Lake Garda Paddle Steamers

[marinemole]

Last year I posted photographs of the Italia and the Zanardelli sailing on Lake Garda. At long last I got round to editing the video and decided to start a new thread rather than add to the old.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yhplhvpg9I

The Photo thread is at

http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5677.msg30869#msg30869


Andy

[Talisman]

Thanks for posting Andy,

I thought they were 'steamers' but I guess they are hydraulic or electric drive?

I have only been to Northern Italy to 'paddle' as one of the last kayakers down a now non-existent river, it was dammed for hydroelectric ... far more destructive than wind farms ... I digress (& have digressed from a far fitter & active version of myself ...)

I always fancied a trip to lake Garda but having seen the video the dream has been shattered ... not steamers and independent drive ... at least they are feathering wheels

But seriously many thanks for sharing ... they do have attractive lines, don't they ... hmm...
Regards,
Kim

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's......yes Kim.......the paddle drive sound on the Italia is clearly industrial hydrastatics .....I understand frequencies & resonances....but found the hydraulic drone a little disconcerting .....Derek

[marinemole]

I agree that the vessels don't have the sound and charisma of say the Waverley but they are very attractive vessels. Probably certain that they don't cost £8 a minute to run either. I'm not a steam fanatic and suspect that anything with paddles and a funnel will always be a 'steamer' to me and probably most other average punters. Born and bred in the West of Scotland.

I'm not sure if the vessels were designed with this propulsion system or were converted. Haven't done any research.

As an aside it amazed me that I was able to use my normal runabout ticket on the Italia with no surcharge.

Andy

[AlistairD]

Both were originally steam. Zanardelli was built by Escher Wyss in 1903, and was in service until 1976. She emerged again in 1983 with diesel-electric propulsion
Italia was built in 1909 by Odero at Sestri Ponente and was steam until 1975, entering service agai in 1977 with diesel-electric propulsion.
One of them, and I forget which, has a large drawing of a horse-powered paddle steamer in the upper deck amidships space.
Their ssilings can be a bit difficult to track down, but www.swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com has details of which sailings they have been on for the past few years,, from reports by enthusiasts.
There were also a number of paddle steamrs on the lake which were converted to screw motor vessels, indistinguishable from purpose-built motor vessels.