Charlton Park Steam and Gas engine show
July 10-12 2009 The Steamboats Back to Tugboat page
July 10-12 2009 The Steamboats Back to Tugboat page
I've been anticipating all year making it out to the Steam and gas engine show at Charlton Park near
Hastings Michigan, just southwest of Lansing. I was not disappointed. Just want to put a page together to
show some pics I took. It is a very good show with lots to see and do. Many Traction engines, Antique
tractors, a few steambikes and Steamboats. And a lot of great friendly informative folks to interact with.
I wasn't really planning on putting this page together for the steamboat portion of the show, and there was
so much information to absorb, without taking notes, it's hard to remember it all. I'll share what I can recall.
There were three Rose 20 hulls, A paddlewheeler, A 1921 20 ft Steel Lifeboat hull (Arbor Queen) and Gary's
"mywaytoo", a 21 foot or so retired fiberglass sailboat hull converted to steam power. Makes a good hull for
use with steam. A bit untraditional, but from a utility standpoint, probably one of the best specimens there.
Roomy and very seaworthy. And as he says "Can't beat the price" :)
They usually have some other boats there, but this year due to weather and folks that just couldn't make it,
a few were missing. The weather reports were lousy all week and as fickle as Michigan weather can be , it
was the opposite and turned out to be a beautiful weekend, save a few brief cloudbursts. Michigan is really
an ideal state for these type shows, I've went to them in the south, when it's 95 degrees, the last place I
want to be standing, is next to a traction engine.
Hastings Michigan, just southwest of Lansing. I was not disappointed. Just want to put a page together to
show some pics I took. It is a very good show with lots to see and do. Many Traction engines, Antique
tractors, a few steambikes and Steamboats. And a lot of great friendly informative folks to interact with.
I wasn't really planning on putting this page together for the steamboat portion of the show, and there was
so much information to absorb, without taking notes, it's hard to remember it all. I'll share what I can recall.
There were three Rose 20 hulls, A paddlewheeler, A 1921 20 ft Steel Lifeboat hull (Arbor Queen) and Gary's
"mywaytoo", a 21 foot or so retired fiberglass sailboat hull converted to steam power. Makes a good hull for
use with steam. A bit untraditional, but from a utility standpoint, probably one of the best specimens there.
Roomy and very seaworthy. And as he says "Can't beat the price" :)
They usually have some other boats there, but this year due to weather and folks that just couldn't make it,
a few were missing. The weather reports were lousy all week and as fickle as Michigan weather can be , it
was the opposite and turned out to be a beautiful weekend, save a few brief cloudbursts. Michigan is really
an ideal state for these type shows, I've went to them in the south, when it's 95 degrees, the last place I
want to be standing, is next to a traction engine.
So on to the boats..
Above is the "Thornapple". A nice Rose 20 hull with a condensing compound engine as the pictures below
indicate. Nice job!
indicate. Nice job!
Next is another Rose 20 hull, the "Galatea". Looks as though it had a single in it. Sorry I don't have
any more info on this one. He was always gone with passengers!.
any more info on this one. He was always gone with passengers!.
And another Rose 20 hull. The deck on this one was outstanding. It has a VFT boiler and Semple single
cylinder engine. I have to say the compound compared to the single cylinder offerings, from the dock
there didn't appear to be much difference in the performance. This one was in and out quite a bit, tough to
get many pics of it. Seemed to be a steady stream of folks wanting rides.
cylinder engine. I have to say the compound compared to the single cylinder offerings, from the dock
there didn't appear to be much difference in the performance. This one was in and out quite a bit, tough to
get many pics of it. Seemed to be a steady stream of folks wanting rides.
Next up is a real head turner and just a downright neat boat. This paddlewheeler is a real performer. He took people
in and out all day on it. The operation appeared smooth with little bother. He's running what looks to be a riveted
VFT boiler and a converted bottle engine with Stephenson gear added. Someone mentioned he was firing it with
black walnut. Must be a good firewood for making steam. It moves out well loaded with passengers and was very
quiet operating.
in and out all day on it. The operation appeared smooth with little bother. He's running what looks to be a riveted
VFT boiler and a converted bottle engine with Stephenson gear added. Someone mentioned he was firing it with
black walnut. Must be a good firewood for making steam. It moves out well loaded with passengers and was very
quiet operating.
Next up is the "Mywaytoo" Converted sail hull. Interesting boat in that it uses a Bossover boiler and user
manufactured from his own castings, twin cylinder uniflow steamplant. If this engine was running behind you,
you'd swear it was an old flathead 4 cylinder. Sounds exactly like an Ferguson tractor. Quite speedy and
smooth running. He fires with oil and uses around 2.5 gallons per hour at cruise speed. This fellow is a walking
encyclopedia of steamboat knowledge. He is helping me out with my project boat and is providing some very
good information.
manufactured from his own castings, twin cylinder uniflow steamplant. If this engine was running behind you,
you'd swear it was an old flathead 4 cylinder. Sounds exactly like an Ferguson tractor. Quite speedy and
smooth running. He fires with oil and uses around 2.5 gallons per hour at cruise speed. This fellow is a walking
encyclopedia of steamboat knowledge. He is helping me out with my project boat and is providing some very
good information.
Next up is the "Arbor Queen" the 1921 20 foot steel lifeboat hull mentioned above. This looks like a great boat
to haul people around. I believe they said it was originally a 25 person boat. The skipper said he had 22
people on it at one time. I didn't investigate the machinery of this one. I think he said it had a compound and it
looked to be a VFT boiler. At a quick glance anyway. I was most interested in the hull of this boat as it is near
the plan I have for mine. All steel hull, wide beam. Close to 90 years and still floating was a pretty good
indicator of the worthiness of a steel hull. Although it was probably galvanized.
I learned a few things at this show. Even though I have been interested in hobby steamboats for about 30
years, studied up on them, etc. Bought many parts (a boiler and three engines) This was my first actual
encounter with them. I didn't even go for a ride on one, I'm saving that thrill for the first run of my own. A few
things I learned was: Boilers are not as heat dissipating as I had once assumed. They appear if they are
lagged/insulated on the exterior there isn't much heat coming off of them. Didn't appear to be anyway, as
many folks were setting right next to them and it was a rather warm day. Also, fire management was not that
big of a deal. They appeared to just fire them up in the morning and simply add more wood or coal as the day
went on. They would just come in and tie up and step off. The boats would just sit there and pop-off if needed
until they were ready to go again. Seemed so easy watching, it's amazing more people are not using them.
The only maintenance I witnessed was the occasional oil can hitting a few spots. And that was only a few
boats doing this, that I seen anyway. One fellow seemed to be working the big handpump quite often, I was
puzzled as to why he wasn't using a motor or steam driven pump. Maybe he likes pumping water in manually?
to haul people around. I believe they said it was originally a 25 person boat. The skipper said he had 22
people on it at one time. I didn't investigate the machinery of this one. I think he said it had a compound and it
looked to be a VFT boiler. At a quick glance anyway. I was most interested in the hull of this boat as it is near
the plan I have for mine. All steel hull, wide beam. Close to 90 years and still floating was a pretty good
indicator of the worthiness of a steel hull. Although it was probably galvanized.
I learned a few things at this show. Even though I have been interested in hobby steamboats for about 30
years, studied up on them, etc. Bought many parts (a boiler and three engines) This was my first actual
encounter with them. I didn't even go for a ride on one, I'm saving that thrill for the first run of my own. A few
things I learned was: Boilers are not as heat dissipating as I had once assumed. They appear if they are
lagged/insulated on the exterior there isn't much heat coming off of them. Didn't appear to be anyway, as
many folks were setting right next to them and it was a rather warm day. Also, fire management was not that
big of a deal. They appeared to just fire them up in the morning and simply add more wood or coal as the day
went on. They would just come in and tie up and step off. The boats would just sit there and pop-off if needed
until they were ready to go again. Seemed so easy watching, it's amazing more people are not using them.
The only maintenance I witnessed was the occasional oil can hitting a few spots. And that was only a few
boats doing this, that I seen anyway. One fellow seemed to be working the big handpump quite often, I was
puzzled as to why he wasn't using a motor or steam driven pump. Maybe he likes pumping water in manually?
This doesn't have anything to do with boats, but just as remarkable. A few fellows brought their steambikes.
Really fascinating pieces of ingenuity. The one on the first set of pics used a Strelinger replica engine like
those coke bottle engines found on Ebay. He said it was around 1/4 horsepower. That was the simple part.
From there it went on to jack shafts and special clutches, variable pitch cam water pumps, derailers, you name
it. There were so many valves and gauges it looked to be a real ballet to operate. He said it had a range of
about 4 miles. It used a propane fired tube boiler and could make 200 pounds of steam in just a few minutes.
It was a real draw to that portion of the show. I seen it run and it was something to behold. And in his patience,
the owner/builder answered all questions and explained it's every attribute to any that showed up and asked.
A sample of the kind of folks that were there.
The second bike in the last set of pics was equally curious, but I think the man who owned it was also
operating one of the boats so i didn't see his run or hear about it much.
Really fascinating pieces of ingenuity. The one on the first set of pics used a Strelinger replica engine like
those coke bottle engines found on Ebay. He said it was around 1/4 horsepower. That was the simple part.
From there it went on to jack shafts and special clutches, variable pitch cam water pumps, derailers, you name
it. There were so many valves and gauges it looked to be a real ballet to operate. He said it had a range of
about 4 miles. It used a propane fired tube boiler and could make 200 pounds of steam in just a few minutes.
It was a real draw to that portion of the show. I seen it run and it was something to behold. And in his patience,
the owner/builder answered all questions and explained it's every attribute to any that showed up and asked.
A sample of the kind of folks that were there.
The second bike in the last set of pics was equally curious, but I think the man who owned it was also
operating one of the boats so i didn't see his run or hear about it much.
Don't ask, I'm just as puzzled as you are :)
An example of the workmanship and
ingenuity, from the fertile minds that are
involved in this great hobby. Very impressive!
An example of the workmanship and
ingenuity, from the fertile minds that are
involved in this great hobby. Very impressive!