Topic starter
09/04/2011 9:55 pm
When I drove along Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville this morning, en route to the museum, I noticed that the Ohio is again on the rise, with lots of drift going down and many of the pleasure boat docks already submerged. The BELLE was still in the drydock at the lower end of the Jeffboat yard. Kathleen O'Connell, daughter of Capt. Pete and Evie, came over to help with the annual Easter egg hunt on the museum grounds (Thanks Kathleen!) and said that it was hoped the BELLE could be moved back to the wharf today. Despite the strong thunderstorms which brought pouring rain, hail and plenty of thunder and lightning, the BELLE was towed back across the river by early afternoon and is again home at the foot of Fourth Street. Can't wait to hear her authoritative whistle, which I always say designates the official start of spring! I'm sure the crew will have LOTS to do this week as they prepare for next Saturday's "Thunder Over Louisville" fireworks extravaganza!
Despite the inclement weather, many parents brought young children today to visit with the Easter Bunny, receive a goodie bag and to enjoy the "Spring Into Art" juried exhibit in the carriage house. So, our efforts were not a total washout!
Work progresses rapidly on the collections management facility adjacent to the mansion and the sound of sawing and hammering is so exciting that we can hardly stay focused on our museum duties. We hope to have walk through tours of the new building (empty) available at the Chautauqua festival next month.
Visit the museum website by clicking on Howard Steamboat Museum - Home Page for news and updates on forthcoming events. Y'all come see us!
"Curator Keith"
10/04/2011 2:46 am
Keith,
I am glad to hear the easter egg hunt was a success. What a storm we had this morning! I haven't heard hail like that in a long time.
This evening I rode my bike downtown and saw the BELLE sitting back at 4th Street. Looks like they painted the wheel in the drydock (that must have been a scary proposition with it up in the air that high!), it looks beautiful! She doesn't seem to have fuel aboard, as she is sitting at 3ft on the bow.
The hull has a new coat of black, too. The whole boat looks good for having spent the last 3 months in the shipyard.
Of course, they have a lot of work to do with Thunder Over Louisville next weekend. Bringing a boat out of layup, specially just out of the shipyard, is hard work!
Ahhhh...the smells, sounds, and fresh birth of a steamboating spring!
Travis
10/04/2011 1:07 pm
Yes, we finally made it back to 4th st. Storms broke just as McBride landed us, so the crew a little wet in the process. The deck crew has been busy, though, getting her cleaned and painted from top to bottom. As Travis noticed, her fuel tanks are completely empty and we'll be filling her boiler up Monday for her annual hydrostatic test and, hopefully, have steam on her soon after that. Among many things I'm anxious to see is how she trims out once she is loaded because we've made some adjustments, after much discussion, to her bracing after noticing much slack in this bracing when she settled on the drydock. After seeing the measurements taken of her hull before and after she came out of the water, I believe taking the slack out of her "hog chains" will help maintain a better shear with the weight she's gained. We shall see!