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APPENDIX
S.S. AMERICA
Built for
UNITED STATES LINES
By
NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRY DOCK CO.
GIBBS AND COX, INC. NAVAL ARCHITECTS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Length……………………………………………….723 feet
Beam, molded, maximum……………………………93 feet 3 inches
Number of decks…………………………………….11
Load draft to bottom of keel…………………………32 feet 8 7/8 inches
Displacement full load………………………………35,440 tons
Gross tonnage……………………………………… 33,532 (British) 26,454 tons (USA)
Block coefficient at full draft load………………………0.58559
Prismatic coefficient at full draft……………………. 0.5996
Cargo, general bale………………………………….259, 982 cubic feet
Capacity galleys meals per day……………………. 6,000
Shaft horse power, normal………………………… 34,000
Propulsion…………………………………………. Two sets of triple expansion turbines
Shaft horse power maximum guarantee…………… 37,400
Design speed……………………………………….. in excess of. 22 knots
Maximum speed…………………………………… Over 25 knots.
Total number of rooms and spaces………………… 950 of which 23 were public spaces
Cruising radius, at 22 knots at load draft…………. .11,000 miles
Fuel capacity, 97% full……………………………. 4,938
Fresh water………………………………………… 4,733 tons
Compartmentation, flooded……………………….. 3 compartments
Keel laid…………………………………………… August 22, 1938
Launched…………………………………………… August 31, 1939
Maiden Voyage…………………………………… August 10, 1940
Interior Architects…………………………………. Eggers & Higgins
Interior Decorators………………………………… Smyth, Urquart & Marckwald
Total passengers.
• America. 543 Cabin Class, 418 Tourist Class, and 241 Third Class. Total 1202
• West Point. 8000
• America. (Post war). 519 First Class, Cabin Class 414, Tourist 116. Total 1049
• America. 1960. 516 First Class, Tourist Class 532. Total 1048
• Australis. 2,258 one class
Officers and crew. Pre war 643, War 785, post war 677, Australis 586
(Source Marine Progress August, 1940. Newport News Shipyard bulletin September 1946, US Lines and Chandris Lines brochures)
Names and Owners/Operators.
America………………….1939 – 1941. United States Lines
West Point……………….1941 Naval Transportation service.
West Point………………..1942 – 1946 United States Navy
America…………………..1946 – 1964 United States Lines
Australis…………………1964 – 1978 Okeania, S.A. a subsidiary of Chandris Lines
America………………….1978 – 1978 America Cruise Lines, later Venture Cruise Lines
Italis………………………1978 – 1980 Chandris Lines
Noga……………………..1980 – 1984 Inter Commerce Corporation
Alferdoss…………………1984 – 1993 Silver Moon Ferries
American Star……………1993 – 1994 Chaophraya Development and Transportation Ltd.
SERVICE.
Miles Passengers carried
America cruises 112,917 20,000
West Point 436,144 505,020
America transatlantic 2,800,000 476,462
Australis 1,682,000 300,000
Total 4,971,061 1,301,482
Sources: Log of cruises USS West Point Reunion Association, America by Peter C Kohler, Bill Miller the Chandris Liners.