A little Nostalgia (Steamers)

[LaBomba]

Not sure if there are any steam enthusiasts on the forum but thought these might be of general interest as well. The first is a 60 ft. boat, Nottingham Castle, built by and registered in England by the Royal Navy in 1940. It was brought to Canada on a cargo ship and fully restored by a partnership including my boss. It has a single steam driven engine supplied from an oil fired boiler and the engine drives a 4' prop. 6 ft draft, weight approx 20 tons. It has 4 state rooms and 2 heads and the wheel house can stand 6 to 8 comfortably. Used by the Royal Navy for coastal patrol. His partners have all now passed and the boat was sold to a company in Sault Ste Marie Ontario and so far as I know still in service. The second is his (my boss) personal steam boat, it is 21 feet and hull made of cypress and white oak. Also obviously steam driven and restored to perfection and sits in the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre in Gravenhurst Ontario, in the water. It has 20 coats of lacquer finish. I am in the "steam" business, I inspect power plants in Ontario. Enjoy some nostalgia!

[Sailor of Fortune]

I served on a steamship certainly one of the last in the Us military fleet. It was the USCGC Bibb a 327' high endurance cutter. my time was 1978-1980. It was decommissioned in the early 80's I believe. Now it is a "Dive site Reef" in John Pennycamp park in the Fl keys (along with her sistership the "Duane").

She beat her original builders speed trials when she was 40 plus years old. A converted Navy DE that was donated (read- don't want) to the coast guard.