First post for ages.....I would like to reply to this. I have probably 10 boats in my loft from around 30-50 years ago when i stored them there under the eves in the days that I could crawl in there. Most are old multi racing boats still with engines and also a Swordsman with a tuned up Olsen Rice petrol engine. There is also a massive offshore racer that I never engined and sailed.
Our roof is well overdue for new sarking felt and tiles. Soooo I shall get the roofer boys to extract them for me.
Cant wait to see what condition they are in.
Apart from that I have an Agnes sailing pilot cutter in the spare bedroom that I completed well before covid and have only sailed a few time. As its upstairs and weighs 25+
kg with mast up its a pain to slide it down the stairs and get it in the estate.
Also I have a half finished plank on frame scratch built Dutch style 1890s ocean going salvage tug to be powered with a Stuart Turner Launch engine that i built 40 years ago and has been sitting on a shelf in my workshop and thanks to a premium bond win I was able to afford a boiler from Pendle boilers to run it, Chaps I need a kick up the backs side to get motivated to complete the tug and secondly I need another kick to complete my current project of the Stuart triple compound that I am beging to loose the will after just about spending 6 months making the bloody tripple throw crankshaft.

Hi Again. As requested by Gary. Some pics of the engine.

Brilliant idea with the silicone tube. I had been sort of planning copper pipe runs with custom made drain cocks somewhat like loco ones with lever actuators I could gang together..
This automatic gizmo boiler controls sounds interesting but I was trying to keep the boat simple. However it would be good if you could put me in the way of any links to the info.
Have a look on Stuart Turners website for more tech stuff on the engine. If you have another look at the engine pic I posted you will see the edge of a white cardboard box. It contains a set of Stuart Turners Triple Expansion Engine that I took out a second mortgage to buy. Prob going to take me 2 years to build it ..

The launch engine is 1" bore and 7/8" stroke x 2. I have run it on the boiler in the picture that came from Pendle Steam Boilers who are just down the road from me. It is 5" diameter with 2 burners.
It ran ok on test and I only want it to run at a realistic rpm of about 120 rpm just like a real un.
Am still trying to find some pictures that I took of the build.
One other thing that you may be able to answer is, Can the cylinder drain cocks be fitted with pipes to direct the gunge that comes out of them directly into the oil separator.?

I will take up the advice about a servo gas valve , this is something I had not thought of. My other dilemma is -- should I build a boiler feed pump and water tank.? As I see it the boat will only probably be sailed for a max of 10 minutes before I get bored with it,.
I think starting with a full boiler should easily give me that duration. Should it????. Its a very steam hungry engine. I will gather some build pictures and post them later.

Thanks for all the advice folks. I had never thought of BBQ paint. I see Screwfix have it along with Red Oxide. May well get a tin of each and give it a go,
In answer to Gary`s post the engine is a ST Launch that I made about 30 years ago but have spent a lot of lockdown time making reversing gear for it.
As its my first steam boat I am feeling my way a bit but have just made a regulator and intend to start the piping soon.

I have slowly been building a free lance 1900s built large ocean going tug plank on bulkhead taking the most pleasing to the eye features of Foundation Franklin ,Rhode Zee and a few others.
I am at the painting of the hull stage and would appreciate any advice on the best paint and colour to use to simulate a black hull and an underwater colour such as red lead I believe was used in this period. The hull has been skinned with epoxy and primed with Halfords filler primer over Halfords mat black guide coat.
Any advice welcome.
Derek