Daimler II [1906]

One of the new 40-footers, which has recently been completed, and of which much is expected, is the new Saunders built Daimler II. This boat is designed for the 12-meter class and is built on the usual Saunders plan of multiple planking. She is equipped with triple screws, each shaft being driven by a 61-h. English Daimler motor, her power being, therefore, 183-h., and the total displacement only a little over two tons. The design is by Mr. Saunders and exhibits some novel features. The boat has a wide, flaring bow and a Thornycroft torpedo type stern. She is decked over completely with the exception of a small cockpit aft of the motors, which, by the way, are installed one on the center line forward, and two abreast just aft of the first. Each motor is a four cylinder of 150 millimeters bore and stroke, or approximately 6x6 inches. The center motor drives a right hand propeller through a Hele-Shaw clutch and reverse gear. All maneuvering is done with the center motor, those in the wings being used for full speed work and being started by the drag of the propellers. The motors run at 850 revolutions a minute, and the propellers are specially designed by Thornycroft. The whole installation has been very carefully thought out, and no pains have been spared to make the control as simple as possible. One engineer only is required and his position is just aft of the forward motor and in from of the wing motors. As an indication of the care taken with the installation, it may be stated that even the water intake pipes are provided with vertical relief tubes and strainers, so that they can be cleaned out while the motors are running. In view of the ruling of the authorities in charge of racing in England, all the motors are fitted with Rankin-Kennedy exhaust ejector, and in addition there are water drips fitted to each exhaust pipe beyond the mufflers. The center and starboard engine exhaust into one pipe and the port engine into another, the two being taken out side by side from the stern. The exhaust pipes are made of 20-gauge solid-drawn copper tubing. The lubrication of the motors is taken care of by an exhaust pressure feed system, and there is in addition a large separate tank from which oil can be pumped into the pressure feed tanks by hand, thus doing away with the necessity for any stoppage or refilling. In her design extra precautions have been made against the possibility of her being stopped by spray or shipping the sea, and for this purpose she is entirely closed in, even the hatches being water tight. It is said that the calculations for her were so well made that when launched she floated exactly to her designed water line. She id the third racing motor boat completed this season for Lord Howard DeWalden, the others being Yarrow-Napier and Rose en Soliel.

In her trial she is credited with 27 1/2 knots, but as she was tuned up too late to enter any of the season's events, her owner has decided that during the Winter he will replace the three 65-h. four-cylinder motors by three 100-h. six-cylinder motors, which are so lightly constructed that the total weight will not be increased. These motors are well under way and the boat should be ready in time to enter the Monaco races.

(Transcribed from The Motor Boat, Dec. 25, 1906, p.28.)

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. —LF]

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