Starting at the stern, all the riveting is complete and new bottom boards are in place. These are elm. Ian has managed to locate a source of good quality elm at a reasonable price. The back cabin structure is in place as is the metal cabin over the boiler. The new and improved weed hatch assembly is also complete. With careful study of photographs you can see that my new design for the front the boiler cabin is now in place. The doors should help keep all the coal dust from the blow down and other valves at the end of the boiler.

Moving forward into the hold, examination of the other bottom boards has revealed 5 very soft boards, in fact a welding rod was pushed right through one of them! The forward hatch area is in a bit of sorry mess; the frame, which holds the bulkhead in place, is corroded. The shoe plate, which sits below the bow, was also corroded and the wood inside it is probably original. After careful inspection and discussion we have decided to replace the shoe and re-bottom back to half way down the hold. The hatch has been de-scaled and coated with red lead and red oxide. The bow area and the remaining bottom boards will be replaced in 2007 when the boiler comes out again. The whole of the hull, both inside and out has been shot blasted. The lower outside section has been coated with a two-part epoxy resin and the inside with red oxide.

The boiler is now ready for installation and will be called forward in the next few weeks. The engine is still waiting for the work on the crankshaft to be completed (this is being done free of charge so we have to be patient).

In my original plan I was going to use a weir pump to act as an air and condensate pump, from the outset I have had doubts that it would be satisfactory. I have sought much advice and done much reading. The main problems are: the swept volume of the water cylinder is not big enough; therefore any hope of a constant vacuum being pulled was very doubtful. Also the amount of water emitted from the condenser tends to be erratic and Weirs like a constant supply of water otherwise they can sulk and bang around. So I have decided in the short term to use an ejector. It is the same principal as the bilge ejector and that used on locomotives to pull a vacuum for the brakes. The alternative will be a free-standing steam driven air pump, whilst this available now; the cost (£3,500) is not.

Ian Kemp looking over his work. photo Judy Spencer

Finally, the new propeller arrived from Holland yesterday Friday (9 March) so slowly but surely President is returning to life. David Stott

New front of boiler housing - showing stepped cabin wall
Photo Judy Spencer

Late update - from Dave Stott ( 14th March )

You may have noticed something different about this shot repeated on the left

The boiler cabin has been stepped out the width of the back cross planks. This allows the projection of the rear combustion chamber to extend into this space therefore allowing the boiler to move forward some 10" giving much needed space between engine and boiler. It further acts as a cross brace for the hull. When the cabin was extended in 1990 to house the new boiler it resulted in the loss of one of the cross chains, this has resulted in a spread of the hull. This will now be corrected as the steel plate extending across the width of the boat will be attached to brackets fixed to the sides of the hull. The plate will be hidden from view by the wood planks which will sit on top. This additional storage place will enclose the blow down valves the chemical treatment tank and eventually the steam turbo generator in a clean safe area.

Therefore the vertical enclosure of the boiler viewed from the hold will consist of 3 sections: the upper bulk head with 2 doors giving access to the top of the boiler; the cross plate; and the lower section with doors. These 3 sections are removable to allow the boiler to slide out into the hold. This eliminates the need to remove the cabin from the hull which has caused major problems in the past. The lid of the cabin can lifted off to enable the boiler to be lifted clear of its mountings before sliding forward.

A further change is to the coal bunker. This will now extend some 3' into the hold thus eliminating the need to lift bags of coal onto the cabin top, this satisfies H&S and will help to keep the boat clean and protect the paintwork More important it makes life easier for old buggers like me. A further development, we have made the decision to fit 2 cabin slides over the engine room they will both have the semi circular cut outs this has been done for safety but there is clear evidence that some of the steamers where fitted with 2 slides and that single slides were fitted on the left and on the right.

Dave Stott