Steamboat Register

Ben My Chree

Status: Undergoing renovation - Awaiting refit

Owner: Steven J. Harcourt, Wesley J. Harcourt

Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgCgOlZwldJuC5wf25u661Q

Area: USA West Coast

Hull

fantail launch. Construction: Steel throughout.
Hull model: Panatela
Built 1980 by Millerick Brothers at Petaluma, California
Fit out 1980 by John York at St. Helena, California
LOA: 30' 0", LWL: 28' 0", Beam: 7' 0", Draft: 2' 6", Displacement: 6000 lbs.
Enlarged version of Panatela from "Steamboats and Modern Steam Lanuches" Same builders of steamboat "Tule Princess" Both can be found in issues of "Live Steam" (now "Live Steam and Outdoor Railroading") magazine from the early 1980's.

Boiler

Roberts type 3-drum HWT Built 1980 by Don Mentzer at Medford, Oregon
Fuel: Wood/Oil, Pressure: 150 psi, Grate area: 2 sqft, Heating area: 40 sqft, Output: 400 lbs/hr,
8" dia X 30" long Seamless steel drum(s). Steel tubes. Welded steel drum and tubes construction,
condensing, engine driven pump, forced draft fan, hand pump, injector, steam feed pump, feed water heater, whistle,

Engine

2 cyl compound. 3" + 5.25" X 3.75"
Built 1980 by John York at St. Helena, California
Designed by: John York
Piston valve on HP, slide valve on LP valve. SLRG valve gear.
Power: 10 HP
Designed and built by John York, this is the very fist engine Mr. York made as confirmed by him. A professional machinist by trade, he took great care in final fitting, hand scraping all of the bearing surfaces. Crankshaft was flame cut out steel plate, heated and twisted 90 degrees at center throw, and machined. Through-holes machined in crank pins to reduce rotating mass.

Propeller

Bronze, 3 blades, Right Hand, 24" X 36"
Shaft: 1.5" monel

History

Name "Ben My Chree" means 'Woman of my heart' in Manx. John chose this name as his family hailed from the Isle of Man before emigrating to the US. This name has also adorned the transoms of no less than six ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Hull is an enlarged version of Panatela from "Steamboats and Modern Steam Lanuches" Commissioned and fitted out by John York of "York Compound" fame with the very first of his engines. In 1990 he removed the steam machinery and refitted with an antique Hicks 10hp gas engine. The engine, boiler, patterns, and drawings were all subsequently sold. The hull was bought by current owner in 2015. The original boiler was located at a friend's house in California. After much detective work, the original was located in engine in possession of Kent Lacey Connecticut. After much negotiating, and with the kindness and understanding of Mr. Lacey, we were able to purchase original engine and reunite the original machinery once again. In process of refitting all machinery and returning her to the water.

Added to the register: 2021.06.13. Last Modified: 2024.02.18.

Gas engine phase