Boat Name: Spirit of South Charleston
Spirit of South Charleston
Boat Name:
Spirit of South Charleston
Owner: Frank and Maureen Burdette, 5 MacCorkle Avenue, SW, South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone: 304-545-8541 E-mail: Fmburdette@charter.net
Web Site:
www.spiritofsouthcharleston.com
Hull: 5/16" steel with 5 compartments
Hull Size: 57' 7" x 17' 4". Drafts approximately 2 feet
Paddlewheel: 9' diameter by 8'4" wide with sixteen 14' oak buckets
Engine: 371 Detroit diesel
Drive Train: Twin Disk Marine Reversing gear, which powers a shaft with a
Vulcan connector to a second shaft which leads to a chain drive connected to the
paddle wheel.
Builder: Built in 1973 by Ruble Sternwheelers, Inc.
Superstructure: One deck 12' x 30', all steel construction; pilot house
8' x 8'
Misc: 500 gallons of diesel fuel, 70 gallons of potable water
The Spirit of South Charleston is
a commercial passenger vessel, licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry 100
persons, including crew, and is presently conducting cruises on the Kanawha
River, West Virginia.
It was built by Everet Ruble, Jr., in 1973 and was christened the Valley Gem. In 1989 it was rechristened the Junior Ruble in honor of Everet Ruble, Jr. This sternwheeler was the flagship of the Blennerhassett fleet of Ruble Sternwheelers, Inc., of Belpre, Ohio. Later on it was renamed C. P. Huntington. At one time it was leased out and was run for a while on the Ohio River at Camden Park, Huntington, West Virginia.
It was sold by Ruble Sternwheelers, Inc. in early 2002, to Randy and Laura Smith who moved it from Belpre, Ohio to Stockport, Ohio where it cruised on the Muskingum River as the Kathryn Helen Hook.
Frank and Maureen Burdette purchased the boat from Randy and Laura Smith in April, 2003 and brought it down the Ohio River to South Charleston, West Virginia, in May, 2003. The interior has been extensively remodeled and has been wired for electricity and a 21 kw generator is about to be installed. We have restaurant style tables and chairs with seating for 36 in the cabin. We do not presently have a beer or liquor license. We do give our passengers the right to bring on their own food and alcohol, if desired.
Frank and Maureen are both licensed U.S. Coast Guard captains and are running the boat as a commercial passenger boat and are available for charters and regattas