„A boat that does not produce waves“

New vaparettos for Venice

In Venice there are transport problems of completely specific nature. All the small and large boats with its waves are causing immense damages on the palaces along the canals. But one really sensational development could possibly solve this problem and care for more tranquil waterways in Venice: small company from Lower Austria developed a new ship, which has a hull that causes considerably less waves.

Challenger II is setting off on its first testing ride, or to put it better, voyage. The boat will be tested for the first time in the port of Grado and thus its suitability for sea cruising will be confirmed. The comparison is definite - traditional boat of a comparable size and with producing normal waves against Challenger II that doesn’t produce almost any waves.
Testing voyage in Grado is attracting a lot of attention, mainly with experienced seafarers. Capitano Luigi Cattaruzza, ship and dockyard owner from Trieste: „We are very surprised especially by the fact that an architect from the other side of the mountains, from Austria, has found such a nice solution for cruising the sea.“

And that is him – a man from the Alps – father of the new boat type. Theodor Eder and his team constructed the prototype far away from any water, in a warehouse hall near Vienna.
During testing cruises on the Danube river the Venetian carriers noticed an aluminum boat, now they are contemplating an idea that they would replace their old Vaparettos by this type of boats. Theodor Eder, majority owner Alsphere Group: „Subsequently all fast and small boats will have to be adapted in this respect within Venice, or they need to be constructed in this way, because it is just them that produce the biggest waves – and not slow large Vaparettos, but firefighting boats, rescue boats etc.“

Secret of this Austrian construction is in any case called DG. And that represents a special form that promises higher speed while producing smaller waves and using less energy. Werner Kastenhofer, technical director Alsphere Group: „The new and also patented system is based on the form of the boat consisting of two elements: One of them is lower part, keel or proper forcing part and gliding area, and both systems create their waves independently on each other. To put is simply, they affect each other and in an optimal case they annul each other. That also results in our designation: „a boat that does not produce waves”.”

Firstly the Challenger II had to be completely built, lifted on a truck and prepared for hundreds of kilometers journey in order to try sea water underneath. However, it seems that the work has been worthwhile. The tests pleased everyone. And potential Italian partners are already thinking about the future. Capitano Luigi Cattaruzza, ship and dockyard owner: „At first we shall look at how we could also build off-shore boats of 40 or 45 meter length with this hull from Vienna.“ The decision whether the Austrian construction can really be used in Venetian marine transport or also at bigger cargo boats and towboats should be made by the end of this year.

Alpe Adria Magazin, 2.6.2002