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S.S. Ash 2.0

IMPORTANT: This workshop item requires the following Mods from StormLoader or other official sources.
-ilp0tt1s Decoration Mod - by ilp0tt1
-Ship Pack - by Zuiquan1
-New Coal Ducts - by CruzerBlade
-Modular Engines and Steam Extras - by Apollo

"A quiet life, for a quiet ship"

Introducing the Steam Ship 'Ash'.

'Ash' is a single screw, steam powered, coastal container vessel. She is manned by a crew of three and has the capacity to carry a single standard size Stormworks container. She requires a Master, an Engineer and a Deck Hand, and has berths for all three crew in the fo'c'sle.

She has a top speed, while loaded, of 18 knots. She can handle rough seas and high winds without loosing too much headway. The vessel does tend to pitch and roll however, as she is flat bottomed. This means she is best suited to coastal work rather than the open seas, but if you have sea legs that would make a pirate proud then have a go!

This vessel requires a minimum of two crew to operate, as the man at the helm has no direct control over the engine. All signals to and from the engine room are relayed via a Telegraph system for the Engineer to action using his controls. The Engineer is also responsible for stoking the fire, for which there is a port side and larger starboard side coal bunkers. The coal bunkers have hatches on deck to be refilled from above if needed, but should provide enough fuel for most voyages you'd undertake with this vessel. The engine room also has a fire fighting hose if required, although you should try and keep the spray away from the firebox! There are also bilge pumps in the engine room to allow for any water from firefighting (or any open hatches in stormy weather) to be pumped out, but you'll need to turn these on manually.

Instructions concerning the operation of the 'Wood-Little' Triple Expansion Engine are placed on signs next to the engines controls. This includes operation of the Generating Engine, which provides the vessel with electrical power. The battery on the ship is old and small, so regular running of the Generating Engine will be required to maintain the charge in the system, especially during night running. Depending on your energy consumption, you can usually work out a good throttle setting to allow the battery to charge continuously and remain at the same level.

There is a Jib Crane mounted on the bow which can be controlled, allowing for the loading of small loose cargo. We recommend keeping this well clear while loading and unloading containers.

Making the ship ready to sail is quite a straightforward process. The Engineer must enter the engine room, and turn on the lights (port side beside the ladder) if required. The firebox is located on the port side and has a valve on the left to turn on the pumps, which must be done before lighting the fire using the button on the right. Once the fire is lit, the firebox and boiler will be regulated automatically in terms of coolant and air flow, so you just need to ensure the fire is well fed with coal throughout your journey. Don't let the fire die out when you're at a standstill either, as you'll need steam pressure to run the Generating engine to keep the electricity flowing or the battery will die!

The Engineer's controls and gauges relating to Main Engine operation are on the starboard side. To set the direction of travel, simply use the Reverser lever. 1 is forward and -1 is reverse, with fairly low sensitivity to prevent accidental direction changes. The vessel will speed up from a standstill much faster than she should do if you simply open the throttle wide, so for smooth sailing we recommend gentleness when operating the throttle.

The Generating engine is very easy to use, as it just has a throttle lever. It's limited to a maximum of 25% as any more is unnecessary and you might find the battery chargers much faster than required, plus it saves on steam usage to ensure minimal/no loss of speed when underway. It's recommended not to allow the battery to charge above 0.9 to prevent any issues, as strange behaviour has been encountered during the past when this has been exceeded. There is a battery charge level gauge, and a gauge to show the amperage being generated to prove that the generator is working when the Generating Engine is operating.

The bridge has the helm, of course, providing direct control of the rudder, and a Telegraph to communicate with the engine room. The ship's lights are also controlled from here, and there are a few gauges to provide an insight into the condition of the ship. Heading hold is installed for your convenience.

We still have further plans to improve and enhance the Ash, but we're happy to hear your suggestions for anything you think we should do, so please let us know!

If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments.

Thank you for taking time to check out our quiet, little ship.

A rebuild of the S.S Oak, made by FJWarner. Please see the link below for the original ship.

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2526609163&searchtext=SS+Oak

Credit also to Mountain Valor Company for their Engine Telegraph System. Please see the link below.

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2927438535