Where Steamboats Go To Die !

good boilers, good engines, so what is so impossible about running her?
And what about all the hull questions?? Seems that would even effect stationary use.
I keep dreaming. . . .
David

[QUOTE=David Dewey;22034]good boilers, good engines, so what is so impossible about running her?
QUOTE]

MONEY.

After careful consideration I submit the following for your perusal....

What about the idea of buying the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN and rehabing her? Could it be done...yes!
Would it be worth doing...yes?
Why?

She would make more sense then buying the AMERiCAN QUEEN and getting her running again. The AQ would cost $33,000,000.00 to buy. She is 15 years old and has a dual drive system. The cost to make her run again would be somewhere in the $70,000,000.00 range. Figure you would have to buy her, set up a business, advertise, get the boat clean and ready to operate and that figure gets a little realistic. The AQ would need to swallow up 436 people a week to make a profit...actually, 300 according to a former Hotel manager aboard the boat. This is taking into consideration all the expense of operating the drive systems. The AQ has the rare type of Azmuthing drive which has proven tobe problematic and very hard to produce replacement parts for. All told, the AQ is a viable vessel and would be a great compliment to the MQ once the business built up...but at the moment, a little pricey for the small fry running the American flag business at this time.

If you were gonna spend the $70,000,000.00 to get the AQ running why not spend about $40,000,000.00 on the MQ which has a much better operating system, and custom build her to meet the needs of THIS market today? She is pretty much gutted, has a good hull, good engines, and is almost a blank canvas with alot of potential to be converted into a 400 passenger vessel that would be highly capable of suiting the needs of all aboard with a little Tlc and a bit of mold and asbestos removal.

The MQ already has name recognition the AQ never achieved. So the advertisement wouldn't have to focus on educating people of what she is...much less where she runs! So you could save money on that front.

There are many failing hotels, cruise ships, and other overnight businesses that have all the bedding and hotel needs the boat would need at very reasonable prices. so you might even save a little money there, too!

If someone was serious about the overnight business in this economy I would suggest the MQ and take your time with her getting things as cheaply as you can from what ever opportunity comes up. keep the AQ in your sites...because as soon as you make a name for yourself, some up start will buy her and try and challenge you. If they do...be better then them and let them sell you to her cheap after THEY fail with her and pay her off to buy her!

Just a few thoughts I believe would work....and work well in the right hands. Perhaps a towboat company with deep pockets will be interested enough to get it started? Maybe they could set up the company as a non-profit steamboat history organization and river folk could get involved with her operation to save even more money? Ideas?

Travis

???

Good boilers???? Good hull???? Really????
She was here for almost 7 days in the fall of '06 her last season undergoing boiler repairs. What was done was to get her through the season, with major work needed then. What about the hull problems at Alton? And later at Perry St.?
Seems to me the most viable option of getting an overnight steamboat running in North America again is to reflag the DQ in Canada and run her on the St. Lawrence and environs.
And I'm not holding my breath on that.

Has anyone heard this?? News just came to me on the "rumor" that the MQ was sold at "salvage value" with the stipulation that the new owners can only dismantle the boat, not revive it. If this is turns to be true, it would break my heart..I only hope that the "conspiracy" to keep boats off the Mississippi is only rumor, but with recent events of the past couple of years...It makes you wonder....

rumor

If that were the case why would the new owner be waiting to cut her up? Also why would he be advertizing with his email that he would sell her to someone who would try to restore her. No matter how much ACL sold her for once sold it is up to the new owner to do with as they please. A sale is a sale and possesion is 9/10th's of the law. ACL lost all the boats 1 by congress and one to remodeling and one to the government, how do they have a say in this? Also, why would they want to keep them off the rivers? From what I've read they seem only intrested in blue water and Hawaii and Alaska.

MQ Update !

Greetings From The Harvey Canal ,
As of 3:30 , yesterday afternoon the " Remains " of the Str. Mississippi Queen were still located at an empty and abandoned site on the banks of the Harvey Canal . I was of the impression that she would soon be scrapped and dismantled but as of yesterday she was not and still intact !
Then question that I believe that begs to be answered is ; was she sold to be scrapped or was she sold at scrap value and was moved to the Harvey Canal , inorder to free up the Perry St. Wharf . Today on my way up the river I noticed a small bulk ship located at the Perry St. Wharf , wehre the MQ had been located for the past several months . Is there a glimmer of hope and a future for her yet , time will tell and I choose to be optomestic !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

That second photo looks like a haunted ship. Hasn't someone talked to the owner. What did he say?

Owner's comment

When the NATCHEZ people were on the MQ shortly after she came to the Harvey Canal, they talked with the Asian owner. His plans were to cut her down to the hull, remove the things in the hull, redeck it and use it as a barge. Now whether his plans have changed or not I don't know. But this is the only conversation I know of with the actual owner - other reports have been from 'sources'. This one is from the horse's mouth. They actually met and talked face to face to buy certain parts for the NATCHEZ. (didn't get them, yet, he wouldn't budge on his prices)

I know the object in the foreground is a flood gate, but damn if it doesn't look more like a prison wall. I miss her, my time aboard her was the best 8 years of my life.. but so were the other 12 years on the AQ, DQ, CQ etc. And our Marine officers and crew sailed us successfully in harm's way far more than most ever knew. Requiescat in pacem, meus regina...