, saturday and sunday 2 & July 3,2005, from 10 AM to 6 PM

Abv general assembled

2005-05-26T15:38:00.000+02:00

This year, the general assembled of the association will take place with Jarnac (Charente) of the May 27 to 29. Our friend Pierre Marsac, who organizes this meeting, thus promises to us a surprise for the picnic of Sunday to the lock and quality of a meal worthy of interest. Moreover, the meal of official reception Sunday evening will be taken in a strong restaurant sympathetic nerve, an old distilling, surrounded of stills and with unspoilable view on the vines. A word to the wise.

Mike inside

2005-05-23T15:46:00.000+02:00

the engine, a twin and its boiler!

A twin Pearl engine

2005-05-23T15:35:00.000+02:00

When I said that the cinematic of the Pearl was beautiful!

Mike Micel's boat

2005-05-23T15:22:00.000+02:00

The boat on the water, eh yes one can also make in the kind pretty jewel and it goes

A new boat for ypur collection

2005-05-22T15:17:00.000+02:00

Cockpit

2005-05-17T19:49:00.000+02:00

The problem of the cockpit is that, on a long boat, the machine and the boiler for balance reason, must be installed in the center, far from the helm, and excepted if you hire a sailor it is difficult to be close to the boiler and the helm in the same time!
That why many boats are fitted with a ship wheel and commands in the middle of the boat.

Présentations

2005-05-17T19:38:00.000+02:00

Theses pictures which have been kindly transmitted to me by Pascal, who was present on the bank of the Rance, near Dinan (Brittany) next year, allow me to make some presentations.

Mélusine, with from the bows to the stern, Bruno, Jean-Yves, me and Benoit.

Merlin, with in the same order, my daugther Anne, Patrice and me

The same with a whistle run !

Back to the pier .

Naïade Jean-Luc's boat

2005-05-12T10:39:00.000+02:00

Hereunder some photographs of the boat of Jean-Luc, 5.50 m, drawings from Fisher,Indian Runner type.

The boiler is a Lune Valley (coal), and the machine has been made by George Droulon of the ABV.

Some steamboats for your collection

2005-05-08T19:34:00.000+02:00

ARETHUSA
.
LYBERTY BELLE (superb isn't she!)
.

Luxury with Scylla of Messina

2005-04-28T19:17:00.000+02:00

Tarvin Lady

2005-04-28T19:14:00.000+02:00

The race

2005-04-28T19:11:00.000+02:00

Very British

2005-04-28T19:09:00.000+02:00

Keltia, Jean-Jacques' hull

2005-04-28T19:05:00.000+02:00

Melusine on the river RANCE

2005-04-28T18:44:00.001+02:00

Patrice's launch MERLIN

2005-04-27T18:43:00.000+02:00