Looking for a picture

[mcdude]

PaulT: Was your co-worker's father-in-law Dr. Greene?

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Dr. F. E. Green's steam yacht MOHAWK

Originally Posted by tis

Mcdude, do you have any more information about the West Wind, owned by Dr Libby? I am very interested because my grandfather set up the museum with Dr. Libby. My grandparents lived in the house across the street for a while until my grandmother was expecting another child and felt it would be too hard to have a toddler and an infant so close to the water. But anyway, I would love to know more about the boat, if it still exists etc. Thanks.

The late '80's and the '90's were years of great expansion in the Lakes Region. They were the years when the great summer estates were built and most of them boasted a steam yacht.

Dr. F. E. Greene owned Windermere, with its broad acres and beautiful shores, to which he brought the steam yacht MOHAWK. This trim little boat was a twin to WEST WIND, which was owned by Dr. Libby of Wolfeborough. A distinguishing feature of these boats provided by their well-known builder, George Whitney, was a steam-whistle with a built-in plunger. The purpose of this plunger was to alter the size of the sound chamber so that different musical notes could be sounded, and thus simple tunes could be played. Frank Lamprey was captain of MOHAWK and Charles Tuttle, who in later years owned and captained RELIANCE, was engineer.

MOHAWK was destroyed when her boathouse burned 1906.

The following year Dr. F. E. Greene saw a yacht that pleased him in the George Lawley boat yard. It was brought to the lake where it was completely refurbished and named WINDERMERE.


The Graceful WEST WIND of 1891 built for Dr. John Libby of Wolfeboro by George Whitney.



Photograph and information from Farewell Old Mount Washington by Edward H. Blackstone.

[tis]

Thank you so much RG. Now I am going to go search books to see if I can find a picture too.

[NoBozo]

Nice pictures RG: In the OLD days a steam yacht was required by law to have a Licensed Engineer aboard. Technology was such that we didn't know how far we could go before the boiler would blow up. To increase speed..power..just increase pressure in the boiler. Opening a valve a little more. The only limit was how much pressure the boiler could take. Boiler explosions were not uncommon.

Today ..a License is not required. I don't know the particulars..boiler pressure..engine HP..etc. The boats seen at the Steamboat Festival at Lees Mills every year are NOT big. Maybe a steamboat enthusiast can chime in and clarify this. I am just an "interested" observer that asks a lot of questions. NB

[tis]

RG, thanks so much for the tips. The Images of America, Wolfeboro book I do have but can't find a pic of West Wind in there. But I did find it in "Images of America, The Boats and Ports of Lake Winnipesaukee" and also in "Steamboats in Motion" Now I want to find out who owns it now, if it is still around.

[PaulT]

Thank you all for your help!!!!!

Been crazy busy the last week +, and just got back to see all the responses.

Got to be careful now...if I get into the History forum here, I'll be late for work again!


I'm going to send the info to my coworker.

Thank you again!!!!!

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I just found an excerpt from Three Centuries on Winnipesaukee, by Paul H. Blaisdell in 1936 regarding George Eli Whitney, a builder of these fine steamboats:

Henry F. Libby of Wolfeboro, who built the Libby Museum, operated the Mohawk, (I am sure they really mean West Wind) a product of George Eli Whitney, and one of several boats on Winnipesaukee from this fine builder. Incidentally Mr. Whitney is now a New Hampshire resident at Island Pond, Derry, where he operates the last of the many steamers which bear his name as builder. A trip around that historic and mysterious lake with its black, peroxide-pure water, on George Whitney's "Ida F" is an experience no lover of fine boats should miss. The care and precision with which the boat was built is shown in its amazingly perfect condition. The Whitney plunger steamship whistle, with its merry tunes, still plays at Island Pond. These whistles were frequently heard on Winnipesaukee as late as 1920, but few, if any are now left in service.

Makes me glad for the steamboat rally in Lee's Mills each year!

[tis]

I wonder if he would know if the West Wind still exists. It probably doesn't but it would sure be nice to know. When I was tiny, I went for a ride in a steamboat, it belonged to -----(maybe John?) Brewster who lived in Winter Harbor. I can barely remember it.