Royal Yachts

[The Rock Doctor]

Definition:

Vessels specifically intended to transport members of the Belgian Royal Family.

Nomenclature:

Named for Leopold II's male ancestors.

[The Rock Doctor]

Leopold I Class Yacht

This is the royal yacht of Belgium, built at considerable expense in Antwerp.  There is no expectation of a combat role for the vessel.

The miscellaneous weight primarily consists of staterooms, offices, and perks for guests, additional cabins and workspace for aides; and a small hold for freight and the royal motorcade.  It will be more specifically broken out later.

Antwerp, laid down 1897

Royal Yacht, laid down 1897

Displacement:
   1,530 t light; 1,568 t standard; 1,937 t normal; 2,232 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (266.40 ft / 262.47 ft) x 39.37 ft x (13.12 / 14.62 ft)
   (81.20 m / 80.00 m) x 12.00 m  x (4.00 / 4.46 m)

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 2,000 ihp / 1,492 Kw = 14.62 kts
   Range 7,000nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 664 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   145 - 189

Cost:
   £0.099 million / $0.398 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Armour: 11 tons, 0.6 %
      - Armament: 11 tons, 0.6 %
   Machinery: 328 tons, 16.9 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 641 tons, 33.1 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 408 tons, 21.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 550 tons, 28.4 %
      - Hull above water: 550 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,428 lbs / 1,555 Kg = 105.9 x 6 " / 152 mm shells or 1.0 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.32
   Metacentric height 2.0 ft / 0.6 m
   Roll period: 11.6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - 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,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.500 / 0.517
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6.67 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 16.20 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 41 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 3.94 ft / 1.20 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      16.40 ft / 5.00 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 86.3 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 148.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 6,885 Square feet or 640 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 159 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 50 lbs/sq ft or 244 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.84
      - Longitudinal: 4.46
      - Overall: 1.00
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, rides out heavy weather easily