Since 1921, the aging steamers the 11,000 ton Bergensfjord and the 12,500 ton Stavangerfjord of the Nordmark-America Line, have been operating on a circle-schedule, the ships sailing in opposite directions, connecting Nordmark with Atlantis, the South African Atlantic Coast (both Warvis Bay and Cape Town),Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, New York City, Vinland, and Iceland.
The ships, are now considered far too small and slow to compete on this service. Thus the company has come to the decision to build 2 new ships, capable of cruising at nearly 30knots to take over the service.
Nordmark, Nordmark-America Liner laid down 1931
Displacement:
38,856 t light; 39,874 t standard; 50,906 t normal; 59,733 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
974.71 ft / 950.00 ft x 100.00 ft x 31.00 ft (normal load)
297.09 m / 289.56 m x 30.48 m x 9.45 m
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 204,366 shp / 152,457 Kw = 33.00 kts
Range 7,000nm at 29.50 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 19,859 tons
Complement:
1,693 - 2,202
Cost:
£9.668 million / $38.671 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 6,111 tons, 12.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,744 tons, 34.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 12,051 tons, 23.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 15,000 tons, 29.5 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
95,975 lbs / 43,534 Kg = 888.7 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 4.8 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 0.99
Metacentric height 4.9 ft / 1.5 m
Roll period: 18.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.00
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.605
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.50 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 34.93 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 25.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 53.00 ft / 16.15 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 44.00 ft / 13.41 m
- Mid (50 %): 44.00 ft / 13.41 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 44.00 ft / 13.41 m
- Stern: 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
- Average freeboard: 44.80 ft / 13.65 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 71.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 360.2 %
Waterplane Area: 72,762 Square feet or 6,760 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 187 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 135 lbs/sq ft or 659 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.90
- Longitudinal: 2.73
- Overall: 1.00
Caution: Poor stability - excessive risk of capsizing
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily
Nordmark & Princess Victoria
Misc weight allocation:
16t / first class cabin passenger . . . 400 passengers = 6,400 tons
7.5t / second class cabin passenger . . 500 passengers = 3,750 tons
2.8t / steerage passenger . . . . . . 1000 passengers = 2,800tons
Total passengers. . . . . . . . . . . 1,900 passengers = 12,950 tons
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .= 1,550 tons
Extras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .= 500 tons
Grand total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .= 15,000 tons
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Nordmark will be layed down in April 1931, with Princess Victoria following on 3 months behind.
The ships are expected to both enter service in 1935.