ParaHandy
Active member
I saw the Waverley chugging her way through the Gulf of Corryvreckan on Sunday last and what a stirring sight these old steam driven vessels are. But, I was fortunate enough to be invited for a cruise on such a vessel this weekend.
In truth, I was not aware that she was propelled by such means and neither was her owner, a rather elderly gent, as he at first ridiculed such a suggestion coming as it was from a passing yacht master not unknown to enjoying a jape or two at the expense of my elderly friend. I should also add that, being exhausted that morning from his efforts to erect a very large, grey, sun screen to complement the patio on the stern, he had just awoken from his customary afternoon nap and was not receptive to such ribaldry.
Nevertheless, the owner being familiar with modern CPR techniques, undertook an investigation: where might the coal bunker be? where and when was the last load of coal delivered? and so on. This drew a blank. A search of the vessel from stem to stern was then ordered. This task was difficult as many additions to the vessel’s structure had been made but the engine was eventually found underneath the patio, where it had lain undisturbed since the last century.
And what an engine; Henry T Watt, the lads from Kirriemuir, would have lusted after such a head of steam.
But where was the steam coming from? There was a steam pipe which had a rather unusual device which, had it worked, would have emitted a sound similar to that of a boat heater but which exhausted, soundlessly, through the stern of the vessel. Such was the anguish felt by the auld goat when hearing the satisfying whooshing sound of other boats’ ebespachers warming the occupants that he felt driven to such subterfuge …….
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In truth, I was not aware that she was propelled by such means and neither was her owner, a rather elderly gent, as he at first ridiculed such a suggestion coming as it was from a passing yacht master not unknown to enjoying a jape or two at the expense of my elderly friend. I should also add that, being exhausted that morning from his efforts to erect a very large, grey, sun screen to complement the patio on the stern, he had just awoken from his customary afternoon nap and was not receptive to such ribaldry.
Nevertheless, the owner being familiar with modern CPR techniques, undertook an investigation: where might the coal bunker be? where and when was the last load of coal delivered? and so on. This drew a blank. A search of the vessel from stem to stern was then ordered. This task was difficult as many additions to the vessel’s structure had been made but the engine was eventually found underneath the patio, where it had lain undisturbed since the last century.
And what an engine; Henry T Watt, the lads from Kirriemuir, would have lusted after such a head of steam.
But where was the steam coming from? There was a steam pipe which had a rather unusual device which, had it worked, would have emitted a sound similar to that of a boat heater but which exhausted, soundlessly, through the stern of the vessel. Such was the anguish felt by the auld goat when hearing the satisfying whooshing sound of other boats’ ebespachers warming the occupants that he felt driven to such subterfuge …….
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