Wheeled Tugboats BTK projects

[Mafioso]

Firstly, it is not a steamship, but a motor boat (but the false association "wheels means steam engine").

Secondly there are of these BTK there are like 7 projects which are:

The newest are projects1721, 1721L, 3.1721, 3.1721K and 4.1721.




Then there are the previous project which are the 1518, 1518A




Which differ slightly in dimensions, number of superstructure floors, engine power and nose design.

In total, more than fifty were built and worked on the upper reaches of the Irtysh and in the Lena basin and they are not so old as the first ship of this type was launched in 1973, and the last three - in 1990.







But why did anyone need paddlewheels in the last quarter of the 20th century?

The fact is that wheel propulsion, despite its seemingly hopeless obsolescence, has its advantages.

First, it allows swimming at a much shallower depth than a screw boat.

So, the 1721L with full reserves has a draft of one meter, but in reality it can be increased to 60 centimeters.

This allows it not only to navigate shallow sections of the river and, incidentally, to refloat, but also to land on an unequipped shore.

In addition, in shallow water conditions, the wheels are more effective than a propeller, erode the riverbed less, allow maneuvering in a tighter space, etc.

In short, an ideal boat for quiet paddling in shallow water. Exactly the same as in the upper Kazakh sections of the Irtysh, where this type appeared.

This is the only tug that can travel on the Pavlodar-Omsk route. However, they also headed much further north.






The BTK projects sailed happily along the rivers until the 1990s.

The volume of river transport has radically decreased and a state border has appeared on the other side of the Irtysh.

The ships of the Irtysh shipping company (and, I suspect, also of Kazakhstan's Verkhne-Irtysh) were partly sold, partly abandoned and partly cut up for scrap.



It seems that Russia's war with Ukraine has helped to bring several of these abandoned BTKs back into service.

And here I am going to publish all the BTK ships, that are working, that were scrapped or that were directly abandoned.

[Mafioso]

Shipbuilding company: Pervomaisky Shipyard (Kazakhstan, Pribrezhny)

Length, m: 51.5

Width, m: 17,3

Lateral height, m: 2.3

Draft with full reserves, m: 0,95

Deadweight, t: 28

Gross tonnage (GT) ): 283

Total power of the main diesel engines: 2x221







Of the BTK 1721 design only 3 wheeled tugs were built.

BTK 601, built in 1973, believed to have been scrapped in the 1980s.

BTK 602, Built 1974, Scrapped in the 1980's at Semey, Kazakhstan.

BTK 603, Built 1974, Whereabouts unknown.

[Mafioso]

We continue with the next project or design.

Now comes the interesting part.

[Mafioso]

Shipyard: Zhatay Shipyard (Russia, Zhatay)

Length, m: 43,2

Width, m: 16,86

Side height, m: 2,3

Overall height, m: 10,6

Draft with full stores, m: 1.0

Total power of main diesel engines: 2x270 kW

Speed, km/h: 17,5

Towing speed at 10 km/h at the towing speed: 6

Crew, persons: 10







Of the BTK 1721L design, 10 wheeled tugs were built.

Now I am going to publish each wheel tug one by one.


Let's start

[Mafioso]

Current name: Mechanic Korzennikov

Former name(s): BTK-601 (Until 1994 Jun)

Shipyard: Zhatai Ship Repair Shipyard LORP, Russia

Length, m: 43,2

Width, m: 16,86

Side height, m: 2,3

Overall height, m: 10,6

Draft with full stores, m: 1.0

Total power of main diesel engines: 2x270 kW

Speed, km/h: 17,5

Towing speed at 10 km/h at the towing speed: 6

Crew, persons: 10

The Korzennikov Mechanic ex BTK 601 was de-registered from the Russian registry in 2014 due to bureaucratic problems,

The ship was placed under arrest in the port of Zhatai, Republic of Sakha, Russia.

In 2017 Fleetphoto user EP2K-007 found the ship and this is his photo.



Here you can see the ship in total abandonment.

Here is the link:

https://fleetphoto.ru/photo/210071/

The ship was scrapped in 2021, I show you with images by year from Google Earth.

Google Earth image from May 2014

The ships are not visible here as they were abandoned in July 2014.


Google Earth image from July 2014

There you can see Mechanic Korzennikov and another BTK.


Google Earth image from May 2017

Korzennikov mechanic and another BTK, are abandoned.


Google Earth image of August 2021

Scrapped




LOCATION: 62°09'38.4"N 129°50'54.5"E

LINK MAPS: https://acortar.link/usWo7j




https://fleetphoto.ru/vessel/5935/

https://fleetphoto.ru/photo/210071/

[Mafioso]

Please, I ask you, is it understood?

Someone who can answer me if it is understood, because I am speaking through a translator.

And a lot of information is from Russian pages and I have to translate them into Spanish and then translate them into English to be able to publish them here.

Knowing that it is understood I continue to publish more BTK wheeled tugs.

[Aleksi Lindström]

Hi Mafioso, very interesting vessels which I had no idea even existed!

Yes, the translated English is fully understandable, no problems there, keep on posting.

Cheers,
Aleksi

[Mafioso]

Thank you friend Aleksi, you know why my interest because it is understood.

Because I was deleted 2 topics because I put game.


And that's why I want to make things right

[Mafioso]

Current name: BTK-602

Former name(s): BTK-602 (RR RSFSR)

Shipyard: Zhatai Ship Repair Shipyard LORP, Russia

Built: 1979

Yard number: 2

Length, m: 43,2

Width, m: 16,86

Side height, m: 2,3

Overall height, m: 10,6

Draft with full stores, m: 1.0

Total power of main diesel engines: 2x270 kW

Speed, km/h: 17,5

Towing speed at 10 km/h at the towing speed: 6

Crew, persons: 10

The ship BTK-602 was dropped off at the port of Zhatai, Republic of Sakha, Russia.

Because it had to be repaired due to engine problem.



But the ship is still in the same place.




LOCATION: 62°09'39.7"N 129°51'07.9"E

LINK MAPS: https://acortar.link/oN9QJD




https://fleetphoto.ru/vessel/5924/

https://fleetphoto.ru/photo/212062/

[Mafioso]

Current name: BTK-603

Former name(s): BTK-602 (РР РСФСР)

Shipyard: Zhatai Ship Repair Shipyard LORP, Russia

Built: 1979

Yard number: 3

Length, m: 43,2

Width, m: 16,86

Side height, m: 2,3

Overall height, m: 10,6

Draft with full stores, m: 1.0

Total power of main diesel engines: 2x270 kW

Speed, km/h: 17,5

Towing speed at 10 km/h at the towing speed: 6

Crew, persons: 10

Until 2021 I am pushing a ferry barge between the village of Megino-Aldan and the village of Keskil in Sakha Republic, Russia.



At the end of 2021 at a crossing he was stranded in the middle of the river next to the barge which was carrying 10 cars and 4 trucks.

Therefore the ship was taken to the port of Zhatai and now operates pushing sand barges and crane barges.




LOCATION: 62°09'22.3"N 129°50'20.7"E

LINK MAPS: https://acortar.link/Cn7NW3




https://fleetphoto.ru/vessel/5925/

https://fleetphoto.ru/photo/456713/