Belle of Louisville dead in water...

Can see some minor damage to the paddlewheel and jockey bar...

Tow McBride tugs are on her now and have her off the bank.

Wow! I hope everything turns out ok. I remember before the MINNE was lengthened (when the diesel back-up was added), she would lose steam pressure all the time and be stranded in the middle of the lake. We would have to get the MO up and running and tow the MINNE back in. I hope the damage to the BELLE's paddlewheel and jockey bar aren't too serious. Thanks for updates, Capt.

the belle hit a barge her wheel is badly damged .

TV reports

Here's the first TV report:Belle of Louisville collides with barge - WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY |
Here's another one:Belle of Louisville crashes into barge Saturday while carrying tour group | TOP STORIES | WHAS11.com | News for Louisville, Kentucky

Now since this second one indicates it hit a 'barge' which was by the bank, remember what our first poster, more knowledgeable about river things than TV people, said: Capt. John said she hit the drydock in McBride's fleet.

and one more with some pix:Louisville News, Louisville, Kentucky News, Weather, and Sports - WLKY Louisville's Channel 32

Belle of Louisville

Louisville, Ky. - Several passengers aboard the Belle of Louisville suffered minor injuries Saturday when a strong wind pushed the steamboat into a parked barge on the Ohio River, authorities said.

The incident happened around 1:45 p.m. about a quarter-mile north of Harrods Creek.

Vince Luney, a 911 supervisor, told The Associated Press there were minor injuries, but he didn't know how many passengers were involved.

Belle of Louisville CEO Linda Harris told The Courier-Journal of Louisville that about 300 people - many of them elderly - were aboard the steamboat and that about six to eight people suffered minor injuries.

I didn't actually witness the incident, I came by very shortly after the Belle landed on the bank, but I did hear the Captain talking to the Coast Guard and he said there had been an allision with the drydock, not a barge.

I hope the damage isn't too severe. From what I could see it looked like mainly bucket boards and the jockey bar, but it may be worse than what I could see from my vantage point.

This is the VERY last thing we need right now...more bad steamboat news.

One of these days I intend to take up a collection to buy dictionaries for Louisville's media so they can tell the differences between towboats, barges and drydocks. To reporters everything that floats is a barge.
They refuse to use the language that their informants use. I was once quoted - QUOTED, mind you - as saying, "a capstan is a rope-winding spool." a phrase I could not dream up in twenty years of trying.
My point is: the media often misquote, mislead and exaggerate events. The Belle will survive.

Newspaper story

Here's the Courier-Journal's version - just don't read the Comments afterwards. They are obviously from 60 and below IQs.
Belle of Louisville hits a barge | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal

Judy, I made the mistake of reading the comments after the Courier-Journal story (even though you warned us not to...) and I think you were being veerrrryyy generous in assuming that the people making the comments had a 60 or below IQ. Those comments were ridiculous.

After looking at the closer pictures of the wheel, it makes me wonder how the incident happened. From the call to the Coasties, I was under the impression that the Belle lost power and was blown into the drydock, but the damage to the wheel looks to me like the wheel was turning when it hit. Guess we'll have to wait for a more reliable source, like a crewmember who was on the boat at the time.

All the time? Isn't that a little much?

(Well, I won't read all the hoopla and await news of what really happened.)

I am not in a position to tell how it happened. I can say that repairs to the wheel should take about six hours. The damage to the jockey bar is more serious and could involve shaft-bearing re-alignment. Replacing the jockey bar is not a very serious job in itself. All-in-all it is not a serious problem and can be quickly repaired.

My sympathies lie with the pilot and master, who will be obliged to report and report and report to the USCG on every trivial factor. Both are good, experienced sternwheel handlers and know far more about it than their examiners will ever understand.

When I rode on the vessel I was greatly surprised she hadn't been outfitted with a stern and/or bow thruster.

Capt. John: read private message

Please check your private message via .org.

PW Pics

Someone send these close ups taken at the landing.

The newspaper and TV-ers did not mention damage to the drydock. AS reliable source tells me the drydock was holed by the starboard fantail end. If I know the McBrides it is already repaired.

Any news yet as to what exactly happened?