Billy 1938 by Keith Black - 1:120 Scale - Homemade Sternwheeler

[Keith Black]

 Regarding Billy's main deck space, there's maybe a foot here on the port side and I assume it's the same on the starboard side. Also, Billy has about a foot of freeboard.

 

 All the springboards land on the barge as there isn't any deck space on Billy. That crazy door must have been strictly for ventilation. The stern line had to run from the boiler deck.  If one came aboard via the barge, was there a door at the bow? 

 

 There isn't a skiff in the photo, I have no clue how Engel planned on performing any repairs if required to outside walls of the main deck structure or the wheels? 

 

Edited 23 hours ago by Keith Black

[Javelin]

Not entirely sure on those springboards, I actually believe these beams were holding her off the shore. I mean ropes are making sure you don't go off a quay, but what is keeping her away from shore when there is no quay? She'd run aground if the wind came from the sea side... 

 

I believe that door on Billy might have been used when she was alongside the quay or sailing without the barge. Having the door open and have a gangway/plank straight into the door opening. 

 

Luckily you mention it's a sternwheeler as I keep thinking those wheels are at the bow... I believe it's due to the funnels being forward of the wheel house. 

 

Looking at that last picture, it looks like the real exhaust is sticking out between the wheels (lighter vertical object), with the planks around it blackened by soot (blurry darker area), so your assumption that the engine could be between the wheels is probably right. Or am I seeing things here? 

[Keith Black]

15 hours ago, Javelin said:

Not entirely sure on those springboards, I actually believe these beams were holding her off the shore. I mean ropes are making sure you don't go off a quay, but what is keeping her away from shore when there is no quay? She'd run aground if the wind came from the sea side... 

 

I believe that door on Billy might have been used when she was alongside the quay or sailing without the barge. Having the door open and have a gangway/plank straight into the door opening. 

 

Luckily you mention it's a sternwheeler as I keep thinking those wheels are at the bow... I believe it's due to the funnels being forward of the wheel house. 

 

Looking at that last picture, it looks like the real exhaust is sticking out between the wheels (lighter vertical object), with the planks around it blackened by soot (blurry darker area), so your assumption that the engine could be between the wheels is probably right. Or am I seeing things here? 

 

 Roel, the stacks are not boiler stacks as there is no boiler though the port side stack might have been functional for a parlor stove?

 

 Being this is in the Mississippi, I think the barge and Billy were aground in the shallows. 

 

 As far as the door goes, maybe? I'm still trying to get inside Engel's head. 

 

 1. Whatever that is, it's too small to be an exhaust. It almost looks like water running into the opening that's above the engine. 

 

 2. I'm very confident that is the exhaust.

 

 3. I think that was the oil drain pipe?

 

 4. That opening, was it roughed out with a sledgehammer and then artfully trimmed with a blowtorch?   It's strange but then strange was Billy's middle name. 

 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Keith Black

[Keith Black]

 I've started prepping Billy's windows. In the past I've built the walls and then worried about getting the windows placed. That approach hasn't always worked out for the best. This time I'm getting the windows picked and prepped and will let the windows determine how the walls go together. I'm also using plywood sheeting to attach the boarding to instead of stick building.

 

 Billy is going to be the Matchbox of sternwheelers, Billy's deck is 1.8 x 4.0 inches. This will be the smallest vessel I've built thus far. 

[Javelin]

1) I agree, might be water running down, but not entirely sure where from/to

 

2) I believe that is actually one of the paddles of the wheel coming up, but dark due to the lighting/ shadow

 

3) hadn't noticed that detail.... seems a bit exposed for an oil pipe, but then in those days....

 

4) 🤣

[tmj]

Could #1 possibly be hot engine 'cooling-water' being discharged back into the river? 🤔