PECKO 18
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:16 am
Cargo shipping has been used through the ages. In theory, it started when cargo was loaded on any ship or raft for the first time to be carried downstream to a destination. If the shipper did not abandon the vessel at the destination or sell it for further use, the vessel had to be pulled either by man or boat upstream back to the place of origin.
At first, men used ropes long enough to pull the vessel. These men were usually local villagers who pulled vessels upstream as their source of income. This method was very taxing for both pullers and vessel pilots responsible for keeping the vessel on course. Manual labour was replaced by cows and horses, and later by cars, tractors or engines running on tracks built for the purpose. Today, some of these tracks are still preserved and used as pedestrian or bike paths.
The invention of the steam engine (later replaced by the diesel engine) started a large boom of tugboat use. This boom came to a head during the 19th century when tugboats provided easy transportation up and down the river. In the late 20th century, tugboats started to be used for pushing rather than the traditional pulling.
Propeller steamboats, known as P-type or “Péčko”, were used locally. They were originally designed for the Hamburg port. Unlike traditional river tugboats, they were shorter, wider and had a deeper draft. The maximum propeller size in the largest boats was two meters. The short helm did not exceed the dimensions of the boat. A massive hook and flexible suspension allowed for flexibility of tugging.
The widely used “Péčko” boats were cutting-edge technology of its time. They belonged to the most frequently used boats on the Czech stretch of the Vltava and Labe rivers. The stamp depicts a “Péčko-18” steamboat. The higher-output diesel engines ended the career of the P-type boats.
Czech Republic 2013
Source Czech Post web-site
At first, men used ropes long enough to pull the vessel. These men were usually local villagers who pulled vessels upstream as their source of income. This method was very taxing for both pullers and vessel pilots responsible for keeping the vessel on course. Manual labour was replaced by cows and horses, and later by cars, tractors or engines running on tracks built for the purpose. Today, some of these tracks are still preserved and used as pedestrian or bike paths.
The invention of the steam engine (later replaced by the diesel engine) started a large boom of tugboat use. This boom came to a head during the 19th century when tugboats provided easy transportation up and down the river. In the late 20th century, tugboats started to be used for pushing rather than the traditional pulling.
Propeller steamboats, known as P-type or “Péčko”, were used locally. They were originally designed for the Hamburg port. Unlike traditional river tugboats, they were shorter, wider and had a deeper draft. The maximum propeller size in the largest boats was two meters. The short helm did not exceed the dimensions of the boat. A massive hook and flexible suspension allowed for flexibility of tugging.
The widely used “Péčko” boats were cutting-edge technology of its time. They belonged to the most frequently used boats on the Czech stretch of the Vltava and Labe rivers. The stamp depicts a “Péčko-18” steamboat. The higher-output diesel engines ended the career of the P-type boats.
Czech Republic 2013
Source Czech Post web-site