Progress on "Vapor"

[Jay Greer]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76e8ba19a1700000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/The N.G. Herreshoff Steam launch "Vapor", design No.227, was built in 1902. The boat was, originaly, used as the starboard commuter launch for the steam yacht "Yacoma"; owner:Hay C. Pierce. Pierce has been noted for his statement, "If you have to ask how much a yacht costs, you can't offord it." This boat is a high speed launch, capable of attaining speeds of over fifteen knots! It is powered by a tripple expansion steeple engine operating on high pressure steam of some 225lbs. When running at flank speed, the boat does not squat in the manner of most displacement craft, leaving rather a flat wake and little disturbance to the water. The engine is almost dead silent, making little more than quiet clicks and hisses.
The current owner, Jon Martin, of Newport Beach California has opted for a full rebuild of this, one of a kind, historic vessel. "Vapor" is the only surviving example of its type left in the world. The engine is being overhauled by the owner while, master boat builder Ed Louchard of Port Townsend is restoring the hull. Lines were first taken off of the hull as is. It was found that the after section of the hull had sagged some eight inches below the original design. This was, possibly, due to the fact that a two hundred gallon water tank had been installed in the after section of the hull in the stern sheets. We found that the condensing tube had been blocked off and the boat relied only on tank water for running. The shape of the boat was corrected, see earlier posts, and a new keel was installed in the old hull along with a complete set of molds. A new stem, transom, sheer plank, rub rail and stern post were also included at that time. Ribands were also laid over the molds and all new white oak ribs were steamed in along with the installation of all new floors. The hull was then turned over via a system of straps on rollers suspended from the overhead by two chain hoists. Ed was fortunate in being able to obtain African mahogany planks that are 8/4x5'x33'! These planks will provide full length strakes for the hull that are to be book matched as to provide identical grain pattern on both sides of the varnished hull. The hull is to be double planked with 5/16" thick stock. This will eliminate the need for backing out of the planks as well as create a stiffer hull structure to resist the tremendous torque produced by the Herreshoff steam engine. When complete, "Vapor" will tour the US and be placed on display at various boat shows.
The boat will be housed in a, climate controled, sail plane trailer when in transit.
Jay
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76e7b8c1b7200000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Here is "Vapor" as she was built in 1902
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f54db7be600000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Amazing planking stock 4"x5'x33'!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f92fbfa9500000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Look carfully and you can see that the stem tapers in thickness from the sheer to the keel. Very unusual!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76e3858da2f00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f1c657b7c00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
The original cut water is a bronze casting that must have been the pattern maker's nightmare!
[

[Jay Greer]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f0771bacd00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f0fb9ba0100000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Two new transoms were made. The first was of honduras which would have been ok but the owner opted to have one made of African.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f7af5faef00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Lathe turned clinch rings for the stern post mortice fastenings
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76e287cda0300000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[Bill R]

Amazing. Please keep us posted.

[Bob Cleek]

They sure are doing some fine work on her! When she's done, I'm afraid they are going to have to change the builder's plate from "Herreshoff Mfg. Co." to "Steinway!"

Thanks so much for keeping us posted on this remarkable restoration job.

BTW, the old photo of "Vapor as she was built in 1902" appears in Bill Dunham's article on US Navy steam launches in "Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches" March- April 1963, p.17, with the following description:

"Steamer #728, photographed at the New York Navy Yard on July 21, 1910, is proof that not all senior officers were satisfied with the standard issue of Navy cutters. She is a Herreshoff 28-footer, with a beautiful little 3-drum WT boiler (see "Steamboats" January-February, 1961, p. 261) and an enclosed triple expansion engine designed for 250 psi working pressure."

If the photo description as published is accurate, which would seem so, given that the NYNY site is rather easily verified, It would seem that this photo is of a sistership, unless "Vapor's" civilian owner had enough juice to have his boat maintained at government expense! (Such things have been known to occur now and again.)

There is another beam-on photo of the same boat, apparently taken immediately following the launch which appeared imminent in the photo you posted, at Dunham's "The Standard Boats of the United States Navy" at page 34. There, the rudder appears to be unshipped, as would have been done if she were sent down the ways stern first, and the pram bonnets are down, showing more of the deck detail.

I expect Herreshoff built more than one of these numbers in any event.

Are there lines and construction drawings of "Vapor" available? IIRC, NGH usually worked from models and offset tables, leaving the rest to the loftsmen. It would be nice to have a full plans set extant just in case somebody got really crazy and decided to build a replica. Steam aside, this hull looks like just the ticket for the guys who are interested in electric driven displacement hulls.

[Jay Greer]

When I worked on the first restoration some thirty five years ago. We contacted L. Francis concerning the boat as we were confounded by the amount of piping and valves to tweek. Skipper told us that he was not to up on the complexities of the operation as his father was really the only one who fully understood the mechanicals. By hit and miss, we learned to run the beast and achieved a silent 18mph run at one time. Skipper did send us a structural drawing of the boat as well as enough drawings of the engine to build a new one. Since lines of Herreshoff boats were, most often, taken from the half models, no lines drawings exist of No. 227. However, the lines of No. 240 can be purchased from MIT. The 28' boat in the picture is, evidently, not "Vapor" as "Vapor' is thirty feet in length and was built expressly for Mr. Pierce.
Chris McMullen of McMullen Wing Co. has built a replica of "Vapor" using the lines of No. 240 that he stretched from twenty eight to thirty feet. Photos of Chris's boat can be seen in earlier postings on "Vapor".
Jay

[Bob Cleek]

Thanks for the info, Jay. Am I correct that the steam launches in this range were pretty much all the same, save for some being stretched a bit? I know posting pictures is a chore, but if you have anything on the mechanicals, please do let us see them.

I'd be interested to know if "Vapor" had the Herreshoff designed condenser. There were problems reported with them and that may explain the switch from condensing to a non-condensing system. In a fashion that few could replicate today I'd guess, the Herreshoff Co. supposedly used a single condensing pipe that ran up one side and down the other, around the stem. It was made up in a gradual taper, such that the condensate was concentrated at the narrow end, avoiding the risk of air being pumped into the system... or so I've heard tell. Making up a fifty foot length of copper pipe tapered from one end to the other must have been quite some fabricating job!

[Jay Greer]

Bob,
As far as we can discern, most of the twenty eight and thirty foot Herreshoff launches were made from the same basic half model. No. 227. "Vapor" is 30' in length with 6'8" of beam. We believe that the Navy boats known as design No.240 were 28' in length and were a shortend version of 227. One thirty footer which had a gasoline engine is reported to have had a beam of five feet! That must have given fits to the mold loftsmen!

We intend to use the original condensor tube. For "Vapor" It is some ten feet in length and fits on the stbd. side. It is made of sheet copper that was hammered over a tapered mandrel. The joints are silver soldered dovetails. It is indeed of work of art!
The boiler is a replica of the the original flash tube boiler made of mil spec stainless steel in the owners own aircraft fabriction facility. It looks for all the world like the ribcage of some large prehistoric bird lying on its back.
The boiler consists of some 800 special bent, swaged and welded tubes. It is designed to run at a max of 250psi and has been pressure tested to 600! The thin curved tubes flex with heating and cooling and so sluff off scale that would other wise require cleaning with boiler compound.
I have posted these pictures before but for your convenience I am re-posting them again for your convenience.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c7fe7db9b100000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3Dhttp://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c6fc0118b000000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c69a7e18fc00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c6bc1a99bb00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c7d5d178a000000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c67683994700000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

[Bob Cleek]

Pretty amazing... matched serial numbers on the hull AND the engine. I had heard the condenser tubes were formed from sheet copper over a mandrel, but I've never heard of silver soldered dovetailing. That sure must be a work of art indeed. It would seem that NGH's flash boiler design was ahead of its time. I've read that they quickly produced a lot of pressure, they didn't last long because they were so lightly built. This made them uneconomical, unless you were looking for speed at any price. Now that aircraft stainless alloys are available, I'd bet the design will be much longer lasting.

These folks are really doing some museum quality work. I hope I get to see this boat in the flesh one of these days.

[peter radclyffe]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f0771bacd00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f0fb9ba0100000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Two new transoms were made. The first was of honduras which would have been ok but the owner opted to have one made of African.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f7af5faef00000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Lathe turned clinch rings for the stern post mortice fastenings
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76e287cda0300000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/you value african more, here honduras is dearer than teak, and almost unobtainable

[Jay Greer]

African is not as fine of grain as that of honduras. But it was available in the sizes we needed. The first choice, for the planking, was honduras until we discovered that it was too limited in size to suit our needs. In the shot of the new transom, you can see the first one that was made is of honduras. Due to the width limitations it was spliced with Sapele at the water line, as can be seen in the photo. After the African was made available the owner chose to make a second new transom entirely of African. He owns a boat yard in Venice Italy where it is common proctice to use book matched African for the building of varnished motoscaffi. Although unnecessary, the second layer of the planking which could be fastened from the back side and is set in special flexible epoxy, will be bunged for a more traditional appearance.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf32b3127ccec5cf9a4fc45900000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Here is the boat Chris McMullen is building in Aukland. It was lengthened to 34 feet. It is double planked with kauri and skinned with dynel. Chris has built the entire Herreshoff engine and boiler to specs as well.
Jay
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c68b60587200000010O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8cf28b3127ccec5c76a1838ae00000010O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
The subtle bulge just fwd of the shaft log exit point can be seen here.
This allows the shaft to be more aligned to the horizontal of the water line and also, in our believe, is responsible for the absence of squatting when the boat is running at flank speed.
Jay

[Bob Cleek]

Not just in your belief, but in all the contemporary technical works, as well. A shaft parallel to the waterline means a prop normal to the waterline. This pushes the boat forward. As a shaft is angled away from the waterline, the wheel's angle of attack falls away from normal. Thus, the prop pushes forward AND UP. Pushing the bow up necessarily forces the stern down... hence "squatting." Nobody much noticed the problem until there were engines powerful enough to allow for the inefficiency of angled prop thrust. (Pushing up is wasted energy.)

The "bulge," however, is apparently something unique to this design. I don't see why a hull would have been originally designed in this fashion, particularly by a mechanic like NGH, who always considered building when he designed vessels. It would be an interesting question to investigate, if such were even possible. If the half model is still extant, perhaps it can be determined whether it was original, or a lofting modification to accommodate the power plant and shaft alignment. But, of interest, I suppose, only to Herreshoff steamlaunch wonks, of which there can't be more than a dozen alive!

The angled shaft came more common when "infernal combustion" engines produced RPM's to spare and few worried about the lost efficiency with "power to spare." The angled gasoline engine installations permitted more efficient use of space aboard. The steam plants with their long shaft runs had to be placed amidships because of their great weight and trim considerations.

But you already knew that... LOL

[Jim Ledger]

A shaft parallel to the waterline means a prop normal to the waterline. This pushes the boat forward. As a shaft is angled away from the waterline, the wheel's angle of attack falls away from normal. Thus, the prop pushes forward AND UP. Pushing the bow up necessarily forces the stern down... hence "squatting." Nobody much noticed the problem until there were engines powerful enough to allow for the inefficiency of angled prop thrust. (Pushing up is wasted energy.)




Surely the reverse is true.

Wouldn't a boat planing in a bow-up attitude benefit from trimming an outboard to thrust more downwards, more like a typical inboard?

[Jay Greer]

Regardless of what we think Guys, it works! There was a therory that was in vogue,during the time that the Herreshoff launches were designed, known as the "wave line theory". Just as the "volute", coke bottle shape, of air craft fusaloges was a speed breakthrough at one time, this may have been Herreshoff's thinking. The shap is not so much a bulge as it is a noticble break in the run to meet the up sweep of the buttock lines aft. This allows the shaft to exit at a much flatter angle.
Jay

[Paul Pless]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9db08b3127ccec76f54db7be600000040O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Amazing planking stock 4"x5'x33'!

Those slabs have got to cost a pretty penny.

[CharlieCobra]

I didn't know you could still get wood like that. I could use a couple 2"X3'X10' myself for new cockpit coamings on Oh Joy to replace the cracked, stained and splitting Luan.

[Jay Greer]

"Vapor"s wood came from Edensaw in Port Townsend.
Jay

[HCR]

http://i44.tinypic.com/4rxqwk.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/2cqjq0k.jpg

These images show the model of which both Vapor and "240" were built from. Both, "240" and this model are today in the collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

I can't see a "bulge" on the model.

The model, by the way, was made by N. G. Herreshoff in 1897 and used by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company to build 24 launches (plus possibly 3 more) between 1897 and 1910. Ten of these launches were for the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Coast Survey. The remaining ones were mainly launches for use on large steam yachts such as W. K. Vanderbilt's Valiant, Elbridge T. Gerry's Electra, or Roy A. Rainey's Cassandra.

Vapor was used as the starboard high speed launch for the Portuguese-built steam yacht Yacona which was owned by the financier Henry Clay Pierce (railroads, oil and finance). The 211ft LOA Yacona was formerly called Cem and Amélia III, had once been owned by the King of Portugal, and was built in 1899 at Kinghorn in Scotland. Yacona arrived for the first time in the U.S. in late June of 1902 and Vapor was ordered for her shortly afterwards.

Most of these 24 launches were steam driven (except one all by 4 1/2" stroke, triple exp., 3 cyl. (3 1/2" & 5" & 8" diam.) engines). Only three had internal combustion engines, "240" being one of those. Vapor is the sole surviving steam launch of this model.

[Jay Greer]

This is most interesting! My first question is, how is it that you are able to show pictures of the model of No. 240? As mentioned in an earlier post, it is the up sweep of the buttuck lines aft that seem to create the shape we are speaking of. There is also a difference between the shape of the bottom of the stem on the model and the actual boat.
"Vapor" had sagged some eight inches in aft of the shaft log exit, which definatly gave the impression of a bulge. Now that that has been corrected in the reframing, the shape is as I described earlier. In fact I can even see it in the picture of the model. And it can also diffinatly be seen in the stern shot of the McMullen boat. Chris has even commented on this to me.

In addition, some question arises from the spelling of Pierce's steam yacht "Yacoma" as I have seen it spelled "Yacona" in some documents as well. Perhaps you can comment on this? Thank you for this posting.
Jay

[Wiley Baggins]

Wow!

[Bob Cleek]

Surely the reverse is true.

Wouldn't a boat planing in a bow-up attitude benefit from trimming an outboard to thrust more downwards, more like a typical inboard?


Yes. Hence the presence of "trim tabs" on many power boats.

http://fishing-boats.info/tabsb4aft.jpg

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/images/TrimTabs/18OutrageDetail748x514.jpg

[HCR]

In response to Jay Greer's question: I took the photos of the model, hence my being able to post them.

The name "Yacoma" first appears in the Herreshoff Construction Record (in the remarks column for the unnamed steam launch #227p which later became Vapor), which probably started the confusion. The correct spelling is "Yacona". You can Google for "steam yacht Yacona".

When did Vapor acquire her current name?

And have you ever seen a photo of her on Yacona?

Thanks for your clarification of the "bulge". I see what you mean.

[Jay Greer]

Thankyou for the clarification of the spelling of "Yacona". The owner of "Vapor" was the first to spell it with the M and later I have seen it spelled both ways. I suppose that if one were to do a search through Lloyds the question would have been solved a long time ago. As to "Vapor" that is the only name that we have ever known for the boat. It has been in the owner's family for some sixty years.
Jay

[Jay Greer]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7ce26b3127ccec21b82f9702600000010O00QYsmrNy5bsQ e3nwg/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/
Another shot of the McMullen boat shows the curious form of the underbody aft of the shaft log.
Jay

[HCR]

Many of Nat Herreshoff's launch models show this tucked-in aft section.

The first launch models to show this shape are apparently two models from 1882, one being Model 1526 for #93p Maud (a steam launch for the Herreshoff-built steam yacht #88p Siesta), the other being Model 121 for #94p [Launch for U.S.S. Albatross].

Maud had a full skeg connected to the rudder and with a cutout for the propeller. For Vapor and her sisters he would dispense with the full skeg, but the underwater profile remained similar.

[Jay Greer]

The shape reminds me of that of a tropical fish; the Swordtail, Xiphophorus heller that has a similar shape in the area of the ventral fins. Today Mercedes Benze has adopted the shape of the Boxfish, Ostracion cubicus for an experimental vehicle. It has been reported that the shape of this odd fish can give a drag reduction of nearly 60% at some speeds! Maybe NGH was on to something long before Mercedes went for shapes from nature.
Jay

[johnw]

Actually, a lot of traditional boats had a straight keel for most of their length and a sweep up to the transom. Look at the lines of a Connecticut River drag boat or a melonseed. I believe it made them easier to build than a keel that curved for the length of the boat.

And most of them didn't run under power as well as the Herreshoff model.

[peter radclyffe]

The shape reminds me of that of a tropical fish; the Swordtail, Xiphophorus heller that has a similar shape in the area of the ventral fins. Today Mercedes Benze has adopted the shape of the Boxfish, Ostracion cubicus for an experimental vehicle. It has been reported that the shape of this odd fish can give a drag reduction of nearly 60% at some speeds! Maybe NGH was on to something long before Mercedes went for shapes from nature.
Jay
it appears again that a heart is the smoothest path thru troubled waters, john bain developed this transom shape further, resulting in the silver ormidale class, the owner of one here , solid teak on oak, twin gardners, that still endorse the phrase, on a gardner, every horsepower kicks, is always amazed of his near wakeless path at 9 knots, while his towed dinghy plows a trough

[Jay Greer]

The owner is coming to Port Townsend next week. Ed Louachard has made amazing progress since my last posting. Stand by for a broadside of information.
Fair Winds,
Jay

[NYCKiwi]

Looking forward to your update Jay. What an incredible project. Many thanks for posting.
John

[nedL]

Just waiting here, tap, tap, tap, ....... tap, tap, tap........:)

[Russ Manheimer]

Thanks Jay. We wait like a kid at Christmas. Tap...tap...tap...