A truly ugly boat?

[Kwacker]

I'm a big fan of Scott and Bailey on ITV 1 and have avidly watched the latest series.

The only fault with this gripping drama is the choice of sponsor - Viking River Cruises.

 

Each block of adverts concludes with a picture of what appears to be a floating hen house, with all the style and charisma of a LADA that has been over-extended in an attempt to make a "limo".

Shots of the inside of the cabins show gorgeous 1970's style patio doors ... yum.

 

They call it a Viking Longship .... like this?

 

Oh no .... like this !

 

Has an uglier, more charmless, utilitarian boat ever been built outside of wartime?

 

ps I'm sure cruising the Danube on one would be fantastic, as you look out from the boat to see the beautiful surroundings, but spare a thought for the locals who have their river views ruined by this thing floating by.

 

Rant over ... phew.

 

[PhilR]

To be honest I think most of the Danube flows through fairly boring scenery.

[BudgetBus]

Designed with an etch'a'sketch.

[ditchcrawler]

Like a Narrowboat, designed for a purpose, Maximum cargo in a given space.

[keble]

Know what you mean. We were keen on the idea of a river cruise a few years ago, but now the bloomin' boats all look pig ugly ...

[Athy]

.....with the exception of one called S.S. Karim on the Nile - if she is still working.

Photos of this boat's interior might be revealing: after all, its passengers will be living on the inside, not the outside, of the craft during their cruise. They will also require uninterrupted views, which the big picture windows and (what look like) balconies will surely offer them.

For ugly, read practical.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Athy

[Guest]

As said these VC boats are built purely with function in mind rather than with any concession to aesthetics.

 

Jan once went on something similar (but smaller) with some colleagues on the Seine through and out of Paris on a short break and found that the boat itself was actually very well spec'd. and surprisingly luxurious and the views of Paris from the river rather than from within the city itself spectacular and totally different.

 

What I always think when I see one is I wonder how long they would stay afloat if they hit anything, they seem very 'low' in the water to me and look as if they would sink in minutes if holed.

[bargemast]

As said these VC boats are built purely with function in mind rather than with any concession to aesthetics.

 

Jan once went on something similar (but smaller) with some colleagues on the Seine through and out of Paris on a short break and found that the boat itself was actually very well spec'd. and surprisingly luxurious and the views of Paris from the river rather than from within the city itself spectacular and totally different.

 

What I always think when I see one is I wonder how long they would stay afloat if they hit anything, they seem very 'low' in the water to me and look as if they would sink in minutes if holed.

 

All the modern passengerboats are full of watertight compartments, that should keep the boat afloat, and straight with 1 or 2 compartments flooded, as long as they don't hit a rock or an iceberg at full speed that would give the water access to way too many compartment, they'll stay afloat.

 

Peter.

[luctor et emergo]

How clever. If only the Titanic had been build with watertight bulkheads..

[bargemast]

How clever. If only the Titanic had been build with watertight bulkheads..

 

If the doors in Titanic's watertight bulkheads would have been closed at the time, they would never have made the popular movie of the same name.

 

Peter.

[Guest]

If the doors in Titanic's watertight bulkheads would have been closed at the time, they would never have made the popular movie of the same name.

 

Peter.

 

I thought that the sinking was caused by the number of compartments that were breached with the resulting influx of water 'topping' the max height of the compartments.

 

The watertight doors were shut almost immediately weren't they???

[Athy]

If the doors in Titanic's watertight bulkheads would have been closed at the time, they would never have made the popular movie of the same name.

 

Peter.

Yes, 'Watertight Bulkheads' was a a classic film.

[mrsmelly]

As said these VC boats are built purely with function in mind rather than with any concession to aesthetics.

 

Jan once went on something similar (but smaller) with some colleagues on the Seine through and out of Paris on a short break and found that the boat itself was actually very well spec'd. and surprisingly luxurious and the views of Paris from the river rather than from within the city itself spectacular and totally different.

 

What I always think when I see one is I wonder how long they would stay afloat if they hit anything, they seem very 'low' in the water to me and look as if they would sink in minutes if holed.

As Peter says. The design is specifically to encorporate watertight compartments. It will have several the full length of the boat. Our two at work have to comply with the same legislation that ocean going cruise liners have to be built to. Being over 24 metres and carrying over 50 passengers is were the legislation affects us. Both our boats have eight watertight compartments with watertight bulkhead doors, we also have two methods of bilge pumping and alarms fitted to all eight compartments. We have to be able to remain afloat with a gash of 3 metres in length below the waterline even though that could never happen on our cruising area.

 

Tim

Edited May 23, 2013 by mrsmelly

[The Toad in the Hole]

In fairness, many modern new built narrowboats have the design aesthetics of a static caravan. And as for "broad beam" narrow boats...there's only so much you can do with a floating housebrick.

[The Pipe]

As Peter says. The design is specifically to encorporate watertight compartments. It will have several the full length of the boat. Our two at work have to comply with the same legislation that ocean going cruise liners have to be built to. Being over 20 metres and carrying over 50 passengers is were the legislation affects us. Both our boats have eight watertight compartments with watertight bulkhead doors, we also have two methods of bilge pumping and alarms fitted to all eight compartments. We have to be able to remain afloat with a gash of 3 metres in length below the waterline even though that could never happen on our cruising area.

 

Tim

Tempting fate there Tim?

You should also look at a design in light of it's era, the Titanic was a better design for water tightness than the boats built before it and certainly poorer than those following. Yet you still can sink a ship if you try hard enougth, just ask an Italian cruise company.

 

In fairness, many modern new built narrowboats have the design aesthetics of a static caravan. And as for "broad beam" narrow boats...there's only so much you can do with a floating housebrick.

I do not agree with you there on the wide beam boats, just look at the old photos of them they still had line to them. Buffalo and Antelope were wide beam tugs and there were many others not all of them powered. I think it's more a case of "I don't care".

Take a look at Progress's re-build and the nice lines to that boat.

[bargemast]

Yes, 'Watertight Bulkheads' was a a classic film.

 

Hi Athy, if you happen to have a copy of this classic film "Watertight Bulkheads", can I borrow it if I pay you for the postage ?

 

Thank you very much in advance

 

Peter.

[The Toad in the Hole]

I do not agree with you there on the wide beam boats, just look at the old photos of them they still had line to them. Buffalo and Antelope were wide beam tugs and there were many others not all of them powered. I think it's more a case of "I don't care".

Take a look at Progress's re-build and the nice lines to that boat.

 

It certainly isn't the case that you can't build pretty widebeams, but there are a lot of new boats (narrow and wide) that are supremely generic - pointy end, flat bit at the back with a stick to steer with, and a row of caravan windows. They're the floating equivalent of the seventies flat roof extension or the upvc conservatory. Practical, functional and they comply with building regs, but there was no sign of an architect.

[Neil TNC]

.....with the exception of one called S.S. Karim on the Nile - if she is still working.

Photos of this boat's interior might be revealing: after all, its passengers will be living on the inside, not the outside, of the craft during their cruise. They will also require uninterrupted views, which the big picture windows and (what look like) balconies will surely offer them.

For ugly, read practical.

Paddle steamer S.S. Karim was still working, but appears to be laid up this year.

 

Paddle steamer S.S. Sudan (last working Thomas Cook steamer) is still taking bookings.

http://www.steam-ship-sudan.com/en/

S.S. Sudan in 2009

 

S.S. Misir (screw) is still taking bookings through Voyage Jules Verne

 

We (or rather Mrs TNC) had tinkered with he idea of going on Sudan...but Egypt was oppresive enough in 2009, so we are not going back.

[Athy]

S.S. Misir (screw) is still taking bookings

 

 

You don't like that one, then?

Egypt "oppressive"? Meteorologically, politically or both?

[Kwacker]

Paddle steamer S.S. Karim was still working, but appears to be laid up this year.

 

Paddle steamer S.S. Sudan (last working Thomas Cook steamer) is still taking bookings.

http://www.steam-ship-sudan.com/en/

S.S. Sudan in 2009

 

S.S. Misir (screw) is still taking bookings through Voyage Jules Verne

 

We (or rather Mrs TNC) had tinkered with he idea of going on Sudan...but Egypt was oppresive enough in 2009, so we are not going back.

 

Better, but, that's built to exactly the same criteria as the Viking boats ... cram 'em in!

[luctor et emergo]

As Peter says. The design is specifically to encorporate watertight compartments. It will have several the full length of the boat. Our two at work have to comply with the same legislation that ocean going cruise liners have to be built to. Being over 24 metres and carrying over 50 passengers is were the legislation affects us. Both our boats have eight watertight compartments with watertight bulkhead doors, we also have two methods of bilge pumping and alarms fitted to all eight compartments. We have to be able to remain afloat with a gash of 3 metres in length below the waterline even though that could never happen on our cruising area.

 

Tim

(Cough) that's what they said about that other ship too...

[Peter Reed]

Hi Athy, if you happen to have a copy of this classic film "Watertight Bulkheads", can I borrow it if I pay you for the postage ?

 

Thank you very much in advance

 

Peter.

You'll find a plethora of watertight bulkheads in Brighton at the weekend.

[bargemast]

You'll find a plethora of watertight bulkheads in Brighton at the weekend.

 

I've had no lack of watertight bulkheads myself in the recent past on my passengerboats, but all I'm interested in now, is the film that Athy was writing about

 

Also Brighton is a nice place to visit, but it's just a little bit too far away for me to go there for the weekend, even less tempting now in this lovely May weather.

 

Peter.

[Athy]

You'll find a plethora of watertight bulkheads in Brighton at the weekend.

Is there a boat rally at the marina?

[luctor et emergo]

Is there a boat rally at the marina?

I think it's a euphemism..

 

<Troddles off to Google World>