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Image 10 of 10 - Removing port Z-drive (a type of azimuth thruster) from riverboat "American Melody" before replacing it, Louisville, Kentucky, Ohio River mile 604, July 11, 2025
Closeup of the second (trailing) propeller. It's nice and clean for now, but soon it will meet that sweet brown water.
The boat is owned by American Cruise Lines, Guilford, Connecticut, which offers "small ship" cruises on the Mississippi River system, Columbia and Snake Rivers, and the waters of New England, Puget Sound, Alaska and the southeast U.S.
I was told that the boat will be offering cruises on the Ohio River between Louisville and Pittsburgh through early fall, then move to the lower Mississippi River.
The port Z-drive is not functioning correctly so it is being removed from the stern of "American Melody" before being replaced with a new one. It is a Veth Z-drive with counter-rotating (CR) propellers. Z-drives have also been referred to as rudder propellers since the direction of thrust is controlled by slewing the propellers themselves rather than using separate rudder(s) to deflect the thrust of a fixed propeller. Some Z-drives are ducted, with nozzles surrounding the propellers, but this one is open.
Veth Propulsion is a Dutch propulsion manufacturer, now part of Twin Disc, Inc.
From "Veth Rudder Propellers" (PDF):
"Operation: The CR unit consists of two propellers rotating in opposite directions relative to each other, wherein the second propeller removes the whirling of the water caused by the first propeller. This results in minimal rotational losses with optimal efficiency from the available power and propeller diameters.
Low noise: The counter-rotating propellers give a new dimension to efficient and low-noise propulsion. Because the optimum engine speed is more than 20% lower in contra-rotating propellers than in a single-propeller or in which two propellers rotate in the same direction, there is also an extremely low noise level. Also, the low blade load and the reduced turbulence in the water contribute to lower vibration and noise production.
Benefits: In contrast to other suppliers, Veth Propulsion offers a CR solution in which the propeller is mounted on two sides of the tail unit. This has a number of advantages:
- The peripheral speed of the shaft seals is half that of systems with two propellers on one side, in that a shaft does not rotate inside another shaft.
- Two separate (solid) shafts are each loaded between 45 - 55% of the output power
- A durable bearing and seal are thus created, compared with two propellers on one side
- By making use of a four-blade and a five-blade propeller, the power is distributed over nine blades
- Less time in dock during dismantling. Seals remain in position when the propeller is removed and oil change is not necessary
- At an equal propeller diameter, an efficiency gain of 15 to 20% is achieved compared to a single propeller"
"American Melody"
Year of build: 2021
Flag state: USA
Builder: Chesapeake Shipbuilding (Salisbury, Maryland USA)
Class: modern riverboat
Building cost: $30 million
Speed: 12 knots (14 mph)
Length (LOA): 269 feet [shipbuildinghistory says 302 feet]
Beam (width): 56 ft
Passengers: 175
Crew: 43
Decks: 5
Cabins: 91
Decks with cabins: 4
Sister-ships: (ACL American) Song, Harmony, Jazz, Symphony, Serenade, Encore, Anthem
Owner: American Cruise Lines Inc
Operator: American Cruise Lines
I cannot find engine specs for this boat, but her sister boat "American Song" is propelled by two "ultra-low-sulfur" Caterpillar diesel engines connected to Twin Disc Veth Propulsion Z-drives (Model VZ-1250A-CR) which can be rotated 360 degrees. Power output is 1,350 kilowatts (1810 horsepower) at 1,600 RPM. Extra maneuverability is provided by two Veth Propulsion tunnel thrusters (Model VT-400) producing 400 kilowatts (540 horsepower) at 1,500 RPM.
If you're really interested, see a list of models of Veth azimuth thrusters.
Ohio River mile 604
July 11, 2025
no file number
Taken with the average-at-best camera in my Jitterbug phone
According to the University of Colorado, there are more than 19,500 different kinds of bees in the world, and in North America alone, there are approximately 3,500 different species. In 2011, the university conducted a survey of bees in the state of Colorado, and the “Colorado Bee List” documents nearly 950 kids of bees living in the state. While these common insects may be most well-known for their painful sting, bees play an important role in our ecosystem that you may not know about.
For example, did you know that bees are in charge of helping trees, plants, and flowers grow throughout the state of Colorado? From Grand Junction to Glenwood Springs, bees are responsible for pollinating 75% of our greenery. Across the U.S., bees help more than $15 billion in crops grow each year — helping our agricultural industry feed America.
The most famous kind of stinging insect here in the U.S., the honeybee, isn’t actually native to our area. It was brought to the U.S. by European settlers a long time ago. Today, the honeybee and its other cousin-bee species that live here have an important role to play in keeping Colorado healthy. But we can all agree that their important role is best played outdoors! When bees and wasps come inside our homes, they can actually cause more problems than just a sting. Let’s take a look at how these insects harm homes in Colorado each year.
I removed the shiny layer from my girls and added some chalk pastel blush. They aren't sealed yet because I am thinking of customizing them a little more later. :)
Blue Ford Mustang Boss 302 with FAILED Scotch Gard Clear Bra Remove and install Venture Shield Custom Clear Bra by Speed Shield
Bikes chained on fence will be removed immediately. 47 Claremont Ave. near 116th St., New York City.
Olivia Crang as Mary Magdalene in 'lament: candles & compost' presented by Sanctum Theatre at The Abbotsford Convent 2006.
Photo by Paul Dunn.
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Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Ecclesiastes 11:10 King James Bible
The Photoshop effect is applied to the long tail garment items. Some items may have the back part longer than the front part viz Composer Tuxedo. Removing mannequin from such a product, the designers have to join the bottom part in Photoshop.
Removing the rail embankment near Selly Oak, in preparation for the construction of a rail bridge over a new road, on 25 December 2010.