A LITTLE HEAD OF STEAM

I TYPICALLY GET ABOUT A 20 – 25 MINUTE RUN FROM A SINGLE ‘CHARGE’ OF WATER.”

Now enjoying his retirement, Christchurch’s David Pringle began building balsa wood ships at about 12 years old – and after years of fine-tuning turned his delicate skills to steam models. Intricate, detailed creations powered by miniature, fully-operational steam engines.

I caught up with him at the Lake Rotoiti Classic Boat Show in March, where his exhibit presented a fascinating cross-section of his handiwork. The vessels are all about a metre LOA and built from