MV Devonair Belle was the original name of the MV Dart Explorer, which is a twin-

screw A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to fa ...

passenger catamaran, operating on the

River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Brythonic language (from which the river's subsequent names ultimately derive fr ...

South Devon South Devon is the southern part of Devon, England. Because Devon has its major population centres on its two coasts, the county is divided informally into North Devon and South Devon.For exampleNorth DevonanSouth Devonnews sites. In a narrower se ...

, UK, mainly on the circular harbour cruise route from

Dartmouth Dartmouth may refer to: Places * Dartmouth, Devon, England ** Dartmouth Harbour * Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States * Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada * Dartmouth, Victoria, Australia Institutions * Dartmouth College, Ivy League university i ...

, for

Dart Pleasure Craft Ltd River Link is a ferry, cruise boat, and bus operator, based in Devon, England. The company is owned by Dart Valley Railway plc, who also own and operate the Dartmouth Steam Railway. Services River Link operates the Dartmouth Passenger Ferr ...

. Boyle, I, http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Dart_Pleasure_Craft.html, Referred 2009

Design

''Dart Explorer'' is a steel-hulled catamaran. There is no passenger accommodation in the hulls. The

main deck The main deck of a ship is the uppermost complete deck extending from bow to stern. A steel ship's hull may be considered a structural beam with the main deck forming the upper flange of a box girder and the keel forming the lower strength mem ...

, immediately above the hulls has open passenger decks forward and aft of a large, fully enclosed and heated saloon. The upper deck, accessed by a stairway from the aft open deck, contains the wheelhouse forward, which is attached to a small passenger shelter. The remainder of the upper deck is open passenger space, and there are two slim funnels towards the stern. The saloon has fixed booth seating along each side, with a dance floor with removable chairs and tables in the center. At the aft end of the saloon is a bar, and toilets. Unlike many passenger catamarans, ''Dart Explorer'' is not a

high-speed craft A high-speed craft (HSC) is a high-speed water vessel for civilian use, also called a fastcraft or fast ferry. The first high-speed craft were often hydrofoils or hovercraft, but in the 1990s catamaran and monohull designs become more pop ...

, instead using her wide beam for improved passenger facilities.Dart Valley Railway plc, ''River Link 2000 Brochure'',2000

History

''Devonair Belle'' was built in 1991 for

, branded as 'River Link'. She was the first vessel built for the company, and was the first large passenger vessel to enter service on the Dart since the '' MV Cardiff Castle'', which entered service in 1964.Clammer, R & Kittrage, A. ''Passenger Steamers of the River Dart & Kingsbridge Estuary'', Twelveheads Press, 1987 In 2001 she was renamed ''Dart Explorer''. She is chiefly used on River Link's circular harbour cruises from Dartmouth, although she also runs on the Dartmouth to

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-southwest of Torquay and ...

route. As ''Dart Explorer'' is the most luxurious vessel in the fleet she also runs most of the evening, disco and party cruises, and is the main charter vessel for the company.

References

External links

Dart Pleasure Craft Website

- several photos and postcards of the vessel {{DEFAULTSORT:Devonair Belle 1991 ships River Dart passenger vessels Individual catamarans