Working in that heat is no joke. We had that same thing happen to us a couple years ago while buying our youngest a Super Mario motorized scooter. We can to find out the battery was sold separately also. I coughed that up to me not doing me due diligence and won't let that happen again.
You're keeping at it with the SteemDreem. Before you know it you'll be ready to disembark on your maiden voyage.
The evil little tricks that the marketing people pull is aggravating isn't it? I do my due diligence as best I can prior to buying anything of significan and avoid the scum who play that game at all costs.
I expect to be several weeks, if not months, completing the deconstruction...I'm taking my time, smoking a lot of ceegars, drinking coffee, and gallons of water while I do.
But mostly I'm dreeming. I'm visualizing what it will look like, down to the last bolt and screw, so that when I start the reconstruction I'll know what I want to do firmly embedded in my mind.
No idea how long it be before the maiden voyage. It'll be quite a while I imagine.