http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/showboatbr_8416.mp3
Over the weekend, the Showboat Branson Belle hosted members of the press and a guest on the boat in anticipation of the new season beginning. We took the opportunity to find out what's changed on board since the incident last year that left 567 passengers and 76 crew members stranded on board the Belle for nearly 17 hours. KSMU’s Theresa Bettmann attended the grand re-opening on Table Rock Lake and has this report.
[sound-boarding announcements]
What you hear is the sound of a crew member calling the nearly 600 guests to begin boarding the Branson Belle. This marks the first cruise for the showboat’s 2011 season, with many changes, including those designed for both safety and comfort. Jim Moeskau is the general manager of the Branson Belle.
“Well this is our grand re-opening and we’re so excited about our all new show, our new interior, and our new menu,” Moeskau said.
Many of the changes are not ones passengers would notice at first glance. These changes include important safety modifications resulting from the cruise last December, when the ship ran aground due to problems with its propulsion system and extremely high winds.
Moeskau says that even with all of the significant changes the showboat has undergone, the Belle was able to open almost on schedule.
“We just work closely with the Coast Guard. Everything is regulated by the Coast Guard. So we had a lot of different inspections throughout the process. And then they just have to go through the long approval process. Actually it really only delayed us opening about a week. Now for sailing, we had another week to week-and-a-half before we could start sailing, “Moeskau said.
[sound propulsions and paddles]
Water rushes over the Belle’s giant red paddlewheels, which send the boat coasting along the water. These paddlewheels are now powered by the new, 140,000 dollar propulsion system. It replaces the old system, which was 15 years-old. Don McMahon is senior captain for the Belle, and says that he loves the way it now handles.
“We’ve actually probably gained, I’m estimating, about 25 percent forward propulsion. And probably about 50 percent additional propulsion going astern [backward]. Same drive motors, it’s just different controls, and its marvelous,” McMahon said.
The Branson Belle is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment, and is a part of Silver Dollar City Attractions. Lisa Rau is a spokesperson for Herschend Family Entertainment. She says this propulsion system is just one of several changes intended for safety. Rau says the boat also has a completely new hull, which cost nearly 200,000 dollars. Rau added that a new wind policy has also been put into effect.
“What we chose to do is put in a wind policy. There is not a wind policy, nor does the Coast Guard have one. But what we are doing voluntarily, is doing cruises only if winds are under 20 miles per hour sustained, or 25 mile per hour gusts,” Rau said.
Rau says those wind speeds may be a bit over-cautious, and that the showboat’s operators will probably be re-evaluating them and raising them in the weeks to come. She says that even when winds are too high to sail, guests will still get to enjoy great food and entertainment aboard the boat—they just won’t get to cruise.
In December, rescuers removed trees to create a path to the water’s edge, then built a ramp out to the stranded ship. Rau said part of what is new for this spring includes the restoring of that land.
“Jack Herchand stepped up with our Gift of Green program and Silver Dollar City and said we will make sure to reforest this path that we created. We will make sure to remove all of the dirt that we put into the water to help create a peninsula. We will re-forest this and set this back better than it was before. The U.S. Corps of Engineers approved the plan of re-forestation and that’s happening right now this spring,” Rau said.
The new show this year is called “Encore.” Some of its highlights include the world’s only aerial violinist Janice Martin, a male vocal group called The ShowMen, and comedian-slash-magician Christopher James. Also new this year is the signature live band The Rockin’ Dockers. For KSMU News, I’m Theresa Bettmann.