Topic starter
31/08/2011 9:49 pm
Got a call from NATCHEZ' Chief Engineer Scotty Vieages during the 2:30 trip. Several crew members had just returned to Toulouse St. with 2 stern capstans off the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN. (They plan to use just one, so if you have need of a capstan...) Scotty didn't get to see the pictures, but they reported the MQ is down to the hull and in fact looks like a dugout canoe - apparently they are cutting away from midship first. And yes, the machinery was just cut up for its scrap value. Realistically, that was the only option (unless one of you fair readers have the bucks and desire to build a BIG steamboat utilizing those engines.) Hopefully some pictures of the Belle River trip will arrive here soon via the sternline telegraph.
31/08/2011 11:11 pm
We sure could have used one of those capstans on the DQ's fantail this weekend. Dan Lewis of the Belle of Louisville, former DQ fireman Chris Merrick and myself assisted Chief Fred Rich in rolling the wheel 1/4 turn to get the submerged portion out of the water so it can dry out and be cleaned and painted. No easy task with just chain falls but we managed. I'll get some pics up shortly!
01/09/2011 2:52 am
Thanks for the posting, Judy! They've been in talks with various people for over a year trying and get these capstans, but until now have been met with dead-ends. Here's the plan from what I've been told: replace the bow capstan with one of the new ones, use the other one for parts, and take the current bow capstan and make it a stern capstan.
Topic starter
01/09/2011 3:27 am
Plans
Sounds good - having spare parts has saved the DQ many times over the years, and storing the capstan won't be difficult. Too bad they fooled around and dismembered the searchlights which the NATCHEZ wanted to buy too. Who made the Belle River run, Steven and CJ?
01/09/2011 12:51 pm
We surely could use a real honest-to-goodness capstan in the yard of the Howard Steamboat Museum. If anybody out there in steamboat land would like to donate one .....
01/09/2011 9:39 pm
CJ definitely made the trip over cause he took a bunch of shots while he was there that he's since put up on his facebook of the poor MQ. I'm not really sure who made the trip with him though...