SS Snaefell (1876)

PS (RMS) Snaefell (II) No. 67289- the second vessel in the line's history to be so named - was an iron paddle steamer which was owned and operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Construction & dimensions
Snaefell was built at the yards of Cairn & Co., Glasgow, in 1876. Her builders also supplied her engines and boilers and she was launched on Thursday April 27th, 1876.

Her purchase cost was £28,250; she had a registered tonnage of 849 GRT; length 251'3"; beam 29'3"; depth 14'1". Snaefell's engines developed 1700 shp and gave her a service speed of 15 kn.

In 1885, Snaefell received new boilers at a cost of £8,512 (£0 as of 2024). They were produced by Fawcett, Preston & Company of Liverpool and installed by Jones & Sons Ltd.

In 1895, she was fitted with electric lighting. The cost of the installation was £425 (£0 as of 2024).

Service life
A smaller vessel then her immediate predecessors, but judged successful none-the-less, Snaefell served the many ports to which the Company then operated.

In August 1892, she was making passage to Ardrossan from Douglas in hazy weather, when she collided with the Norwegian vessel Kaleb. Both ships were damaged, but the Snaefell was able to continue to the yards of Fairfield & Co. under her own steam for repairs. The subsequent repairs cost £1,298. A legal wrangle then ensued, and finally the High Court in Edinburgh held that both ships were to blame.

The Royal Netherlands Steamship Company, who had bought Snaefell (I) and had successfully operated her for 13 years, sometimes chartered Snaefell (II).

Disposal
After 38 years successful service to the line, Snaefell was disposed of in 1904.