Paddlewheel and Rudders
The main propulsion of the GVII is the huge 1500 hp, 52'-wide, dual, staggered sternwheel that turns a hefty 13-plus RPM's; driving the 10-million pound boat through still water at 8 to 10 MPH. Crank in the extra 1000 hp's from the Schottel drives, and fifteen miles in one hour could be the norm on Kentucky Lake on a calm day. "Miss Vicki", the former QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS, is perhaps, the finest built and handling diesel-electric paddlewheeler ever built.
What I liked to tell newbies, when I was teaching them how to handle the boat, was: "Paddle and rudders - that's 'meat and potatoes' - the Z-drives and bow thruster (another 500 HP) ... they're the 'gravy'...."
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Threaded Mode
