Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2010 - 03:35 pm:

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Subject: : This is the setup I used for raising a 1985 (note from Andrew: that is the date shown in Paul's email but seems to be wrong. Maybe Paul will add comments in the message below) converted Naptha laaunch after 21 years under 65 ft of water in a lake in the tahoe basin ion Memorial day 1972 scan0021,

scan0022, scan0023, This is what the engine looked like after raising, the other pictures are about the condition of the hull, scan0024, scan0025, scan0026, scan0027, scan0028.

Here I am reribbing the hull. I had to replace 2 inches of the keel, 6 or 7 planks and over an inch of the stem. All the seam caulking of the planks was routed out with a skill saw, Then they were laminated with a paste of epoxy and glass fiber, next was fairing the hull with a disc sander. Then the entire hull was glass epoxyed with many coats of glass fiberi cloth. scan0029, scan0030

More to come

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Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2010 - 05:13 pm:

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The Naphtha Launch was listed in a 1896 reprint of the Gas Engine and Power Co. brochure as having been sold to Harold Babcock, 306 California St, San Francisco Ca. The launch was used on SF bay until some time in the 1920's. It was then transported to Babcock's home at lake Tahoe. Some time later it had the Naphtha engine removed.

The replacement was a 1910 hp 2 cylinder Union engine. This engine was purchased by the Dept of agraculture, Tahoe City. CA in July 1910.

The launch was then used as a work boat. Vic Lundeen, an employee of Babcock purchased the boat and moved it to Fallen Leaf Lake in the 30's. Vic named the boat MERVIC after he and his wife Muriel. He used the boat as a work boat at the lake until 1951. He and his wife Muriel were moving to So. Lake Tahoe. As the condition of the boat was un usable as the pictures show. Vic took it out and scuttled it. The inlet cooling check valve was dismantled to let water in and let it sink. The check valve parts were found in the hull after raising.

An old timer at Fallen Leaf Lake told me about the sinking in the summer of 1971. I went looking for it that summer and found it. You could see it on a very calm day at 65 FT. I spent the winter 'of '71 designing the winch for attempting the recovery. Memorial day of 1972 with help of 2 diver friends ropes were attached to the propeller shaft at the back of the transmission and a sling around the bow of the hull. The with=inch was started with a 3/8" electric drill. When the drill ran out of torque I switched to my 1/2" drill motor. Murphy struck the 3/8" drill was reversible and running in the wrong direction. We had to unwind and re wind the winch. Everything worked as planned and the hull was brought to the surface. We had to modify the sling to get the hull level.

I put in a fire pump and the hull floated. once we had it at the dock the engine was removed. I had to pump it out several times before beaching the hull. While pulling it out of the hull the flywheel rotated.

The engine was brought to my cabin and the engine was completedly dismanteled before things could dry.

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Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2010 - 01:04 pm:

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These are pictures of the first time at the lake, first outing and first boat show. Chambers Landing Lake Tahoe 1974.

Pictures of the Union engine as installed in the launch. The launch is now named Cathedral after an easterrn slope of mount Tallac which borders Fallen Leaf Lake.

Cathedral has been at the lake every summer for 36 years.

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Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2010 - 06:42 pm:

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Picture 0059 is Cathedral, and my second restoration, Wren. She is also an old Lake tahoe boat built in 1905 by John Teigg & Sons, S.F Ca. Wren will be a whole new storie.

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