1904 Windermere

Although this design is typical of the steam launches that were operated on Lake Windermere in the Cumbrian Lake District the early years of the twentieth century, it isn’t an exact scale model of any single vessel. The general appearance is very similar to the steam launch Bat, which is currently one of the exhibits in the Windermere Steamboat Museum, but Bat's hull lines were slimmed down quite considerably, mainly to make the hull more easily driven on a modest amount of power. This hull is essentially a slightly enlarged version of a rather older design in the Kingston Mouldings range, the Victorian steam launch. Although the Windermere launch is slightly longer and broader in the beam than the earlier design, the main difference is in the displacement, which is about 50% greater, mainly due to fuller hull sections, particularly at the bow and stern. Although some achieved it, because of the small displacement, fitting a steam plant into the earlier hull wasn't really an option for most modellers. This much revised version greatly increases the hull’s capacity, and makes it possible to fit small steam plants such as Cheddar’s Pintail and Plover, and most steam plants from SVS or Stour Valley Steam are equally suitable, though unfortunately none of these steam plants is currently in production and available to buy new. As with all of the steam launches described on the KM website, electric propulsion is a simpler and much cheaper option, and a standard 385 type motor or similar, will provide plenty of power. The first two photos below show a model built by Dave Dunn from Plymouth. His model is powered by a Cheddar Pintail steam plant, and it achieves a realistic speed on less than half throttle.

	Hull Length:1040mm (41") Beam:185mm (7.5") Scale:1/10th
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	Although this design is typical of the steam launches that were operated on Lake Windermere in the Cumbrian Lake District the early years of the twentieth century, it isn’t an exact scale model of any single vessel. The general appearance is very similar to the steam launch Bat, which is currently one of the exhibits in the Windermere Steamboat Museum, but Bat's hull lines were slimmed down quite considerably, mainly to make the hull more easily driven on a modest amount of power. This hull is essentially a slightly enlarged version of a rather older design in the Kingston Mouldings range, the Victorian steam launch. Although the Windermere launch is slightly longer and broader in the beam than the earlier design, the main difference is in the displacement, which is about 50% greater, mainly due to fuller hull sections, particularly at the bow and stern. Although some achieved it, because of the small displacement, fitting a steam plant into the earlier hull wasn't really an option for most modellers. This much revised version greatly increases the hull’s capacity, and makes it possible to fit small steam plants such as Cheddar’s Pintail and Plover, and most steam plants from SVS or Stour Valley Steam are equally suitable, though unfortunately none of these steam plants is currently in production and available to buy new. As with all of the steam launches described on the KM website, electric propulsion is a simpler and much cheaper option, and a standard 385 type motor or similar, will provide plenty of power. The first two photos below show a model built by Dave Dunn from Plymouth. His model is powered by a Cheddar Pintail steam plant, and it achieves a realistic speed on less than half throttle.