Steamboat Register

Vividus

Status: Active use

Owner: Kelly Anderson

Area: USA

Hull

Open Launch. Construction: Strip-plank.
Built 2005 by Rappahannock at Bealeton, VA 22712
Fit out 2015 by Kelly Anderson at Strasburg, PA
LOA: 23' 0", Beam: 6' 0", Displacement: 2,900 lbs.
I purchased the boat in 2014. The previous owner had neglected the boat, leaving it exposed to the weather for long periods. The cuddy decks and coaming were severely weathered, so I returned it to Rappahannock Boat works to be stripped and refinished. Upon removing the old engine and boiler, I found that seven feet of the 5" tall (five 1" strips of white oak) keel was rotten down to the bottom 1" strip. Steve Weaver assisted me in replacing this section of the keel.

Boiler

VFT Designed by Owner,
Built 2014 by Own workshop at USA
Fuel: wood, Pressure: 150 psi, Grate area: 1.65 sqft, Heating area: 38 sqft,
22" dia Steel barrel. 91 X 1" dia Steel tubes. welded construction,
condensing, engine driven pump, hand pump, steam feed pump, whistle, siren,
The boiler is based on Mike Condax's design, with an 17-3/8" diameter firebox that is 19" tall, and 1" o.d. tubes with retarders that are 15" long.

Engine

fore & aft compound. 2-5/8" + 4-15/16" X 3-1/2"
Built 1900 by Milwaukee Steam Car (?) at Milwaukee, WI
Design: Steam car by: unknown
Inside admission balanced slide valve. Stephenson valve gear.
Power: 6 HP
I bought this derelict steam car engine at an auction, and converted it into a launch engine by building a new sole plate, crankshaft, columns, pumps, and flywheel. It is unique in that it has many features that I have never seen before. It has a piston intercepting valve that converts it into a true double simple. The slide valves are balanced inside admission, the only time that I have ever heard of this arrangement. The HP cylinder is steam jacketed, and every passage is cast in place in an amazing job of pattern making and foundry work. The pistons are hollow to save weight. The crossheads are hollow and serve as oil reservoirs for the wrist pins. The crossheads are equipped with dippers to supply an even coat of oil to the guides from reservoirs at the bottom of the guides. The connecting rods are cast steel, and of I-beam section. The eccentric rods are cast steel, running on bronze eccentrics. The only markings of any sort I found on the engine was the name "K LEE" stamped into the eccentrics. The only clue I have about its identity is from a visit to a museum that had a Milwaukee steam car on display. Though it was a double simple engine, and was different in many details, the valve gear had a definite "family resemblance" to that on my engine.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, Right Hand, 18" X 30"
Shaft: 1" Stainless Steel
Elliott Bay propeller.

History

I purchased the boat in 2014. The previous owner had neglected the boat, leaving it exposed to the weather for long periods. I bought a derelict steam car engine at an auction, and converted it into a launch engine by building a new sole plate, crankshaft, columns, pumps, and flywheel. It is unique in that it has many features that I have never seen before. Her first operation was at Raquette Lake, New York in August 2015. Vividus is Latin, meaning alive, animated, lively, vigorous, spirited, and lifelike.

Added to the register: 2016.07.02. Last Modified: 2021.11.10.

At Raquette Lake, 2018.