Jul 1 1992

We rode on yet another steam boat! We were bumming about Lake Union, checking out boats for sale. Our last stop was for lunch and to check a few boats at a marina next to the Center for Wooden Boats. I talked Cindy into going out for an hour in a Beatle Cat (a 15' gaff-rigged cat boat). Upon our return, we were invited to go out slumming in a power boat.

This one is a 20' dory with a small wood-fired boiler and a compound reduction double action engine of about 5 HP. The skipper said he got it up to 8 knots a week ago... clearly pushing hull speed.

I'm always fascinated by how the systems operate. This one had a closed system, but I didn't see the condenser...it was somewhere below the deck. I didn't realize even this until the skipper lifted the cushion and scooped some lake water into the hot tank. I guess he was having some trouble with the water level in the boiler as he had his fireman bleed some water out of the boiler a bit earlier.

He was rather proud of how he just used up the last of the pressure to get us back to the pier. (He didn't want to blow off steam.)