August 23, 2006: Former coal miner builds scale cruise ship in his back yard

Undertoad · 08-23-2006, 02:11 PM

Many thanks to bargalunan, who noticed this item and remembered us!

Men build stuff; it's what we do. Somehow, it's a natural tendency; it's in our dreams. Sometimes one of us follows through on the dream.

François Zanella was a coal miner in Lorraine, France. He would sometimes build model boats.

Then he decided to build his own dream, a 1/8 scale replica of a Royal Caribbean liner, the Majesty Of The Seas. 33.50 meters long, 4.75 m broad, 6.60 m high.

He first conceived of the project and started drawing it in 1993; began construction in 1994; and finished it in 2005.

Much of the project is documented in French, and with very small pictures, on Zanella's own site; another related site thankfully offers an English version, which gets me more information than Babelfish translations.

Zanella got a lot of help from a lot of people who heard of the project - and he's now met a few of the real Royal Caribbean cruise ship captains too. As far as I'm concerned, he's the real Captain. Hats off to this gentleman and to all gentlemen everywhere who set off to build their dream.

ferret88 · 08-23-2006, 02:18 PM

so, um, now what? does the town now become know for having the "world's giant-est cruise ship model"?

and i wonder if it floats...

Trilby · 08-23-2006, 02:48 PM

Sometimes, when I see people like this guy who has this life-long dream and then goes on to make that dream a reality, I wonder, "What kind of weird life-long dream is that?"

Spexxvet · 08-23-2006, 03:03 PM

Now he just needs a BIG fucking bottle to put it in.

glatt · 08-23-2006, 03:11 PM

He launched it.
Pictures are kind of small.

MaggieL · 08-23-2006, 03:15 PM

I believe it's already in the water. See

http://bateau-francois.site.voila.fr/18a/index.htm

Slothboy · 08-23-2006, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Now he just needs a BIG fucking bottle to put it in.

dar512 · 08-23-2006, 03:26 PM

I get a lot of sappy stuff in my inbox from various relatives, but just yesterday I got an email from a friend purporting to be from Dave Barry titled 16 THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN.

Number 3 was:
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

I'm not sure why, but I thought of that email just now.

dar512 · 08-23-2006, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieL

I believe it's already in the water. See

http://bateau-francois.site.voila.fr/18a/index.htm

But does it have a radio control motor?

xoxoxoBruce · 08-23-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

But does it have a radio control motor?

Hell no, it's got a crew.

Oh, he's not fooling me with the 33.5 meters....I know it's 73.27 Cubits long.

MaggieL · 08-23-2006, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

Number 3 was:
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

That's a pretty strong statement; I'm not sure there's actually a boundary.

Spexxvet · 08-23-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Hell no, it's got a crew.

Is it the lollipop guild? or the lullabye league?

Elspode · 08-23-2006, 05:01 PM

Any minute now, he's going to have to deal with a real small fire, a little bit of food poisoning, and a mild case or two of Legionaire's Disease.

The 42 · 08-23-2006, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Now he just needs a BIG fucking bottle to put it in.

No, he needs a 1/8th scale chamagne bottle to christen it!

Any pictures of that miner guy in which he isn't covered in soot? If the idea was to let us know what he looks like, it isn't working

Wombat · 08-23-2006, 06:02 PM

Quote:

33, 50 m de long
4, 75 m de large
6, 60 m de haut (avec cheminée)
4, 60 m de haut (sans cheminée)
97 tonnes

That's heavy!

I wonder what it's made of?

08-23-2006, 02:11 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	August 23, 2006: Former coal miner builds scale cruise ship in his back yard Many thanks to bargalunan, who noticed this item and remembered us! Men build stuff; it's what we do. Somehow, it's a natural tendency; it's in our dreams. Sometimes one of us follows through on the dream. François Zanella was a coal miner in Lorraine, France. He would sometimes build model boats. Then he decided to build his own dream, a 1/8 scale replica of a Royal Caribbean liner, the Majesty Of The Seas. 33.50 meters long, 4.75 m broad, 6.60 m high. He first conceived of the project and started drawing it in 1993; began construction in 1994; and finished it in 2005. Much of the project is documented in French, and with very small pictures, on Zanella's own site; another related site thankfully offers an English version, which gets me more information than Babelfish translations. Zanella got a lot of help from a lot of people who heard of the project - and he's now met a few of the real Royal Caribbean cruise ship captains too. As far as I'm concerned, he's the real Captain. Hats off to this gentleman and to all gentlemen everywhere who set off to build their dream.

08-23-2006, 02:48 PM	#3
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Sometimes, when I see people like this guy who has this life-long dream and then goes on to make that dream a reality, I wonder, "What kind of weird life-long dream is that?" __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

08-23-2006, 03:03 PM	#4
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Now he just needs a BIG fucking bottle to put it in. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

08-23-2006, 03:11 PM	#5
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	He launched it. Pictures are kind of small. Attached Images

08-23-2006, 03:15 PM	#6
MaggieL in the Hour of Scampering Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Jeffersonville PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia) Posts: 4,060	I believe it's already in the water. See http://bateau-francois.site.voila.fr/18a/index.htm __________________ "Neither can his Mind be thought to be in Tune,whose words do jarre; nor his reason In frame, whose sentence is preposterous..."

08-23-2006, 02:18 PM	#2
ferret88 (This space left intentionally UN-blank.) Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 604	so, um, now what? does the town now become know for having the "world's giant-est cruise ship model"? and i wonder if it floats...

08-23-2006, 03:26 PM	#8
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	I get a lot of sappy stuff in my inbox from various relatives, but just yesterday I got an email from a friend purporting to be from Dave Barry titled 16 THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN. Number 3 was: There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." I'm not sure why, but I thought of that email just now. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

08-23-2006, 05:01 PM	#13
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Any minute now, he's going to have to deal with a real small fire, a little bit of food poisoning, and a mild case or two of Legionaire's Disease. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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