Scathtan

Owner: John & Valerie Laverick

Area: UK-South West

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Cold-moulded mahogany.
Hull designed by Walter Simmons at Fowey in 1987
Built 1989 by Walter Simmons at Fowey
Fit out 1990 by Walter Simmons at Fowey
LOA: 23' 0", LWL: 20' 5", Beam: 5' 10", Draft: 2' 0", Displacement: 2240 lbs.
Weight of hull, engine and boiler 1700 lbs. Hull painted dark blue with untreated teak plank decks.

Boiler

Blackstaffe type 3-drum WT Designed by S.D.Williams,
Built 1987 by S.Williams/W.Simmons at Newport/Fowey
Fuel: Coal, Pressure: 150 psi, Grate area: 1.6 sqft, Heating area: 24 sqft, Output: 160 lbs/hr,
5 + 2 x 2" dia X 26" long Copper drum(s). Copper tubes. Silver soldered all copper construction, Stainless Steel superheater,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, feed water heater, whistle,
Pressure vessel by S.D. Williams, Newport, Gwent. top drum 5" dia, mud drums 2" dia x 2' 2" long, 4 downcomers and 2 banks of 10 interlinked coils.

Engine

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, 18" X 24"
Shaft: 1.25" Stainless Steel

History

Designed and built by Walter Simmons of Fowey, Cornwall for estuary use and light enough for trailing. First steamed May 1990. Runner up in the 1990 Classic Boat Amateur Boat Building Competition, National Maritime Museum Greenwich London. [See 'Classic Boat' March 1991 edition]. Acquired by present owners in March 1992 and attended the Bristol Harbour Festival in that year. Has cruised on the River Tamar, River Avon, River Thames, Kennet & Avon Canal, Grand Western Canal, Somerset Coal Canal, Montgomery Canal, Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal, Stroudwater Navigation and Wilts & Berks Canal. Due to other commitments SCATHTAN has not steamed every season and was laid up in a dry boatshed between 1994-1998, 2000, 2004-2006, 2010-2013.

(Doug Small) Melksham W&BC 2014.