The 18-oared rowbarge is inspired by Thames ceremonial rowbarges from the 18th century. It has a salon, or coach, and fine Regency-style decoration fully gilded in gold leaf and includes 16 crests representing the Realms of the Commonwealth. Gloriana is an all wood structure, using British oak, iroko, sweet chestnut and full Lloyd’s Register marine plywood. Modern techniques have been used for durability and low maintenance.
Gloriana The Queen’s Rowbarge is 88ft. long and 11ft. wide. The coach interior is 20 ft. by 10ft. 6in. with a clear headroom of 7ft. Overall the vessel weighs 9 UK tons light ship condition. She is wheel chair friendly.
Her metric details are as follows:
- Length overall: 26900mm
- Beam max: 3400mm
- Air draft min: 3000mm (from load light ship waterline to top of transom)
- Air draft ex flagpoles: 3850mm
- Air draft with flag poles: 6950mm
- Draft from datum waterline to underside of keel: 900mm (minimum depth of water to float).
- Height of fixed structure: 3800mm (on dry land from underside keel to top of transom)
- Weight of vessel light ship condition: 10,000kg
Other details:
- Hull: Clinker built
- Rowing crew: 18
- Deck Crew: 3
- Passengers: 30
- Electric propulsion
- The electric propulsion system consists of 16 x 24V 100Ah Lithium batteries wired in series and parallel to give a total stored energy of 40kWh at 52V, enough for approx. 6 hours of cruising. Uniquely, the system had to be configured via two distribution/contactor boxes, so that the battery pack can power either both drives simultaneously, or in the event of a fault, to one electric drive only.
DETAIL
The Royal crests were painted and gilded over both cabin entrances and HM The Queen's Royal cipher, EiiR over the stern section confirming the vessel as The Queen's Rowbarge.
A specially made carpet with over 200,000 stitches was made for the coach. The rug is 4m x 2.14m in size and the design features The Queen’s cipher set into an adaptation of British designer Emily Todhunter’s Fretwork rug design and hand-knotted in Nepal by three families numbering 21 master craftsmen.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, 2012