I was watching an old John Wayne flick-and in it, he was captain of a Chinese riverboat, during the war with Japan. The boat was an old American riverboat, from the Sacramento River. Could such a ship cross the Pacific Ocean?
Riverboats are built with low freeboard, and shallow draft (rivers are usually not deep)…they also are rather wide . Such a ship would break up in heavy seas-could one actually cross a wide ocean without foundering?
Was the movie Blood Alley, with Lauren Bacall?
Yes
People ‘have’ crossed the Pacific on all sorts of flimsy craft, so a riverboat probably ‘could’ make the journey.
However, it’s more likely the boat was moved there inside or towed by a larger, more seaworthy vessel. Possibly in sections.
I think one could cross, but the captain and crew would be praying for good weather all the way. Even the most mild storm might cause it to founder; it would probably also roll horribly in any kind of chop.
The 2nd USS Monocacy was built in California, disassembled and put back together in Shanghai for service in the Yangtze River Patrol. This was SOP for boats on Lake Victoria, Titicaca, etc.
Outrigger canoes can, so yes. But it’s success rate wouldn’t be anywhere near purpose built ocean-going vessels. I can easily imagine the bow being beaten to pieces from waves, and with their low decks, they’re going to take in lots of water whenever they take a wave from any direction, except perhaps stern. Every year, in the Atlantic, someone tries to complete the Great Loop in a boat not built to take waves, like a pontoon houseboat. Supposedly, many come limping back into port looking like they had a front end collision with a brick wall. Getting dropped off the backside of a wave is violent.
If they’re lucky enough to encounter calm seas over a huge stretch, then yes. Short of that, I’d place more confidence in the Kon Tiki.
Not quite what you’re thinking of, but the Monitor was pretty badly suited for rough seas: USS Monitor - Wikipedia
Beautiful name/post combo.
Your classic Mississippi riverboat would fall to pieces in any sort of sea. They were not nearly rugged enough for the ocean; they were rigorously optimized for max volume on minimum displacement and cost, and so were very lightly built.
I thought I heard that a Hudson River Day Line steamer was used on the Mediterranean, but I can’t find any record. The ALEXANDER HAMILTON burned and sank off N.J., about the last steamer. (Why, when I try to use italics or underline it throws in a lot of extra junk?)
Not a riverboat, but the PS Waverley is a 67 y.o. sea-going paddle steamer still doing day trips, etc around the British coast. Assuming the weather is ok, I expect she could manage the Pacific but probably not all at once as I think fuel would be an issue.
This is her alongside a modern cruise ship!
You mean like this? "I thought I heard that a Hudson River Day Line steamer was used on the Mediterranean, but I can’t find any record. The ALEXANDER HAMILTON burned and sank off N.J., about the last steamer. "
That “extra junk” is the coding that makes it italic or underlined. Did you preview?
That was my thought. Riverboats (at least old-timey traditional steamers) didn’t have to carry more fuel than needed to reach the riverbank, theoretically, since they could always cut down a few trees.