Largescale functioning Titanic replica

Ryan Thompson

Ryan Thompson

Member
Somebody built a 1:20 scale model of the Graf Spee battleship. It has an engine and can be ridden in like a motorboat. Does anybody know if this has ever been done but with a Titanic design? With a Titanic version, I imagine a hatch on the top, and the forward-facing windows of the model would be the windows the driver looks out of. On that note, I'd make all the windows from the bow and stern decks upward functioning -- any passenger(s) inside would be able to view outward through them, and even though would be small there would be lots of them, creating a screen door effect of sorts.

Also, how large could somebody build something like this before getting stopped by maritime law? A 1:10 functioning model would be 88 feet, 2 inches long and 9 feet, 2 inches wide. You could probably stretch the width a bit and get away with it. :P
 
>>Also, how large could somebody build something like this before getting stopped by maritime law?<<

Once you start carrying people for any reason and in any numbers, the law steps in and never goes away. Even if only a small model operated by a single man (For which there is barely room), if the operator is aboard, it would still have to satisfy any existing regulations for small boats that exist in whatever jurisdiction it's being operated.

If your craft is large enough to carry passengers and has that as a specific purpose, any laws that apply to passenger vessels begin to apply to whatever it is you've built.

The bottom line is: You never get away from the law unless all you're putting together is a modest bathtrub toy.
 
Then I'd have to work with the law. I've seen yachts in books and on the internet that were 88 feet long or larger, some were sailing yachts, others were just motorized.

The largest Titanic models I've seen were at least 12 feet long -- I can't tell how long exactly because only part of the model was in the photo. I'm thinking of the model shown in the National Geographic issue on the discovery of the wreck. Two survivors are photographed sitting next to a large model of the ship and several artifacts. A life vest is shown.

Out of curiosity...what were the life vests made out of? I've read early vests contained blocks of cork.
 
>>Out of curiosity...what were the life vests made out of?<<

A veriaty of materials ranging from kapok to foam plastic covered over with cloth. Some types of life vests are even inflatable.
 
On Titanic the lifebelts were made of blocks of cork, enclosed in a coarse linen cloth. Each lifebelt had twelve blocks. Standards were set by the Board of Trade. For instance, the use of granulated cork was forbidden.
 
Probably completely worthless semi-related observation:

I remember MANY years ago seeing oil tanker captains being trained in scale models of tankers - they were somewhere in the range of 10 - 15 feet long...I haven't seen anything about that sort of thing in a very long time though...

Wayne
 
The trouble with Titanic is her narrow beam. You'll notice that the model on the web site is accurate only in profile. Her beam is way over scale.

I think a thirtieth scale working model could be made. In round figures, that's about 30' x 3', with a draft of a bit more than one foot. The ballast and stability would have to be sorted out, or you might end up doing the Eskimo roll.

Such a craft would be legal to tow where I live. On the water, it would have to carry prescribed equipment, but if it was used close inshore or on rivers and lakes the rules are not too hard to meet. A concealed anchor might require some cunning.

As long as no paying passengers are carried, you can do all sorts of things. The craft would rank as a yacht and we all know that these can be rather weird. A scale Titanic would be tame compared with a Volvo 70 or an Aussie 18' skiff.
 
Hi i,m new to the site but am a very keen titanic enthusiast. it is quite clearly impossible and rediculous to consider raising a large pile of scrap metal from 2.5 miles under the sea, as well as it is a grave yard. people should really just forget raising her.
My idea is, if enough money could be raised from donaters and various millionares why not build an exact working replica of the ship and i mean down to every detail, there are plenty of plans for the ship and i know the technology of the time has long gone but it would still be possible for people to learn the old ways.
It could then actually be used as a ship for historical cruises for people who were interested and when not being used, she would be a museum.
just an idea of mine that ive always thought could work. what do you think??

[Moderator's note: This post, originally posted in a separate thread in another topic, has been moved to the pre-existing discussion on the same subject. JDT]
 
Hello James,

Welcome aboard. Your idea was proposed right after the movie's release, in 1998. There has been a lot of discussion on this over the years here and basically, it won't happen. Way too many issues are involved, such as safety regulations and financial costs just to name a couple. Ideas have been put on paper, but we have not seen one piece of material laid down in a shipyard.

You might want to read through this thread and the other ones in this topic, to get a better understanding of why it won't ever come to fruition.
 
>>what do you think?? <<

Won't happen.

It's that simple.

Any replica which would meet current legal standards for safety would be only a poor reflection of the Real McCoy, and the Real McCoy could never be built and legally operated.
 
Yes i did think about the legal issues, but if a legal document could be drawn were by all passengers and crew boarding the replica had to sign an agreement that they do so at there own risk. there would probably have to be some modern navigation equipment on board but only the bare minimum and the ship would mainly be a museum just for people to view, i know there are many issues but it would be a really amazing thing to happen.
 
>>...but if a legal document could be drawn were by all passengers and crew boarding the replica had to sign an agreement that they do so at there own risk.<<

In a lot of respects, modern day passengers do so with modern day vessels under the same understanding. They have more legal protections now, but you're still gambling. In any event, you can't just trump the law with a waiver of liability. The ship, built to 1912 standards exactly to plan would not meet modern day SOLAS standards, and if a ship doesn't meet those standards, it doesn't go into trade with passengers or cargo.

It's really just that simple.

It's a moot point in a lot of other respects as well since the Titanic literally could not be duplicated without an enormous expenditure which would be unacceptable today. Riveted hulls just aren't built these days, and the people with the high degree of skill and experience needed to do such work are few in number. Most are now pushing up tombstones.

The engineering plant?

Forget it.

Nobody stokes coal these days and the conditions in such an environment are literally illegal. Occupational health and safety laws would put a cold stop to the idea before it ever got anywhere. Even if they weren't, your chances of finding anyone willing to work in such conditions is effectively zero.

I could go on for quite some time about this it's been done to death. Any notions of building a relplica of the vessel fit squarely into the realm of fantasy. Not reality.
 

Similar threads

D
Titanic 2 not a replica
2 3
Replies
31
Views
15K
Dave Gittins
Dave Gittins
T
Titanic Replica in Belfast
Replies
9
Views
2K
Harland Duzen
H
C
Should there be a replica
2
Replies
17
Views
3K
Michael H. Standart
M
M
TITANIC semiworking REPLICA could in fact be built
2
Replies
15
Views
2K
Michael H. Standart
M
J
Titanic replica to be called Titan If it is built
Replies
13
Views
3K
R.M.S. Titanic
R
Back
Top