Technical specification

Three layers of 1/8" thick plus outer layer 3/16" thick mahogany veneers, interleaved with calico impregnated with linseed oil. Veneers secured by 1/16" diameter copper wire stitching. Stitches are roughly 1½" apart and 1¼" long.
The basic hull is 50ft long, 51½ft including the overhung rudder, beam is 7 ft 4 ins and has a long tunnel stern. The build displacement weight is estimated at just over 1 ton.

The engine is the original fitted to Consuta and is a twin cylinder simple (non compounding) engine by G.F.G. DesVignes, 6½ inch stroke and 6 inch bore. The engine was on six turned columns with Stephenson link valve gear, the engine had no pumps and exhausted up the funnel (non condensing). These engines were supposedly capable of high rotating speeds - quoted at 1000 rpm. The engine would certainly have been capable of delivering over 100 HP.

The original boiler was a riveted loco type boiler, fired from the back (some launch boilers were fired through a side firehole). The details of this boiler are unknown.

A new coal fired boiler was built by McEwans in 1986 with a grate area of about 5 sqft, the boiler barrel is 26 inch diameter and there are 50 off 1½ diameter inch tubes. The boiler is fitted with a wet ash pan and smokebox. The overall length is about 7 ft.

Water is put into the boiler by either of two Penberthy type injectors and is taken straight from the river.

The propeller is fitted in a tunnel stern, 30 inch diameter by 40 inch pitch. The propeller has to rotate right hand because of the bearing surfaces of the crosshead slipper guides.