Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Introducing our 30' steam launch 'Ben My Chree'. Her name is Manx for 'Woman of my heart '. Built in steel for John York in 1980 by the Millerick Brothers boatyard in Sebastopol, California. Originally powered by the Robert's style watertube boiler seen (built by Don Mentzer of Medford, Oregon) and John York's first 'York' compound steam engine. John later converted her to an antique 11hp 'Hicks' hit-n-miss gas engine. My father and I acquired her a number of years ago and have (he mostly) been in the process of converting her back to steam.
30' long
7' wide
3' draft
Design is derived from the 'Panatela' hull design feature in 'Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches' on pages 18-19 of the July -August 1962 issue.
The engine has bore dimensions of 3" High Pressure, 5-1/4" Low Pressure, and a 3-3/4" stroke with a piston (spool) valve on the high pressure and a d-slide valve on the low pressure, activated with "Stephenson" reversing valve gear. Designed and built by John York of St. Helena, California, it gave very good service over the years.
Coupled with a wood and oil-fired watertube boiler of 50sqft of heating surface, it powered his 30 foot launch "Ben My Chree" (which is Manx for "Woman of my heart").
The following is a quote from John York cited on steamlaunch.com/store-2/p/york-compound where new castings for the engine can be found:
"HULL: 30” LOA, beam 7’6” max, 6’6” WLw single chine all steel construction. Bare hull weight +/- 2,700 #. Total weight with steam plant about 8-9,000#...
PLANT: Wood or oil burning boiler, 50 s.f. Roberts type with forced draft fan.
Working pressure 175#, cruise pressure, +/- 150 PSI, 550deg F superheat. Propeller was 24” x 28”, ran max 430 RPM.
This gave me an HONEST 7 KNOT SPEED....
The bottom line—there were only a couple of boats in our large group that could out run me. I think this was the result of a number of factors: easy running hull, good free steaming boiler (forced draft and big grate) and superheating, and last but certainly not least of all, an engine capable of high running speed with superior steam distribution due to the “long legged” construction. As any engineering reader will discover, the shorter the connecting rod, the poorer will be the valve events and obviously the longer the rod, the better. This is because the connecting rod distorts the position of the piston in relative its angular position of the crankshaft. I assume that this also holds with the position of the valves in their travel. Bottom line here is, the “taller” the engine, the better. Anyone who would deny the engineering is a fool at best and dishonest at worst.
Best Wishes.
John W. York"
*To learn more about Steam Boats; how they work, purchasing one, building one, etc... visit:*
northweststeamsociety.org
thesteamboatingforum.net/forum
steamboatassociation.org.uk
facebook.com/AuckSteamEngineSociety
http://www.steamboat.com.au/
spiretech.net/~artemis/NASAhome.htm
facebook.com/groups/2899623766742351
steamlaunch.com
reliablesteam.com/new
steamboating.de/steamboat/steamboat-register-radow.php
facebook.com/groups/470324726502425
kineticsteamworks.org/#:~:text=We%20are%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20Art
youtube.com/@UCJT5xIpN-c739xD84TrBFSw
If you like what I create, and are willing to help me afford the camera equipment and fuel to get to the places I film... every penny is greatly appreciated.
venmo.com/code?user_id=2041531309490176263&created=1765993545
NOTE! this video or audio may not be reproduced or sampled without my express, written permission. Top 10 lists and other compilations are not "fair use"! More information on copyright and fair use as related to YouTube: goo.gl/8NDLUV
#steam #steamboat #steamboatwillie #steamengine #steamer #steamgames #steamgame #steampunk #steampump #steampower #steampowered #steamengines #steamboiler #steamboilers #steamlaunch #steamtrainlovers #steamtrainsboy #steamtrains #steamtrain #steamship #steamtug #steamturbine #steamtutorial #boiler #oilburner #coal #coalburner #cleancoal #woodpellet #woodpellets #steamcarwash #steamcar #jaylenosgarage #jayleno #epstein #ukraine #sharkweek #superbowl #worldseries #fifa #olympics #goldmedal #goldmines #fabrication #welding #rivet #nationalpark #nationalparksusa #sanfrancisco #california #californiagirl #californiarealestate #californiagold #restore #restoredclassics #restoredbeauty #barnacle #noai #flock #viral #1million #action #winter #spring #summer #fall #explosion #eruption #hurricane #cyclone #worldcup #nba #nhl #playoffs #nascar #nfl #fifa #drone
Introducing our 30' steam launch 'Ben My Chree'. Her name is Manx for 'Woman of my heart '. Built in steel for John York in 1980 by the Millerick Brothers boatyard in Sebastopol, California. Originally powered by the Robert's style watertube boiler seen (built by Don Mentzer of Medford, Oregon) and John York's first 'York' compound steam engine. John later converted her to an antique 11hp 'Hicks' hit-n-miss gas engine. My father and I acquired her a number of years ago and have (he mostly) been in the process of converting her back to steam.
30' long
7' wide
3' draft
Design is derived from the 'Panatela' hull design feature in 'Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches' on pages 18-19 of the July -August 1962 issue.
The engine has bore dimensions of 3" High Pressure, 5-1/4" Low Pressure, and a 3-3/4" stroke with a piston (spool) valve on the high pressure and a d-slide valve on the low pressure, activated with "Stephenson" reversing valve gear. Designed and built by John York of St. Helena, California, it gave very good service over the years.
Coupled with a wood and oil-fired watertube boiler of 50sqft of heating surface, it powered his 30 foot launch "Ben My Chree" (which is Manx for "Woman of my heart").
The following is a quote from John York cited on steamlaunch.com/store-2/p/york-compound where new castings for the engine can be found:
"HULL: 30” LOA, beam 7’6” max, 6’6” WLw single chine all steel construction. Bare hull weight +/- 2,700 #. Total weight with steam plant about 8-9,000#...
PLANT: Wood or oil burning boiler, 50 s.f. Roberts type with forced draft fan.
Working pressure 175#, cruise pressure, +/- 150 PSI, 550deg F superheat. Propeller was 24” x 28”, ran max 430 RPM.
This gave me an HONEST 7 KNOT SPEED....
The bottom line—there were only a couple of boats in our large group that could out run me. I think this was the result of a number of factors: easy running hull, good free steaming boiler (forced draft and big grate) and superheating, and last but certainly not least of all, an engine capable of high running speed with superior steam distribution due to the “long legged” construction. As any engineering reader will discover, the shorter the connecting rod, the poorer will be the valve events and obviously the longer the rod, the better. This is because the connecting rod distorts the position of the piston in relative its angular position of the crankshaft. I assume that this also holds with the position of the valves in their travel. Bottom line here is, the “taller” the engine, the better. Anyone who would deny the engineering is a fool at best and dishonest at worst.
Best Wishes.
John W. York"
*To learn more about Steam Boats; how they work, purchasing one, building one, etc... visit:*
northweststeamsociety.org
thesteamboatingforum.net/forum
steamboatassociation.org.uk
facebook.com/AuckSteamEngineSociety
http://www.steamboat.com.au/
spiretech.net/~artemis/NASAhome.htm
facebook.com/groups/2899623766742351
steamlaunch.com
reliablesteam.com/new
steamboating.de/steamboat/steamboat-register-radow.php
facebook.com/groups/470324726502425
kineticsteamworks.org/#:~:text=We%20are%20in%20the%20middle%20of%20the%20Art
youtube.com/@UCJT5xIpN-c739xD84TrBFSw
If you like what I create, and are willing to help me afford the camera equipment and fuel to get to the places I film... every penny is greatly appreciated.
venmo.com/code?user_id=2041531309490176263&created=1765993545
NOTE! this video or audio may not be reproduced or sampled without my express, written permission. Top 10 lists and other compilations are not "fair use"! More information on copyright and fair use as related to YouTube: goo.gl/8NDLUV
#steam #steamboat #steamboatwillie #steamengine #steamer #steamgames #steamgame #steampunk #steampump #steampower #steampowered #steamengines #steamboiler #steamboilers #steamlaunch #steamtrainlovers #steamtrainsboy #steamtrains #steamtrain #steamship #steamtug #steamturbine #steamtutorial #boiler #oilburner #coal #coalburner #cleancoal #woodpellet #woodpellets #steamcarwash #steamcar #jaylenosgarage #jayleno #epstein #ukraine #sharkweek #superbowl #worldseries #fifa #olympics #goldmedal #goldmines #fabrication #welding #rivet #nationalpark #nationalparksusa #sanfrancisco #california #californiagirl #californiarealestate #californiagold #restore #restoredclassics #restoredbeauty #barnacle #noai #flock #viral #1million #action #winter #spring #summer #fall #explosion #eruption #hurricane #cyclone #worldcup #nba #nhl #playoffs #nascar #nfl #fifa #drone
