Steamboat Register

Wayward Belle

Owner: Wesley Harcourt

Website: http://www.youtube.com/user/bilgerat671/videos

Area: USA

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Plywood (8mm) covered with fibreglass and epoxy..
Hull model: Chesapeake Bay Skipjack designed by W. C. Grosjean at Poway, CA, USA in 1986
Built 1987 by Arthur F. Mulvey at Oceanside, CA, USA
Fit out 1987 by W. C. Grosjean at Poway, CA, USA
LOA: 22' 2", LWL: 21' 8", Beam: 5' 9", Draft: 1' 6", Displacement: 2264 lbs.
Sitka spruce frames and stringers. Honduras mahogany stem, keel, floor timbers and engine bearers. Bruynzeel plywood planking. Silicon bronze fastened and epoxy glued and sealed. Epoxy/fiberglass sheathed. Weight-850lbs

Boiler

Monotube Designed by W. C. Grosjean,
Built 1971 by Haulman Welding Works at San Diego, CA, USA
Fuel: kerosene, Pressure: 150 psi, Grate area: 0 sqft, Heating area: 27 sqft, Output: 200 lbs/hr,
18" dia X 24" Steel 1 X 1/2" dia Steel tubes. welded construction, Steel superheater,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, feed water heater, whistle,
ASME approved design and materials. Natural draft, 450F steam temp, controls similar principles to Doble "normalizer" control system, but are all mechanical. Vaporizing kerosene burner, modulated by steam pressure. Steam temperature controlled by quartz rod thermostat. Steam up from cold in about 7 minutes. Fuel and feed water pressure maintained with hand pump until sufficient steam pressure to run engine, then engine pumps take over. A fuel economy of approximately 1 gallon/hr at cruising speed of 6.5 knots. Weight-220lbs

Engine

2 cyl compound. 2" + 4" X 3-1/4"
Built 1975 by W. C. Grosjean at Poway, CA, USA
Design: Grosjean by: W. C. Grosjean
pv on HP, balanced sv on LP valve. SLRG valve gear.
Power: 6 HP
Stands on six turned columns, independent valve gear adjustment on LP. Drip feed lubrication to main bearings w/ oil slingers from main bearings to feed rod big-end bearings. Two feed pumps and two air pumps(Exhaust- 27in/vacuum) and one fuel pump driven 1/4 engine speed by a Simpson Strickland style worm gear drive off of front of crankshaft. Clutch to disengage from propeller shaft to allow easy warm-through and maintaining water and fuel pump pressure once steam is up whilst at the dock. Hums like the proverbial sewing machine and makes approximately 6BHP@700rpm. Weight-225lbs

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, Right Hand, 15" X 17"
Shaft: 1" Stainless Steel

History

Designed and built by William Charles Grosjean of Poway, California over a period of 30+years. First launched in 1988. In continued refinement until health forced sale to current owner Wesley Harcourt of South Lake Tahoe, California in 2005. Flank speed confirmed via GPS with one aboard is 8 knots. Cruising speed of 6.5 knots with approx. 1/gal/hr fuel consumption. Seen on Discovery Channel's "Monster Garage" television show winning the race between the show's "Steam Up Sucker" project steam launch and the other steamboats of the 2005 B&W steamboat rally in Isleton, California.

Added to the register: 2014.04.22. Last Modified: 2021.06.13.

Next to historic fantail launch "Cathedral" on Fallen Leaf Lake, California

Photos

B&W Steamboat Rally, Isleton, California Photo by Brian Smaalders	Grosjean Compound before replacement of aluminium splash guards with plexiglass ones.	Torn down for maintenance
When first received from Mr. Grosjean. Showing some of the hull shape as well as some of the patterns Mr. Grosjean made for the engine and hull fittings.
	B&W Steamboat Rally, Isleton, California (2005)