Need info about harbor cruise ships (interior, mechanicals, layout)

Dragonwriter

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I want to have a scene on one of those harbor/bay cruise boats (like the Blue and Gold or Red and White Fleet in San Francisco) but their websites and a Google search aren't giving me the info I need.

Ideally, I'd like to have a layout/plan of a large example of one of these boats (one with at least a couple hundred capacity--more if possible). The events are supposed to take place during a Fourth of July dinner/fireworks cruise in the San Francisco Bay.

I also need info about the mechanical works of the boat--how big is the area where the engines are, what's there, etc? I want my antagonist, who works for the cruise company, to plant explosives in the lower deck, with a plan to blow up the boat and sink it. The guy will have magic on his side helping to conceal him and make him difficult to find, but ideally I'd like him to plant his explosives in places that would be hard to find too but do maximum damage.

Can any one help me out? Thanks in advance!
 

jclarkdawe

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You go into the bilges. Slow sinking involves blowing open the seacocks. Fast sinking would be setting explosives along one of the ribs of the ship and blowing the ship in half. Ribs are attached to the keel.

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

Al X.

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Bear in mind that the San Francisco Bay commuter ferries are catamarans. They will have individual engine rooms in each hull, about the size of a small elongated bedroom, with a four stroke diesel probably somewhere in the 500 horsepower range. Getting 'below decks', e.g., below the water line, is going to be problematic for passengers, as the hulls aren't occupied for other purposes.
 

Dragonwriter

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They don't have to be the exact commuter ferries - in fact, I don't want them to be since I'm planning to plant explosives on them. :) I'm thinking of one of those Hornblower Cruise-type boats. And since the person planting the explosives is an employee (he's mind-controlled by a magic item), he shouldn't have as much trouble getting into restricted areas.
 

Al X.

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They don't have to be the exact commuter ferries - in fact, I don't want them to be since I'm planning to plant explosives on them. :) I'm thinking of one of those Hornblower Cruise-type boats. And since the person planting the explosives is an employee (he's mind-controlled by a magic item), he shouldn't have as much trouble getting into restricted areas.

Gotcha. Well, you have two choices. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferryboat_Santa_Rosa and a paddle wheel, which I can't find the link to. There is no layout but you can look at the specs and the pictures, which might be helpful.
 

Dragonwriter

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Thanks, I'll check it out! I was just looking at Hornblower Cruises' website and there's this one, which will fit my needs nicely (with a name change, of course!) https://www.hornblower.com/port/yacht/sf+13 I just wish I could get some details about the belowdecks area--I don't think calling them up and asking them ("I'm a writer and I want to blow up a boat like yours! Can you tell me about your engine room?") would get me too far. :)
 

Al X.

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Thanks, I'll check it out! I was just looking at Hornblower Cruises' website and there's this one, which will fit my needs nicely (with a name change, of course!) https://www.hornblower.com/port/yacht/sf+13 I just wish I could get some details about the belowdecks area--I don't think calling them up and asking them ("I'm a writer and I want to blow up a boat like yours! Can you tell me about your engine room?") would get me too far. :)

If you do an image search and look at the stern, you will find that it isn't a true paddle boat. The paddle isn't driven, it just catches the top of the water to give a turning effect. Several of those were built as cruise boats and floating casinos. The engine room is likely near the stern under the floor deck, and probably has a couple of small diesels driving propellers.

You're in San Jose, close enough to take a drive up the 101 to the City where you might be able to come on board for a quick tour during down time.