The Slipper Launch

"ARIADNE"

Background

It was a chance encounter one night on Sydney harbour with the superbly restored Edwardian steam yacht, Ena, which stimulated an interest in these boats. While the cost of having a 100 foot steam yacht makes it the plaything of millionaires, the more modest and personable steam launches are within reach of the amateur, and it was on an internet search for information on those vessels that I came across the site of Paul Fisher of Selway Fisher Design. He is a naval architect in Britain who has produced plans for home builds including every category from the smallest canoe to large working vessels. Steam launches can be found in abundance on that site.

A review of study plans for some of the steam launches made me realise that they might be a bit ambitious for the first time builder, but the elegant slipper launches caught my eye, and seemed to be much simpler. Here then is the story of the construction of a slipper launch to be called "Ariadne". Hopefully experience gained in building her will stand me in good stead to build a steam launch in the future.

From steam to slipper

Press Ariadne to re-enter,

or forward to January '06