Oberon

Owner: B.W.Smith, P. Smith

Area: UK-Thames

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Plywood (¼"), epoxy sheathed.
Hull designed by Paul Smith
Built 1999 by Paul Smith at Kintbury
Fit out by Paul Smith
LOA: 29' 0", LWL: 28' 0", Beam: 5' 0", Draft: 10' 0",
Two chine, black hull with varnished mahogany decks and cockpits, wheel steering.

Boiler

3-drum WT Built by Liquid Fuel Engineering Co.
Fuel: Oil, Pressure: 250 psi,
condensing, engine driven pump, injector,
Build c1900's, Top drum 10" dia x 30" long, cast bronze, 126 x .5/8" od copper tubes, screwed connections to drums, ss casing. Rated 15 HP. LIFU type burner. Geared engine driven fp and ap, 3½:1 ratio. Inboard cond. 20" vacuum. Fitted with superheater. Buffalo Injector.

Engine

Compound. 2 1/2" + 5" X 4"
Built by Liquid Fuel Engineering Co. Ltd. at Cowes
pv valve. SLRG valve gear.
Power: 15 HP
Built c1890's, cbs, 2 tfc.

Propeller

3 blades, Right Hand, 18" X 32"
Shaft: 1 1/8" Stainless Steel
Gaines, cut down blades to reduce blade area to 0.36 DAR.

History

New lightweight hull built to suit a light boiler/engine set. The engine needed extensive repairs to broken castings when acquired, and is thought to also have had a replacement crankshaft at some time in its history. The boiler was previously fitted in Seagull (formerly Gollywog) which was built and fitted out in Australia in 1975. All installation by Paul and Brian Smith. Oberon was completed in 2001. Speed measured at Windermere is over 17 mph.