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Chain boat

This article is about boats that haul themselves along a river using a chain. For boats using a chain to cross rivers, see Chain ferry.
Chain boat and barges on the River Seine in France in the early 20th century

A chain boat,[1][2] chain tug[3] or chain-ship[4] was a type of river craft, used in the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century on many European rivers,[5] that made use of a steel chain laid along the riverbed for its propulsion.[2][6][7] The chain was engaged using a steam engine mounted on board and enabled the boat to tow a string of barges.[2][6][8][9] In Germany, such a boat was variously referred to as a Kettenschleppschiff, Kettenschlepper, Kettendampfer or Kettenschiff and in France as a toueur.[6][10]

The chain was raised out of the water over a boom at the bow of the ship and led over the deck along the ship's axis to the chain engine amidships. The transfer of power from the steam engine to the chain was usually achieved using a drum winch. From there the chain was led over the deck to another boom at the stern and lowered once more into the river. By moving the stern boom and the two rudders, front and aft, from side to side it was possible to replace the chain in the centre of the river again, even when negotiating river bends.[7]

  1. ^ National Geographic Society (1937). The National Geographic Magazine, Jan-Jun 1937, pp. xxi and 552.
  2. ^ a b c John MacGregor (1867). The voyage alone in the yawl "Rob Roy": from London to Paris, and back etc., London: Maranda merrill, Son and Marston, pp. 97-99.
  3. ^ McKnight, Hugh (1985). Cruising French Canals and Rivers. Seven Seas Press. p. 126. ISBN 9780915160822.
  4. ^ Roger Pilkington (1969). Small boat to Northern Germany, Macmillan, pp. 90, 91 and 95.
  5. ^ This system is still used at Riqueval Tunnel of Canal de Saint-Quentin in France.
  6. ^ a b c Kettenschifffahrt definition in Schifffahrts-Lexikon, by J. Friedrichson, p. 149. Retrieved 1 Mar 2014.
  7. ^ a b Willi Zimmermann: Über Seil und Kettenschiffahrt, Beiträge zur Rheinkunde 1979, Rheinmuseum Koblenz (digitalized version by Peter Haas Archived 2012-09-23 at the Wayback Machine; pdf; 5.9 MB)
  8. ^ MacGregor (1867), p. 97-98 states "The power of this chain-boat is so great that it will pull along, and that too against the rapid stream, a whole string of barges, several of them of 300 tons' burthen, while the long fleet advances steadily though slowly, and the irresistible engine works with smokeless funnels, but with groanings within, telling of tight-strained iron, and loud undertoned breaths of confined steam."
  9. ^ Hearst's International, Volume 3 (1902) by International Magazine Company. Retrieved 12 Mar 2014.
  10. ^ Roger Pilkington (1965). Small boat in Southern France, Melbourne, Toronto, p. 33.

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