Posted by Laurence Monkhouse on April 09, 2006 at 08:36:27 from 80.3.128.6 user Laurence_.
To pick up comments made a couple of weeks ago (I was away)
The Beckfoot launch could not possibly have been a steam launch. In Chapter XX of SD it is referred to several times as a motor launch, but more to the point John was alerted to its approach by "the chug chug of a motor launch"
Windermere style steam launches do not chug chug - they are absolutely silent. You can go out in one from the Windermere museum if you doubt my word. The loudest noise they make is the ticking of the engineer's watch.
Even when out in my own far from perfect home built steam launch (which is not silent to the ears of those on board) I frequently find that people on the bank remark to me how quiet it is.
If the Beckfoot launch had been steam driven John would never have heard it approaching, which would have complicated the story.