Topic starter
21/02/2007 4:49 pm
Not an inland river steamboat, but this 1921 steam yacht might be of interest to some: S.S. Delphine
21/02/2007 7:32 pm
Hi, Steve:
Thanks for the link provided to Dodge's S.S. DELPHINE. The history of her design, steam propulsion system alone is of interest. She's one big, fancy "steamboat" for sure. There's a recent biography out on the Dodge brothers in which their yachts are mentioned, along with other 'ups and downs,' on the automotive dynasty in which a few lived miserable lives in great comfort. No doubt Alan Bates, Tom Schiffer, Don Sanders, Kenny Howe, Bill Judd etc. will find her engineering fascinating. She reminds me a bit of the huge yacht STANDART once owned by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. As for me I couldn't afford 1/10th the insurance underwriters fee for something like that. Like old J.P. Morgan once said to a young assistant in his bank who saw Morgan's steam yacht, "Son, if you have to ask what it costs then you can't afford it."
Cheers,
R. Dale Flick
22/02/2007 3:37 am
Dale & Steve,
While I was working at the old Washington D.C. Navy Yard in the 1970s the Delphine was tied up there for a while prior to her becoming a training ship. She was in a state of disrepair, but still beautiful. I'm so glad that she has been preserved.
27/02/2007 11:23 pm
DAUNTLESS closed to visits
I remember the S.S. DAUNTLESS from my time in school at the Lundberg School of Seamanship at Piney Point MD, in 1979 or 1980. How I wished to go aboard to look around but she was closed to visits then! Quadruple expansion, indeed! It is good to know that she could be seen in Monaco when not cruising the Med. The photos are from the yacht's website www.ssdelphine.com.