Rv Pandaw 1947 Story
The
RV Pandaw and other 5 similar so called "class P" design vessels was
commissioned after the end of the Second World War by the Inland
Water Transport Board of the government of the Union of Burma with
the technical expertise of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company at that
time acting as Agents to the I.W.T. Board under an agreement.
Rv
Pandaw was built in Scotland on the Clyde by the famous ships
builder Yarrow & Co on 1947 with the same design of the pre-war
Quarter Wheeler steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company. After
being boarded up in order to protect her from the sea waves, she
left Scotland for the delivery voyage to Burma on the 1950. On the
12th January 1951 she started to serve the Inland Water Transport (Irrawaddy
Flotilla was nationalized on the 1st of June 1948) on the route
Mandalay- Bhamo for both cargo and passengers transportation.
In
the 1998 she was hired from Inland Water Transport and converted
into a 16 cabins luxurious river cruise vessel by the Historian Mr.
Paul Strachan and his wife, who is also the founder of the revived
Irrawaddy Flotilla Company.
After
5 successful years of cultural cruises operations in the Irrawaddy
and Chindwin rivers of Myanmar, IFC decided to not renew the charter
contract with IWT anymore because the Old Lady Rv Pandaw needed some
major repairs and refitting, an investment that IFC probably deemed
not convenient as they have already built two bigger new Pandaw
replicas with higher passenger capacity.
In
the second half of the 2003 Interconnection Co. Ltd signed the
charter agreement with IWT and the Pandaw underwent to major
renovations in the Marine Side at the Yangon Dalla Dockyards. As far
as the Hotel side is concerned new furniture has been specially
designed and new Food and Beverage equipment have been bought.
Historic Technical Details
The
principal original dimensions of these 6 class "P" vessels were 130
feet by 34 feet and the design draft was 4 feet. The carrying
capacity was 476 passengers and the cargo capacity was 210 Tons. The
propulsion system was originally fitted with Quarter wheels
propelled by slow speed diesel engine. The engine, reverse reduction
gear box seated in forward of amid ship and worm gears box, paddle
wheels fitted in extreme aft of the vessel for even keel condition.
The light draft of the vessel is 2 feet only and fully loaded
condition is nearly 4 feet. The hull form is box shape with round
bilge, spoon bow and cut up stern for paddle wheels access.
According to the spare parts scarcity, the main engine and
propulsion system was reinstalled with outboard propulsion system
after thirty years of service. It was over 1980 that our Rv Pandaw
1947 was major repaired in Dalla Dockyard and re-engines with
Hydromaster Outboard propulsion system. The main engine is a Dorman
250Hp and transmission is Hydromaster produced in UK. At that time
the hull structure was renovated and the engine room converted into
cargo hold and a new propulsion system was installed in the extreme
aft of the vessel. The new length is now 148 Feet, breadth and width
same as before. Due to the re-powering, the vessel could be able to
carry more passengers and cargos due to weight saving. Seventeen
years after re-powering the vessel was converted into a tourist
pleasure cruise vessel in the Myanma Shipyard (Sinmalike) by the
revived Irrawaddy Flotilla Company Ltd. and during their management
docking was performed annually at the Dalla Dockyard. In the 2003
under the management of Interconnection Co Ltd the ship underwent a
major refitting.
Rv
Pandaw is listed in the "The international register of Historic
Ships" of the
WORLD SHIP TRUST
''...Built
in Scotland in 1947, the Pandaw is the same design as the original
shallow draft of Irrawaddy Flotilla Company paddle steamers that
coped so well with the difficult conditions of Irrawaddy. In 1997
we discovered old Pandaw laid-up at Mandalay. It was love at first
sight. But the condition was terrible. On account of her ultra
draft she had used mainly on the Mandalay-Bhamo run [...]. Pigs
ran freely on the lower deck and 50 years of overloading with
passengers and goods had taken his toll. Yet Yarrow built a STRONG
ship and WE reckoned SHE was good for another 50 YEARS..."
·
Manladay Bagan Cruise by Pandaw 1947 2 days/ 1 night
·
Bagan - Manladay Cruise by Pandaw 1947 3 days/ 2 nights |
