Fastest Launch on the Water -- July 24, 2010

From the 27-January-1895 San Francisco Call. WA Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. This one shows the Satellite, a steam launch. Doctor V. P. Buckley was later a member of the Board of Health.

FASTEST LAUNCH ON THE WATER

The Crack Steam Craft Which Is Being Built for Dr. Buckley.

SWIFT LITTLE SATELLITE.

The Boat Will Make Eleven Knots an Hour— The Trial Trip.

The steamer Farallon, which arrived a few days ago from Puget Sound ports, brought from Seattle the hull and frame of a launch for Dr. V. P. Buckley, the well-known physician of this city. A few days ago the little craft was taken to the Union Gas-engine Company, where an engine is now being made for her. The Satellite is the name of the new launch, and before the season is over it is predicted that she will have passed everything in the bay. The vessel itself is a thing of beauty, but it is her lines which catch the yachtsman's eye. The graceful sweep of the white cedar hull, the sharp bow and overhanging stern give indications of what she can do, and, if the gas engine meets the requirements, the Satellite will be the fastest boat of her class on the bay.

The designer of the novel craft, for she will be a novelty in these waters, is R. T. Engelbrerht, now of Seattle, but formerly of this city. When only ten years old he was whittling models of boats, and, although his father's wealth and position were such as to give him his choice of vocation, he wanted nothing better than a boatshop. He became a crank on the subject, and has traveled all over the United States and studied the art of boat building in the best-known ship and navy yards.

Last year Dr. Buckley owned the Hirondel. and Attorney George A. Knight tried in vain to beat him with the Arrow. The aquatic attorney vowed to build a launch that would beat everything the physician could produce, and he has now a great bay-sweeper in course of construction. Dr. Buckley heard of Engelbrecht, and decided to try him. He became interested in the boat-builder, and was astonished when told what he could do. The result was that a contract was given for the Satellite, and Dr. Buckley is more than pleased with his bargain.

When completed the launch will be one of the most thorough little crafts afloat. She is 35.6 feet in length over all, but so beautifully is she proportioned that she does not appear to be more than 25 feet. Her extreme beam is 6 feet 8 inches; depth at bow 5.1 feet, at the stern 6 feet and amidships 4 feet. She is copper-fastened throughout, and is the first vessel ever built on the coast in which plugs have been used in stead of putty. Her rails and stanchions are of ash and her deck is seven-eighths inch fir, soaked in hot linseed oil. Her interior is a gem of art as well as of utility, and when the furnishings are in place, the Satellite will be a creditable little floating palace. There are three cabins, of which the bulkheads can be removed at will, throwing the entire vessel into one large apartment in curly maple and hardwood finish. The cabins will be lighted with incandescent lamps and the vessel will carry a 32-candle power headlight. Two bunks are in the saloon and there are two others forward.

The propeller will be a 30-inch screw with a 44-inch pitch, and the engine will be 12 horsepower with a speed of 11 knots an hour. The vessel can be steered from the side by the engineer, or forward without him. One of the peculiarities of the engine is that one lever starts, stops and backs the launch. The gearing is to be of buckskin, so that the craft will run almost without noise. A small dynamo and storage batteries will rest forward of the engine to operate the electric lights.

The Satellite will make her trial trip in about three weeks.