Ed Toner

Can someone recommend a good kit for a beginner like me for a real steam powered boat such as The African Queen?

I'm thinking of rudder, power, and ahead/astern (foreward/reverse) controls.

ballgunner

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The African Queen by Billing Boats has some of the best laser cutting ever seen. It has a replica steam engine kit with it that is very detailed. Perhaps the boat could be modified for live steam but that would be a serious piece of work. The kit is quite detailed and is certainly not for less than an expert builder. Finding a steam engine that will have throttle and reversing is possible but difficult. Try someone in the UK for engine information. They seem to be more advanced in that field than we are here. There are live steamers in the US. Most are in the railroad hobby.

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

P.S. Micro Mark used to sell a small steam engine and a kit for a steam launch. One of my friends bought the engine and made it run but it had no real speed or reverse controls and didn't have enough power to power any boat. He said it was real cute and he loved to watch it run but it was just a novelty.

Ed Toner

Thanks, Ballgunner.

It looks like my best bet is electric power.

I found a UK site that has such models, but the price is out of my range.

olguy

You might check out these sites for steam engines:

http://www.grahamind.com/

http://www.pmresearchinc.com/model000.htm

http://www.tinypower.com/

tdonily

You could also look at:

http://www.catfish-hollow.com/steam2.htm

Cheddar engines, out of the UK, are some really well engineered engines. But they are on the costly side. I think they start around $700 or so.

Ed Toner

Travis, many thanks.

Ed