Difference between revisions of "River Boats"
m (→River Boat Technology Levels) |
m |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
==Glossary of Riverboat Terms== | ==Glossary of Riverboat Terms== | ||
| + | ''Article by: Jane'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Boilers''' – Each boiler includes a firebox and with the water tubes running through it to produce the steam to drive the engines. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Bucket(s)''' – The flat piece of wood that acts as a paddle on the paddlewheel. One paddlewheel has many buckets. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Capstan''' – A spool onto which ropes could be wound to winch a boat into position alongside a bank or wharf. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Channel''' – The main course of the river which is its deepest part. This may veer from one side of the river to the other, often as the river rounds bends. After flooding the channel may have changed position. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Deck''' – Each level or storey on the riverboat. The main deck fitted to the hull and supports the boiler, engines and provides the main cargo area. Upper decks provide lighter cargo storage areas and crew and passenger accommodation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Draft''' – How far the riverboat hull goes underwater. Unlike seagoing vessels, riverboats need very shallow drafts. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Hawser''' – A heavy line or rope that is used to moor the riverboat. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Lead Line''' – Soundings are done with a lead weight on the end of piece of knotted line known as the lead line. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Pilothouse''' – The part of the upper deck structure of the riverboat from which the captain and pilot manoeuvre the boat. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Sounding''' – Checking the depth of any part of the river. Although charts are made and kept the river is far more variable in character than the sea and a wise riverboat captain and crew take soundings in any unfamiliar area or circumstances. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Stage''' – The winch-operated landing stage (gangplank and pivot) that enables the riverboat to take on or discharge cargo or passengers even without a wharf structure. It is positioned at the front (or bow) of the riverboat. | ||
| + | |||
==River Boat Economy== | ==River Boat Economy== | ||
''Article by: Jane'' | ''Article by: Jane'' | ||
| Line 47: | Line 71: | ||
Drinking water is river water and is boiled before use. Washing water for the communal bathing rooms is supplied through taps and is untreated river water from header tanks on the topmost deck. Supply to one tap is heated by being routed around the boiler. | Drinking water is river water and is boiled before use. Washing water for the communal bathing rooms is supplied through taps and is untreated river water from header tanks on the topmost deck. Supply to one tap is heated by being routed around the boiler. | ||
| − | [[Category: About Pern]][[Category: | + | [[Category: About Pern]][[Category: Crafts]] |
Latest revision as of 17:46, 30 October 2020
Contents
Glossary of Riverboat Terms
Article by: Jane
Boilers – Each boiler includes a firebox and with the water tubes running through it to produce the steam to drive the engines.
Bucket(s) – The flat piece of wood that acts as a paddle on the paddlewheel. One paddlewheel has many buckets.
Capstan – A spool onto which ropes could be wound to winch a boat into position alongside a bank or wharf.
Channel – The main course of the river which is its deepest part. This may veer from one side of the river to the other, often as the river rounds bends. After flooding the channel may have changed position.
Deck – Each level or storey on the riverboat. The main deck fitted to the hull and supports the boiler, engines and provides the main cargo area. Upper decks provide lighter cargo storage areas and crew and passenger accommodation.
Draft – How far the riverboat hull goes underwater. Unlike seagoing vessels, riverboats need very shallow drafts.
Hawser – A heavy line or rope that is used to moor the riverboat.
Lead Line – Soundings are done with a lead weight on the end of piece of knotted line known as the lead line.
Pilothouse – The part of the upper deck structure of the riverboat from which the captain and pilot manoeuvre the boat.
Sounding – Checking the depth of any part of the river. Although charts are made and kept the river is far more variable in character than the sea and a wise riverboat captain and crew take soundings in any unfamiliar area or circumstances.
Stage – The winch-operated landing stage (gangplank and pivot) that enables the riverboat to take on or discharge cargo or passengers even without a wharf structure. It is positioned at the front (or bow) of the riverboat.
River Boat Economy
Article by: Jane
With riverboats leaving Emerald Falls at least daily, such a convenient service has meant that minor holds and cot holds along or near the river move trade goods via riverboat in either direction.
The Weaver Hall at Emerald Falls Hold uses riverboats for obtaining raw materials (flax, wool, cotton, etc) and transporting their finished products
River Boat Female Policy
Article by: Jane
Being insular and independent the riverboat population as a whole has never regarded the female crafter ban as applying to them, however each riverboat is virtually autonomous and limits on female roles vary from ship to ship. Despite this the riverboat captains and crew are aware that they are dependant for their livelihood on those holders and crafters who consign their freight and families to them for transport and so are wary of giving offence on the subject.
River Boat Layout
Article by: Jane
Although there had always been rudimentary river traffic since the first settlement of the Southern Continent, the riverboats plying their trade on the river now are the result of AIVAS' files on ancient paddle steamers.
They are 200ft long, 45ft wide, wooden-hulled (steel reinforced), shallow-draft (4ft when laden). The most impressive features are the cast iron 'stacks' towering above the structure sending plumes of smoke into the sky - and the stern mounted paddlewheel. The entire main deck (apart from the space given over to the boilers and engines) is designed for cargo and the single or double level wooden superstructure above provides crew accommodation (first deck or aft on a single deck) and passenger accommodation (second deck or forward).
The average riverboat on the river carries a family of 30 – 55 people who act as the crew, so at least half of them need to be physically able adults. As well as the rooms for the 'crew', there is accommodation for as many passengers, and room on the main deck for 300 tons of freight.
Typical accommodation aboard is in small (12ft x 10ft) standard staterooms with each with a entrance door off the 5ft wide balcony that provides the main access anywhere on each deck. The rooms have two layouts, usually referred to 'double' and 'single' though all staterooms are the same size. Double staterooms are set up with a lofted double bed beside the entrance door, and one set of two bunk-beds taking up the room from the foot of the double bed to the internal wall. The upper bunk is fixed in place but the lower one may be dismantled and stored against the wall if not required by the resident family. A single stateroom has two sets of two bunk-beds. These rooms are used for single adults or for children. When used for children the 'adjoining door' between a double stateroom on one side of the riverboat and a single stateroom on the other is removed giving the family one continuous area living with two external doors.
River Boat Location Information
Article by: Jane
The river rises in the eastern-most end of the Eastern Barrier Range. It is navigable from the spectacular Emerald Falls to the sea, a distance of about 750 miles. It is an old river, seated in wide river plains, and it has a tendency to flood those plains in response to extreme weather in its catchment. Because of its low, wide nature, the floods are very slow-moving and holders are able to take precautions before they arrive.
The climate along the river varies from unvaryingly tropical climate at the harbour (average high of 88º F / 31º C and average low of 71º F / 22º C, all Turn) to temperate at Emerald Falls Hold (average winter high of 67°F / 19°C and winter low of 53°F / 12°C, average summer high of 85°F / 29°C and summer low of 69°F / 21°C).
Distances to Other Locations
Emerald Falls Hold to the sea - 750 miles
River Boat Plague Effects
Article by: Jane
The riverboat population was affected by the plagues but more through the economic hardships than by deaths. Because of the close, clannish nature of each riverboat crew, when the greatest plague reduced some crews by half the captains put out a call for those who had been 'farmed out' to other work and crafts to return.
River Boat Technology Levels
Article by: Jane
The motive power for the stern-mounted paddlewheel is via wood-fired boilers supplying steam for the engines that drive the wheel. The wooden hull is strengthened with steel beams to prevent hogging (the buckling upward of inadequately rigid hulls due to the weight of the boilers, engines, and paddlewheel).
Lighting is supplied by glows in personal rooms, in workspaces, and in communal areas.
Drinking water is river water and is boiled before use. Washing water for the communal bathing rooms is supplied through taps and is untreated river water from header tanks on the topmost deck. Supply to one tap is heated by being routed around the boiler.
