Steamboat Register

Bethanne's Rival

Status: Steaming

Owner: Frank Rozelaar

Area: UK-Midlands

Hull

Dinghy. Construction: GRP, mahogany deck and interior.
Built 1990 by M Baldwin at Derby
Fit out 1990 by M Baldwin at Derby
LOA: 12' 6", LWL: 12' 0", Beam: 5' 0", Draft: 1' 4",
Side wheel steering by ex aircraft teleflex and by folding tiller added in 2012. Canopy added in 2013/4 dismantles into front and rear sections and 4 stainless steel hoops for transport inside car, covering folds up onto central spine, side screens for foul weather. Mid 2014 LED based electrical system added within roof for full navigation lights, headlight, cabin lights and power socket.

Boiler

Blackstaffe 3-drum WT Built by Precision Steam
Fuel: Coal, Pressure: 125 psi, Heating area: 7.5 sqft,
Copper drum(s). 0 X 0.59" dia Copper tubes. Silver soldered all copper construction, Stainless Steel superheater,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, steam feed pump, feed water heater, Windermere kettle, whistle,
With competent and frequent stoking and use of the tiny chimney steam blower the boiler will more than supply the engine continuously at 125 psi with throttle fully open and no valve link up giving a speed of over 400 rpm. 320 rpm is continuously achieved without use of the blower. Even when the blower is used water consumption is typically under 5 litres per day although this rises substantially if the safety valve lifts. An electric fan powered by AA batteries and a £1 computer cooling fan in a stainless steel enclosure can be clipped to the ash pan door to assist steam raising, steam can be raised to full pressure in 10 minutes if necessary.

Engine

Single cylinder. 2.25" X 2"
Built 1985 by M Baldwin at Derby
Design: 5A (modified) by: M Baldwin
Slide valve. Stephenson valve gear.
Power: 1 HP
The Stuart 5a engine has enlarged bearings with 6 individually pumped lubrication points, pumped steam oiling (added 2012) plus a reserve displacement lubricator, maximum speed of around 400 rpm with throttle fully open at 120 psi and valve gear linked up for steam expansion, normal cruising speed on inland waters is usually around 300 rpm for which 80 psi is sufficient. The 54" of 22mm copper pipe keel condenser and silent double acting air pump (added in 2012) driven at a third engine speed maintains a good vacuum of 28" Hg at tickover, about 24" Hg at 300 rpm declining to around 15" Hg at 400 rpm. Engine runs very sweetly at 400 rpm provided the exhaust vacuum is good and the valve gear is linked up. Vacuum and an exhaust steam feed water heater contribute to economical running using less than 10Kg of coal per day even for demanding events.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, 10.5" X 15"
Shaft: 0.75" Stainless Steel

History

The first owner, M Baldwin, was an engineer at the railway works in Derby and his real interest was the steam engine which he made in the 1980's. He later bought the hull and undertook the detailed fitting out over a period of 3 years when he saw little of his wife which gave rise to the name Bethanne's Rival. The current owner bought the boat in 2011.

Added to the register: 2014.08.22. Last Modified: 2024.06.12.

Coniston 2012, boat as purchased