Record attempt longest sea tow
30 july 2010
During the first weekend of August the annual reunion of the LVBHB
(National
Association to Maintain Historical Professional Ships) took place in
Schiedam.
The association did select Schiedam for their annual reunion with a
large number
of members. Almost twohundred boats occupied the ports of Schiedam.
At the organization, which was managed by Scyedam Vaert, the idea
became for
doing an attempt of improving the record "longest sea tow",
during this event.
This record was set by the Hercules during "Sail Amsterdam" in 1990, 20
years
ago.
This time the record attempt took place during the beginning of
Scyedam Vaert on
Friday afternoon on the New Waterway. The tow departed from the
Schiehaven where
the boats and vessels had been assembled.
The tow was stopped at the Beneluxtunnel. The whole was monitored on a
radar
screen by a notary at VTS sector Waalhaven. Everything was entirely
according to
the rules for a new listing in the Guinness Book of Records.
The scene was watched by quite some interested people from the
Maasboulevard. Various boats
accompanied the tow of which the "Volharding I" with cheerful tones.
The old record was broken by one additional ship what did make the
total to 15
boats/vessels with a total length of 668 meter. The distance passed was
4.3
kilometres and the time was 35 minutes. Homage to the engineroom crew
who was
able to make a huge coal fire in a very short time and managed to
squeeze a few
revolutions extra out of the engine.
Click here
to view the photo's.
Atmosphere impression Scyedam Vaert
An impression of the weekend in Schiedam on the following
You Tube video.
With on 14.55 minutes the steamroller "de Concurrent" of the v/d
Giessen brothers. On 20.00 minutes an atmosphere impression aboard the Hercules,
where can be watched how our linesmen boat Argo is employed when it is quite shallow.
The organisation did want the passengers to experience a lock transit, what
meant approaching shallow water area for the deep draughted Hercules after
transitting the lock inbound. This resulted in manoeuvring problems especially
during departing from the quay. And also an interview with René Beijer, one of
the stokers, in the engineroom. Captain Kees is speaking as well and is
pleased to play the steam whistle and sirene to Wiebe the reporter. A very nice
story produced by Wiebe Hoogeveen van Broodkast Videoproducties for Look TV,
the local television broadcast of Schiedam.
The record of 1990
The old record took place during the event Sail Amsterdam in 1990, recorded on 14 historical vessels with a length of 614 metres and with a towed distance of 3.4 kilometres in 45 minutes.