Chaperon by joep4567 - 1:48 - Sternwheeler

[Cathead]

Yes, the first two decks would be planked. As I understand it, the third (hurricane), fourth (Texas), and fifth (pilot house roof) would be covered in something like canvas and sealed. The color would be light-medium gray. For greatest realism you would simulate the seams of the canvas rolls, but you could also just use a solid surface if you're going for a simpler representation as that would look nice as well.

[joep4567]

Ok that clears the deck coverings up thanks a lot. I've done some more work on the doctor pump so I'm going to see if I can get it finished and figure out how the two pumps and plumbed.

[joep4567]

QUESTION?? does the doctor pump feed water into the system via the mud drum?

[Cathead]

Good question. Some diagrams, such as the one below (from near the bottom of this page) show the mud drum being fed directly from the doctor, then transferring the water to the boiler, which makes sense as you'd want to get that river mud out of there as fast as possible. This also matches a diagram in Alan Bates' definitive book on Western River steamboats.

 

 

Adam Kane's book mentions some boilers preheating the river water before sending it through the boilers, but doesn't explain how that related to the mud drum. I think you'd be safe plumbing the doctor directly into the mud drum; that's what I did on the Arabia. The side pump should have a thin feed line leading to the doctor, as it was used to prime that larger pump when steam wasn't up (the doctor was normally driven by engine steam).

 

Now, I'm no expert on Chaperon so it may well be that the real thing had a different arrangement. You could private-message user Kurt Van Dahm, who is the authority on this vessel, if you want better details on her boiler setup.

[joep4567]

Thanks a lot as that gives me enough info to move forward. Since I'm not building a specific vessel but  just a representation of a boat of that era I think I'll plumb it as you have explained. I got some primer on the pump.

[joep4567]

I have decided I need to know where the boiler deck superstructure is to go before I finish the steam plumbing so I am starting to rough it in.

[steamschooner]

I know I'm a little late with these but maybe they will help.

[joep4567]

Thanks for the nice diagrams. They are still timely as i'm doing the boiler deck superstructure mainly to make sure of plumbing locations and clearances. I want to try and incorporate heaters in the models and the photos are helpful.

[joep4567]

I got the doctor pump painted and some additional work done on the boiler deck superstructure.

[joep4567]

I built two water heaters and have finished most of the plumbing. All that remains are the steam exhaust pipes that exit the stern of the boat. I need to to make up some tiller rigging next and fasten down the engine room before I can start on the boiler deck.

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work on this, Joe.   I think you've gone way beyond what the kit would have provided.

[Cathead]

I agree, this is beautifully done. Nice to see such a creative and unique interpretation of a standard build.

[joep4567]

thankyou you very much for the comments.

[joep4567]

I got the boiler deck superstructure glued in the place and the inner row of stanchions fixed so I'm going to start the smoke stacks so that I can lay the deck planks around them.

[joep4567]

I built the smoke stack bases that served to transition from the plenum ( i think that would be the correct term) to the the stack itself. I'll be using 5/8" OD copper tube for the stacks themselves.

[joep4567]

OK I got the boiler deck planking laid and gave it a little burnt sienna for color and teak oil as a finish. I thinl I'm going to add a galley and restroom to the main deck before I put on the rest of the stanchions.  got this idea from Alan Bates' book.

[joep4567]

I built the galley and latrine which I think will add some additional interest. I built them around the stanchions which may or may not be correct but my guess is the stanchions were present for structural reasons although the buildings may have served the same purpose. I'll paint and secure them and then start on the other supports.

 

[Cathead]

For what it's worth, latrines/heads on steamboats tended to discharge over the paddlewheel (at the stern for sternwheelers and along the sides for sidewheelers) rather than through a hole in the deck down through the hull. The idea was that the wheel helped dispose of the material. On most sternwheelers, the boiler deck extended just a bit out over the wheel to accommodate the structure needed for this. Chaperon appears to follow this design though I'm not 100% sure.

 

The galley would also generally be located on the boiler deck, off to one side of the main cabin (in line with the passenger cabins), usually near midships. This allowed all cooking to be served directly into the central main cabin and for the stoves to vent out the hurricane deck, while leaving the main deck free for cargo and workmen. From the main deck, it'd be a loooong walk to the bow, up the main stairway, and back into the main cabin for any food.

[joep4567]

I was basing my thoughts on adding a main deck galley and restroom  on Alan Bates' comments on page 48 (figure64) of his book. Additionally I discovered a couple of photos in the book THE MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT ERA by Joan and Thomas Gandy on pages 17 and 18 of a structure just forward of the engine room which I'm lead to believe to be a galley (probably for crew) based on Bates' comments and its' appearance.  So far I have found no port side photos showing what might have been a restroom I only have Bates' comments to rely  on . He claims the maindeck head is male and the boiler deck female. I think the stern side galley will add to the appearance of my build though I'm going to leave some space between the engine room and it for viewing the engine room. I'm still undecided on the port side head. Thoughts would be appreciated. I'm not going for historical accuracy but just a general representation of era boat.

 

[Cathead]

Yeah, I see what you mean. I've read that book how many times and never noticed that. Certainly, as always, you should make the model your own and not take anyone else too seriously. Another way to look at it is that there may have been heads and galleys on both levels to fully separate crew and passengers. A paying gentleman may not want to traverse the dirty, dangerous, cargo-laden main deck to reach the head, for example, or have the crew using the passenger's facilities (especially since the deckhands were usually of a much lower social class).

 

Lots of ways to look at it and justify a given approach, certainly a good rule is that there was no one rule. Sorry if my post was pedantic, I should have asked about your reasons before lecturing. I just love talking about these craft and being involved with others who want to know more about them. But I'm still an amateur. Sounds like you've got plenty of justification for your plans.

[joep4567]

I too love a discussion and always welcome input especially since I know so little. Thanks again.

[joep4567]

I debated the head and galley but finally decided I liked them and since there is some support for their existence  I installed them. The outboard stanchions were completed next.

[Cathead]

They fit in nicely and help make the build even more your own.

[joep4567]

I got the coaming applied to the main and boiler decks so I think I'll start building the main cabin/berths next.

[joep4567]

I've started building the main cabin and laying out the placement of the doors and windows. I glued the corners and center pylons to the boiler deck so that I could accurately make the walls. I think I'll work on the doors before gluing the walls.

[jmiba]

I like your work, @joep4567. Researching the Chaperon I found evidence that the starboard and port sides of the boat were not symmetrical, neither on the main deck level nor on the boiler deck. Have a look at this photo: https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/YIQROM4RJYY7O86. Next to the staircase to the hurricane deck the bulkheads were indented somewhat towards the middle of the deck. 

Other photos suggest that there were windows instead of doors in the rounded edges towards the fore of the main cabin. The middle doors to the cabin remain, alas, subject to speculation.

[joep4567]

Thanks a lot for posting the photo as I haven't come across it before. Well the possibilities are great and I'm sure these boats got remodeled with use just like the same racecar gets painted with different liveries. Anyway I'm just trying to build a boat that might have existed at the time and not anyone in particular. Thanks again!

[jmiba]

Yes, the Chaperon indeed got remodeled - and renamed - several times. Since the photos are not dated it is quite hard to guess on the chronology. Quite certainly the carbon arc flashlights on the hurricane deck, for instance, came after the kerosene lamps on the boiler deck that can be seen in some photos. There also seem to have been less significant changes over time.

[joep4567]

Well, I'm taking a lot of liberties and not doing all that much research but you are making me think a different approach on another build (ie strive for historical accuracy) might be fun. Thanks for your input. 

 

[jmiba]

Well, accuracy is challenging - and that is where the fun is. It took me ages to figure out some things for my virtual model of the Chaperon. Nice example: How to place the ropes of the yawl pulleys? And I had to make quite a number of  wild guesses where evidence was shallow or non-existent (the interior, the boilers etc.) Perhaps you want to have a look at my model: https://www.jensmittelbach.de/steamboats/chaperon/index.html