Cruise Talk: Large Funnels

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Topic: Large Funnels

Peter_LT
First Class Passenger
Member # 4676

posted 12-01-2006 05:43 AM

Hi Folks,
Whilst browsing around I came across some movie footage of the SS United States being turned, and was struck by the width of her funnels - massive or what?

Certainly, until 1950 it was the RMS Caronia which had the biggest ship's funnel afloat. The structure had a fore and aft length of 53 feet (nine feet longer than either funnel of the Queen Elizabeth), a breadth of 26½ feet and a height of 46 feet.

How does that compare with SS US?

Regards,
Steve (Peter S.)
Caronia II Timeline Webmaster

[ 12-01-2006: Message edited by: Peter_LT ]

Posts: 21 | From: Lowestoft, UK | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 12-01-2006 08:23 AM

I don't have a clue about this, but talking of large funnels, one ship always comes to my mind.

Photo Eric Houri, Fakta om fartyg.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 12-01-2006 10:30 AM

From the picture posted above it looks like the ship owner or designer is trying to compensate for some sort of personal issues or short-comings. There's no reason in the world to have a funnel that big...I'm wondering if it's a photoshop deal?

Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-01-2006 11:19 AM

She has always had that funnel, it is not a photoshop. Pic below taken back in 1981. A number of ferries have these huge funnels designed to keep all fumes off deck at all times. See the Moby Otta link in the other thread.

As to the dimensions of SSUS' funnels I haven't a clue, but someone must know?

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 12-01-2006 06:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by LeBarryboat:
[QB[...]There's no reason in the world to have a funnel that big.[..][/QB]

Oh there is. An ideal funnel is high and thin - usually one can not build it this way on a ship - but if one can it makes sense to do it.

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 12-01-2006 06:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ernst:
Oh there is. An ideal funnel is high and thin - usually one can not build it this way on a ship - but if one can it makes sense to do it.

Just like the beautiful original on QE2. I even like the funnels on Cunard Ambassador/Adventurer even though they looked like they were installed backwards.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 12-01-2006 06:48 PM

Ferries are usually on far tighter schedules and turnarounds than cruise ships; they can't meander around or slow down. When on specific routes where prevailing winds are such that exhaust fumes are liable to end up on deck, having such a tall funnel is a bonus.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Indarra
First Class Passenger
Member # 6005

posted 12-06-2006 06:22 AM

My candidate in the tallest funnel stakes is the Yangtse river steamer TUNGTING built in Shanghai for China Navigation Co (John Swire & Sons) in 1900. This was China Nav's first attempt at building a large river steamer in China. Until then they were built in Scotland (with shorter funels) and sailed out.

I suspect the advantage of a tall funnel in this case was improving draft to the boilers. The thinner air molecules at the funnel's top encourages the air to move up the funnel freely, and therefore allows better combustion of poorer grades of coal. But I'm not a technical expert, and someone else may be able to explain it better.

[ 12-06-2006: Message edited by: Indarra ]

Posts: 274 | From: Tokyo | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 12-06-2006 12:46 PM

So which modern cruise ship has the tallest funnel today? I personally don't know but I will go out on a limb and say one of the Carnival ships. Their funnels seem especially tall to me (even more so when standing underneath) and of course most are relatively narrow which makes them seem even taller.

Picking the widest funnel is more difficult. Why? Because so many ships these days have incorporated some sort of lounge or sports area into the funnel. Sometimes it's hard to tell what is actually the funnel. QM2's might be the widest if you count all the structures at the base of the funnel.

Ernie

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

sslewis
First Class Passenger
Member # 3649

posted 12-06-2006 01:49 PM

Ernie,
Agree with you on that point.
A tall funnel is one thing, a fat one is another.
I heard that ssUS was very difficult to handle, so were ssFrance and worse of all poor old ssLiberte.
The germans learnt that a taller funnel made cleaner decks but turned their ships into sailing boats.
ssBremen met some issues during her Panama canal crossing in 1939.
Cunarders had big but slim funnels which helpd

Posts: 2513 | From: Shipspotting Solent shores when weather allows.... | Registered: Feb 2003 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 12-06-2006 01:53 PM

Aparently the Caronia had that problem too.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

Maasdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 3858

posted 12-06-2006 03:03 PM

The HAL liner ss Potsdam of 1900. After the first voyages they discovered that the ship was not able to sail on here service speed. Something to do with the air and the boilers (i'm not that techical to go in detail) The yard Blöm und Voss and NASM desided to rais here funnel with 6 meters. And the problems where sorted out. Frome that moment Potsdam came to know as Funneldam in Dutch Pijpendam.

As delivered:

After the alteration:

Greetings Ben.

Posts: 4695 | From: Rotterdam home of the tss. Rotterdam. | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

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