Jura wreck

Deep Wreck Fresh water

This wooden flat-decked passenger paddle steamer was built by Maschinenfabrik Escher-Wyss & Cie in Z?rich in 1854. The cost was 137,000 Swiss Francs and the ship was owned by Soci?t? des Bateaux ? vapeur du Lac de Neuch?tel.

All passenger areas were made below deck. Except for the tiny bridge, the two paddle housings, and the stairways to below deck, there were no superstructures on the deck.


The wreck

In 1865 she collided with the Swiss ship Stadt Z?rich and sank near Bottighofen in the Bodensee Lake (Lake Constance). She lies on 36 m depth. Thanks to the dark and cold (+4?C) sweetwater lake the ship has been extremely well-preserved.

The wreck was discovered in 1964 by a scuba diver. Since then, and increasingly through the 1990s, this site has been very popular among scuba divers. In 2000 the ship has been badly damaged as a result of intensive scuba diving. Dive boats have (accidentally) anchored in the wreck. Loose objects have been stolen by trophy-hunters and structures have collapsed. Since nails and bolts are corroded, it's often enough with the surge of a finstroke to make planks fall off.


Ship data

Length: 46 m

Width: 10 m

Draught: 0.9 m

Machine: Standing oscillating 2-cylinder low-pressure machine

Cylinder bore: 813 mm

Power: 45 HP nominal

Average fuel consumption: 500-630 kg wood per hour

Diameter of paddle wheel: 3,11 m

Number of paddles per wheel: 12

Speed: 11,5 to 12 English miles per hour

Passengers: max 400


The wreck is now under the protection of the historical Monument Swiss Law. It is now strongly forbiden to enter the Wreck, any destruction or attemdt to stole some object from the Wreck may hev Very serious consequences

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