Thurgau

Kreuzlingen District

Switzerland

This wooden flat-decked passenger paddle steamer was built by Maschinenfabrik Escher-Wyss & Cie in Zürich in 1854. The cost was 137,000 Swiss Francs and the ship was owned by Société des Bateaux à vapeur du Lac de Neuchâtel. 
All passenger areas were made below deck. Except for the tiny bridge, the two paddle housings, and the stairways to below deck, there were no superstructures on the deck.

The wreck
In 1865 she collided with the Swiss ship Stadt Zürich and sank near Bottighofen in the Bodensee Lake (Lake Constance). She lies on 36 m depth. Thanks to the dark and cold (+4ºC) sweetwater lake the ship has been extremely well-preserved.
The wreck was discovered in 1964 by a scuba diver. Since then, and increasingly through the 1990s, this site has been very popular among scuba divers. In 2000 the ship has been badly damaged as a result of intensive scuba diving. Dive boats have (accidentally) anchored in the wreck. Loose objects have been stolen by trophy-hunters and structures have collapsed. Since nails and bolts are corroded, it's often enough with the surge of a finstroke to make planks fall off.

Ship data
Length: 46 m
Width: 10 m
Draught: 0.9 m
Machine: Standing oscillating 2-cylinder low-pressure machine
Cylinder bore: 813 mm
Power:  45 HP nominal
Average fuel consumption: 500-630 kg wood per hour
Diameter of paddle wheel: 3,11 m
Number of paddles per wheel: 12
Speed: 11,5 to 12 English miles per hour
Passengers: max  400 

The wreck is now under the protection of the historical Monument Swiss Law. It is now strongly forbiden to enter the Wreck, any destruction or attemdt to stole some object from the Wreck may hev Very serious consequences

Only by boat
It is strongly recommended to use the service of a professional. The Wreck is now is now under the protection of the Swiss historical monument. Any Wreck Degradation due to the Anchor for example may have very serious consequences…

Jura wreck