Naphtha Launches
By the 1880s, the small steam engine was well established as a power unit for small steam launches, as well as for large boats. However US law, prompted by some past boiler explosions, required that all steam boats carry a licensed engineer at all times. Although this was no difficulty for a commercial craft, it prevented small steam launches being used for personal, recreational use. Becoming such an engineer required an apprenticeship of two years beforehand. One of the few amateurs to achieve this and to become their own engineer was Rosamund Burgess, wife of boat designer Starling Burgess.
A more popular alternative was the naphtha launch, and its alternative power source to the steam engine. Advertisements of the period used the deliberate phrase, "Every Man His own Engineer!" to highlight this legal restriction.
Read more about this topic: Naphtha Launch