Showboat Branson Belle
|
| Career |
|
| Owner: |
Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation |
| Launched: |
August 12, 1994 |
| Christened: |
April 13, 1995 |
| General characteristics |
| Type: |
Riverboat/showboat |
| Tonnage: |
1250 tons |
| Length: |
278 ft (85 m) |
| Beam: |
78 ft (24 m) |
| Height: |
112 ft (34 m) (to top of stacks) |
| Draught: |
7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Propulsion: |
2 twin rear paddlewheels, 16 ft (4.9 m) wide, 24 ft (7.3 m) in diameter[1] |
| Speed: |
11 mph (9.6 kn) |
| Capacity: |
700 passengers |
Showboat Branson Belle is a riverboat—more specifically, a showboat—on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. The lake is landlocked by the Table Rock Dam on one side and the Beaver Lake Dam on the other side. Being a showboat, she hosts lunch and dinner shows throughout the year.
Construction and launch
The boat was constructed at its port at White River Landing and was launched on August 12, 1994. The boat was launched into Table Rock Lake on launching rails that were lubricated with two tons of bananas at a speed of 14 knots. The bananas were used for lubrication, because it was a biodegradable material that would not pollute Table Rock Lake like grease would have. The boat is claimed by its owner to be the largest ship on a landlocked lake in the United States.[1]
Incidents
On December 11, 2010, Showboat Branson Belle ran aground while cruising on Table Rock Lake. The incident stranded 567 passengers and 76 crew members overnight.[2]
References
External links