The lady wife's ( electric powered ) steamboat, these are well out of date now, she has now completed the foredeck and has fitted 2 of the bulkheads, each deck plank is fitted and the caulking is in black cartridge paper.

   Lady Bagley ("her-in-doors") my wife is now building a Topaz steam launch from the Howes and Bayliss plans, but being the woman she is, she has not bought the kit , just the plans and hull, the rest she "I'll do Myself'!  As a former antique restorer and degree trained cabinet maker she is doing a fine job !!!

 Although the kit is quite common hers will be unique, rather than the mahogany, she is using lime and pear veneer and so far looks superb. There is at least another 12 months work to do though, but it's a great winter project. Other modification is a dummy steam engine and boiler, ( the boiler covers the electric motor and the smoke generator)  - as the wife said she was not happy with gas canisters and boiler condensers, she wanted to switch on and go at regattas.......so electric it is.

 There is a drawback to the wife getting further involved with the hobby and that is you cannot 'blag' your way through how much you spent or lie about how much things cost, she now knows! she too is sifting her way through fittings catalogues.....and she now says things like, "those rope fenders are nice but £10 each...that's steep !" I am getting worried my cover is blown!