Dawn and Sunset "Dawn": the history of the famous Soviet speedboat

  • Dec 13, 2020
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Dawn and Sunset "Dawn": the history of the famous Soviet speedboat
Dawn and Sunset "Dawn": the history of the famous Soviet speedboat

Half a century ago, they cut across the river expanses of the entire Soviet Union, they could be found in almost every port. The citizens of the USSR really liked these walks on the water on a ship created with the latest technology, which, moreover, literally made a transport revolution. But time ruthlessly advances, and today the legendary Soviet speedboat Zarya is experiencing its decline. Now they walk little on the river and more and more often stand - some in the form of cafes, and some as gloomy ghosts of the past in ship cemeteries.

The motor ship that made the transport revolution. / Photo: myhistori.ru
The motor ship that made the transport revolution. / Photo: myhistori.ru

The history of the planing motor ship "Zarya" begins in 1961, when the first modifications of the ship were produced, of which there were many. Perhaps the most famous type of glider was the Project 946, which was also produced in several versions. The serial production of the ship was carried out by the Moscow Shipyard.

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Planing vessels of the Zarya series had the following technical characteristics:
Full displacement: 30 tons
Maximum speed: 45 km / h
Total capacity: 86 seats (seats - 66 seats)
Length: 22.4 meters
Width: 4.06 meters
Draft: 0.5 meters (0.4 on the move)

The layout of the ship. / Photo: boatportal.ru

Since the ship was originally planned for mass production, it was built according to the latest technology of that time, trying to make it as versatile as possible in operation. So, for example, in the front part of the vessel there are so-called "sea sleds" installed, which provide a safer passage in the rocky shallow waters. To lighten the total weight of the glider, fiberglass was actively used during its manufacture.

Interesting fact: but the name of the ship was cheated. The name for these vessels was usually the name "Zarya", to which a serial number was added.

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Captain's cabin on the ship. / Photo: topast.ru

Zarya really turned out to be universal - it could moor to almost any gentle bank, even if it did not have a specially equipped berth. In addition, its flat bottom made it possible to go ashore in order to land people on the sand, not into the water, and then go back to the water.

These abilities of the vessel made it truly revolutionary in the river navigation of the Soviet Union. Before that, many inaccessible settlements were left without communication with the outside world by water, but now such an opportunity has appeared. But the big cities on the rivers have acquired gliders for the walks of its residents and guests.

Gliders have become very popular. / Photo: fleetphoto.ru

For more than thirty years "Zarya" plowed the water expanses of the USSR, but the Soviet era passed, and at the same time the decline of the gliding milestone in the history of stove transport began. Today most ships are either cut for scrap or are slowly rusting in ship graveyards. Some ships now function as coastal cafes, and only a few, having gone through several stages of modernization, are still being cut across the water surface.

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Planing ships of the Zarya series at the ship graveyard in the White Sea. / Photo: pikabu.ru

In addition to the topic: Hydrofoil ship "Whirlwind": the main innovation of the civilian fleet of the USSR
A source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/131219/52723/