Pleasure boat Sura. Wheeled ships will return to the Oka. And moves and steers

In the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, wheeled passenger and tugboats plied our rivers. This summer, a modern chariot will set off on its first voyage along the Volga. However, this is not at all a tribute to retro fashion. Small in size and displacement, the Sura wheeled motor ship, with its appearance, may mark a qualitative renewal of the river fleet, which we have been waiting for.

Let's go through both small and winding rivers

The unique chariot appeared thanks to the efforts of three parties: the Nizhny Novgorod engineer-inventor Evgeny Falmonov, the GAMA travel company and the Gorodetsky Ship Repair Plant (GSRZ).

There are 100,000 kilometers of waterways in Russia, but only half of them are used, - says Dmitry Galkin, general director of the GAMA travel company. - For example, in the Nizhny Novgorod region such picturesque rivers as the Sura, Unzha, Kerzhenets, Vetluga flow, which are not navigable. Meanwhile, people like to cruise on them. However, these rivers cannot be passed by the existing fleet.

The idea to create an appropriate passenger ship was born in 2007, when the engineer-inventor, shipbuilder and ship architect Yevgeny Falmonov presented his development to Galkin - a unique propulsion and steering system, for which he received a patent. It was decided to design a passenger ship with the working name "Sura".

It is unique due to its propulsion and steering complex, which allows the ship to operate at minimum depths, and this problem, taking into account the shallowing of navigable rivers, in particular, the Volga, is becoming more and more urgent every year,” says Evgeny Falmonov. - "Sura" will pass through rivers with limited depths and a winding fairway, will give passengers the opportunity to enter the unequipped shore along the bow ramp. And if the ship runs aground, then with the help of the thrust of the wheels lowered to the bottom, it will be able to pull itself out on its own.

And moves and steers

In the propulsion and steering complex patented by Falmonov, two functions are combined at once - movement and control. On traditional ships, the propeller (water jet or wheel) and the control (usually a rudder blade) exist separately. Falmonov's wheeled propulsion and steering complex consists of two durable welded wheels with a separately controlled drive. This is good from two sides at once: the cost of manufacturing is cheaper and reliability is increased. The logic is simple: two devices are always less reliable than one.

The use of a wheeled propulsion and steering system with an electromechanical wheel drive made it possible to reduce the required power, eliminate the shaft line and propellers - the main source of noise and vibration on the vessel, and eliminate traditional rudders, damage to which is a frequent occurrence on a river vessel, - says Falmonov. - Reduction of fuel reserves, maximum use of internal volumes, lightweight construction of the superstructure using building materials - all this made it possible to create an economical vessel with an unusual architecture.

The economy of a river cruise depends on two indicators: the specific displacement per passenger and the power required to transport one passenger, Dmitry Galkin continues. - Indicators of "Sura" in comparison with existing courts are 2-3 times lower.

"Sura" is the first ship of its kind. Further ships of this series are planned to be built to order. Interest has already been shown by companies from Veliky Novgorod, the Komi Republic, Rostov-on-Don, Astrakhan.

If we built our ship for a year and a half, then with each subsequent one we plan to meet within 12 months. According to our estimates, the needs of Russian shipping companies specializing in river tourism in vessels of this type are about a hundred units, Dmitry Galkin calculates. - There is already a huge interest in the ship. The first cruises on the Sura are already sold out.

The Sura was built for a year and a half at the Gorodetsky Shipyard (GSRZ). Shipbuilders assembled and painted the metal hull and superstructures, manufactured and installed the propulsion and steering system and a number of other systems. This is not the first serious work of Gorodets shipbuilders. In 2009, the GSRZ concluded the first contract in the history of the enterprise with a Dutch company, and in July last year, the Iduna chemical tanker with a carrying capacity of more than seven thousand tons was launched. By the way, the Dutch recognized this ship as one of the best in terms of quality of work.

Evgeny Falmonov has been designing ships all his adult life.

I am one of the lucky ones for whom work is more than a hobby, - says Evgeny Vasilyevich. - Fate gave me meetings with interesting and enthusiastic people. Lectures at the Institute on ship architecture were given to us by Vladimir Viktorovich Sergeevich, who created the ships that still sail today. Then for 17 years he was my boss. Together we dreamed, fantasized, won the 1989 competition for the design of a passenger ship for the circle line along the Oka-Volga.

In 1993, Falmonov met the chief engineer of the Krasnoyarsk shipyard, Ivan Buller, who responded to his proposals for the creation of a new type of wheeled vehicles. Soon rear-wheel ferries entered the Yenisei.

In 2004, Evgeny Vasilievich presented a video of tests of Krasnoyarsk wheel ferries at a conference of river fleet enthusiasts. His report aroused great interest. And in August 2005, the fateful meeting of the inventor with businessman Dmitry Galkin took place.

However, Falmonov is far from resting on his laurels. He is passionate about new ship designs.

- "Sura" is only the beginning, - says Evgeny Vasilyevich. - The geographical features of the country - rivers that become shallow and freeze for half a year, the shelf of the northern seas - require innovative solutions for extended or year-round navigation of the fleet. Such a solution may be a wheeled icebreaker that can move bow and stern forward, maneuver in ice and slush. Moreover, when moving the wheels forward, the efficiency of icebreaking work will increase dramatically. Paddle wheels, shaped like two helical cutters, rotating at a speed of 10-30 rpm, break the ice using shear deformation along the line of application of force by the edge of the plate, and not bending, which is typical for traditional icebreakers. And it is known that the strength of ice in shear is five times lower than in bending.

In addition, paddle wheels, having a width greater than the hull, and a hydraulic cross-sectional area almost equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the immersed part of the hull, capture a large mass of water along with pieces of ice and disperse them, thanks to the helical shape of the plates, to the sides under the edge of the laid channel, the engineer continues. - There will be practically no broken ice in the channel, and an ice bowl will not form on the vessel's hull. Thus, the icebreaker will be able to move in a clean channel without experiencing ice frictional resistance, which is usually about 15% of the total resistance to movement in ice.

Falmonov's calculations show that the use of special paddle wheels as an ice-breaking and ice-clearing device can provide an approximately twofold reduction in energy consumption, displacement and draft compared to a traditional icebreaker of equal ice-breaking capacity.

After a twenty-year decline in Russia, there is a noticeable rise in shipping and shipbuilding. But the real boom of shipping on the rivers is only coming in connection with the planned creation of international transport corridors, including the waterways of Russia, - Evgeny Vasilyevich looks into the future. - With the arrival of foreign shipping companies on our rivers, the survival of the Russian fleet will depend on the operational and economic characteristics of transport vessels. Soviet-built ships are morally and physically obsolete. A new competitive fleet is to be created. What it will be depends on the quality of new ideas and on the willingness of customers to accept them.

Story

Built according to the PKS-40 project at the Gorodetsky shipyard for the Nizhny Novgorod group "Gama". Design work "Gama" began in 2007. The project was approved by the Russian River Register in June 2009.

The vessel under serial number 1 was laid down in October 2009 at the Gorodets shipyard in the Nizhny Novgorod region in Russia and launched on November 1, 2010. Construction was completed in 2011 . Your first ship voyage Sura committed on May 11, 2012.

Description and characteristics

In the design of the ship, a wheeled propulsion and steering complex (KDRK) was used, developed by the Nizhny Novgorod designer Evgeny Falmonov (a patent for the device was obtained in 2001), which made it possible to reduce the draft to 0.6 m. It has an electromechanical drive of paddle wheels. Fuel consumption in comparison with the power plant of the propeller-steering complex of a small-draft vessel is reduced by 40%. .

The cost of the vessel is 75 million rubles.

It is planned to use the ship on the ring line Oka - Volga .

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Links

• // wheelships.ru
• , description on the operator's website
• // Look, May 13, 2012

Notes

An excerpt characterizing Sura (ship)

A woman's dress rustled in the next room. As if waking up, Prince Andrei shook himself, and his face assumed the same expression that it had in Anna Pavlovna's drawing room. Pierre swung his legs off the sofa. The princess entered. She was already in a different, homely, but equally elegant and fresh dress. Prince Andrei stood up, courteously pushing a chair for her.
“Why, I often think,” she began, as always, in French, hastily and bustlingly sitting down in an armchair, “why didn’t Annette get married?” How stupid you all are, messurs, for not marrying her. Excuse me, but you don't understand anything about women. What a debater you are, Monsieur Pierre.
- I argue everything with your husband; I don’t understand why he wants to go to war, ”said Pierre, without any hesitation (so common in the relationship of a young man to a young woman) turning to the princess.
The princess was startled. Apparently, Pierre's words touched her to the core.
Ah, that's what I'm saying! - she said. “I don’t understand, I absolutely don’t understand why men can’t live without war?” Why do we women want nothing, why do we need nothing? Well, you be the judge. I tell him everything: here he is an uncle's adjutant, the most brilliant position. Everyone knows him so well and appreciates him so much. The other day at the Apraksins, I heard a lady ask: "c" est ca le fameux prince Andre? Ma parole d "honneur! [Is this the famous Prince Andrei? Honestly!] She laughed. - He is so accepted everywhere. He can very easily be an adjutant wing. You know, the sovereign spoke to him very graciously. Annette and I talked about how easy it would be to arrange. How do you think?

2. "Sura" - a wheeled motor ship with a hydraulic drive of paddle wheels, 35.5 m long, 9.8 m wide, with a displacement of 130 tons. It can reach speeds of up to 14 km per hour. It is planned that the design of the vessel will provide it with good maneuverability and maneuverability in shallow water. Nizhny Novgorod designers and planners, developing a project of a fundamentally new vessel, made many interesting discoveries into it. The shape of the ship itself is interesting and unusual. With its contours, it resembles an old steamship. A distinctive feature of the ship's architectural and design solution is the provision of a surface clearance of 8.6 m for passage under Moscow bridges. For this reason, all structures above the solarium deck are made to collapse, and the boat device of the new design of the “sliding” type is placed in the stern, at the level of the main deck. In the bow part, a ramp is made in the bulwark, which provides a convenient exit for passengers when approaching the unequipped shore with their bow. The forecastle deck is provided for tourists, and the anchor and mooring devices are lowered onto the main deck. The quality of welding of all structures of the ship can be especially emphasized. The vessel has a high maneuverability on rivers with limited depths and a winding fairway (as well as under bridges in Moscow).

3. Another unique property of the vessel is the use of a new propulsion and steering complex using paddle wheels. This makes it possible to increase controllability, maneuverability and stability, and makes it possible for passengers to enter an unequipped shore. The vessel's high efficiency, small carrying capacity, high speed, and lower environmental impact make it more profitable in relation to similar imported projects. In addition, a wheeled ship has 40% lower fuel consumption, which is very important, since fuel costs account for half of the cost of a cruise ticket.

4. The ship was launched on November 1, 2010 in Nizhny Novgorod. Now the last equipment of a number of internal premises is being carried out, an awning has been built on the upper deck, where, taking into account the possible pleasure use of the vessel, a galley elevator has been brought out.

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9. The ship is equipped with cabins with transformable furniture (cabins on the main deck of the ship will be double bunk).

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12. The ship has 40 passenger seats with all amenities and a restaurant.

13. In the buffet version, it can accommodate up to 150 people.

14. The innovation of the project also lies in the fact that the vessel can operate both on conventional diesel fuel and on biofuel. This allows the used Deutz diesel engines. The crew of the ship consists of only 11 (eleven) people, including five employees of the ship's restaurant. This became possible due to the high level of automation, and the combination of professions (mechanic captain, etc.). The draft of the ship will be only 75 centimeters. This will allow the ship to operate on shallow side rivers.

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17. I could not help but show you this remote control larger. Russian and Chinese are brothers for a century. "Disable" and "charged. Battery" - it's great :)

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20. The project of the ship was developed by the Nizhny Novgorod engineer-inventor Evgeny Falmonov (pictured), who has a patent for the invention of a wheel-propulsion steering complex No. 2225327 dated 11/30/2001.

21. Well, why not check the life-saving equipment on the ship.

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23. As soon as sea trials are completed, the ship will be able to pass along small rivers, where other ships do not go due to low water levels, it will be able to refloat itself, moor anywhere “nose to the shore”. In the meantime, all bureaucratic formalities have not been observed, unfortunately, he cannot independently move along our rivers and raise the Russian flag. Therefore, a tugboat arrived to deliver the vessel to the place of permanent parking.

24. To be honest, we were asked not to advertise this much in our reports. But since the information has already passed through many Nizhny Novgorod television channels, I see no reason to hide it. Yes, and there is nothing wrong with that. The ship is ready, which means that in the very near future, as soon as all the necessary papers are signed, it will go on its first voyage.

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31. See you soon, Sura. Looking forward to your first solo flight.

In my report, there are practically no photographs of the exteriors of the ship. But you can see how it looks from different angles in this post by Sergey.
I express my gratitude to the Nizhny Novgorod travel company "GAMA" and personally to Anna Vingurt for organizing the tour and providing information about the ship.

The length of the PKS-40 "Sura" is 35.5 meters, the height is 8.4, the width is 9.8. Due to such a small size, this ship completely hid behind the landing stage of the Gama company and it was not possible to photograph it “in full growth” :) Due to the small surface clearance, the Sura will be able to pass under bridges in the center of Moscow.

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Cruise ship "Sura" - wherever you poke, everywhere there is something new and unusual for river tourists.

Passenger capacity is only 40 people. This number of passenger seats was not chosen by chance and corresponds to the number of seats in the tour bus.

The draft is only 67 centimeters. "Sura" will be able to enter such rivers, where the usual cruise ships will not pass because of their draft.

Disembarkation of passengers can be carried out in unequipped places. "Sura" approaches "nose to the shore" and passengers will comfortably go down to the shore along the bow ramp. Those. Sura does not need an equipped berth, the fee for using which is often very high. For example, mooring on Valaam costs 24,000 rubles.

In the aft part of the "Sura" there is a wheel-propulsion steering complex. Those. 2 paddle wheels. Almost like the "Americans", only there is no steering pen and these 2 wheels can rotate at different speeds, thanks to which the "Sura" can turn. The blades of the paddle wheels are made of 8 mm steel - they will easily cut a log that has fallen into the wheel. According to the forecasts of the creators, there is nothing to break in the Sura wheel-propulsion steering complex.

The paddle wheels are driven by electric motors. In fact, "Sura" is a diesel-electric ship. There are 2 diesel engines in the ship's engine room, which can run on diesel fuel and rapeseed oil. So, if you smell fried potatoes, then perhaps somewhere nearby there is a “Sura” running on rapeseed oil :)

Due to the high degree of automation and the combination of professions, Sura has 3 shifts of 2 people each.

The design and construction of this ship cost 75,000,000 rubles.

Winter is not the best time to see a river cruise ship, but you can still get some idea of ​​the interiors. We examined the "Sura" together with the chief designer of the project and the inventor of the wheel-propulsion steering complex Evgeny Vasilyevich Falmonov (pictured second from the left). Also visible in the photo is the nose ramp of the Sura.

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At the entrance to the "Sura" we find ourselves in the salon-lobby on the middle deck. In total there are 3 decks on the ship: lower, middle and sunny. Linoleum and cellophane were laid specifically to protect surfaces in the winter. Before the navigation is opened, everything will be removed and vacuumed :)

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We go down to the lower deck.

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The walls are covered with high-strength wallpaper.

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On the lower deck of the Sura there are double cabins with private facilities. The sofa unfolds and you get a double bed from wall to wall.

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There is no wardrobe here. There is a bag for clothes.

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Bathroom in the cabin.

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You can get into the passenger cabin and use electricity only with a special card.

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Behind the passenger cabins on the lower deck are the crew quarters. Next comes a small wardroom with a window for dispensing food from the galley.

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Even closer to the stern of the lower deck is the galley.

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Even closer to the stern is the engine room.

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On the middle deck there are four and double cabins with private facilities. There is already a wardrobe.

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Food prepared in the galley is taken by lift to the middle deck.

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And he goes to a restaurant.

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There are CCTV cameras everywhere on Sura.

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Wheelhouse.

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General Director of the Gama group of companies Dmitry Nikolaevich Galkin (third left in the photo).

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Behind the wheelhouse is a free sun deck. Here, to the bar counter, a galley lift is displayed.

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On the starboard and port side of the life raft.

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There is also space for a lifeboat. The paddle wheels are also visible in the photo, which are covered with protective covers.

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And this is already a round table on topical issues of the passenger fleet - 2012 with the participation of the General Director of the Gama group of companies Dmitry Nikolaevich Galkin. A photograph of Sura is visible on the laptop.

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A few abstracts from the round table:

The project of another chariot PKS-200 "Golden Ring" is still frozen. No money.

Sura's preliminary timetable for 2012 navigation has appeared. "Sura" will be in Moscow at the YuRV in July and August. True, the prices for such a cruise are not something that bite, but I devour a river tourist a little less than completely. Cruise Nizhny Novgorod - Moscow YURV - Nizhny Novgorod 11 days / 10 nights in July, August with four-seater accommodation on the middle deck with three meals a day will cost the tourist 64,750 rubles. Two meals a day will save only 3,850 rubles.

Gama plans to build a "cruise barge". Those. the barge accommodates cabins and accommodation for tourists. A pusher clings to the barge (about the same as in the photo)

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And all this pushed train rolls tourists along the rivers. Although this will allow, at a relatively low cost, to create another unit of the cruise fleet and use the pusher for other work when the cruise navigation is closed, but the following is in my head: the ship should be white and ah, but not green and barge. It is possible that the idea and possible implementation of the "cruise barge" will find its fans among river tourists.

And this is the maximum, as I managed to shoot "Sura" from the outside.

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