History of the steam engine This boat could typically make 7 to 8 miles per hour, and traveled more than during its short length of service. The Fitch steamboat was not a commercial success, as this route was adequately covered by relatively good wagon roads. In 1802 William Symington built a practical steamboat, and in 1807 Robert Fulton used a Watt steam engine to power the first commercially successful steamboat. Oliver Evans in his turn was in favour of "strong steam" which he applied to boat engines and to stationary uses. He was a pioneer of cylindrical boilers; however Evans' boilers did suffer several serious
Hunley-class submarine tender ones. The ships were powered by ten Diesel engines, delivering 15.000 SHP on one shaft. Both tenders were decommissioned following the retirement of the "Poseidon"-equipped SSBNs. After spending at least a decade in the Reserve Fleet, both ships were scrapped. Hunley-class submarine tender The "Hunley"-class was a class of two submarine tenders in service with the United States Navy from 1962 to 1996. The "Hunley"-class was the first class of submarine tenders in the U.S. Navy being built from the keel up to service ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The early generations of SSBNs were equipped with the UGM-27 Polaris missile.