LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Secured on the banks of the Ohio River is a piece of history. The Belle of Louisville is the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world, according to its staff.
To keep the riverboat in good condition, its crews will begin the process of “winterizing” it once cruises end in October. The process takes many weeks to complete but its crew believes it’s the reason for the Belle’s long life of nearly 110 years.
“As a steamboat, you know, you let the water set and it’s going to freeze and bust. You have antique equipment that we’re trying to preserve,” Chief engineer Daniel Lewis explained. “Some of it’s one of a kind. So we have to go through this process of draining and drying out that equipment every year to be able to preserve the Belle for years to come.”
Part of what must be done is climbing into the back side of the boiler to remove an antique water pressure gauge that is likely as old as the boat.
“There’s mechanisms inside the drum that we have to take out, so I have to climb in there, take that apart, and then hand it out to Stephen,” Lewis said before climbing in feet first inside the boiler.
Elsewhere tables and chairs have been packed away and life vests have been moved inside. The Belle’s ballroom and concession areas are completely emptied as well.
On top of the boat, Lewis and assistant engineer Stephen Settles must remove the decades-old spotlights, which will be cleaned and packed away for the winter.
At the stern, the two engineers rotate the boat’s paddlewheel. This is done weekly to ensure the wooden paddles are not submerged for too long.
For Lewis, who’s worked on the Belle for 29 years, his favorite part of the job doesn’t involve crawling into boilers or moving paddlewheels. It’s sharing the ship’s history with others.
“I’ve had the chance to meet people from all over the world, really. They’ve wanted to come and see this. It’s been a great opportunity for that,” Lewis said.
Lewis adds they hope to begin the lengthy process of preparing the Belle to set sail once again in late March. The first cruises down the Ohio are scheduled for April.