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 Was Hekla (1) a Lemon?
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
7765 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2012 :  13:56:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
My great grandmother (oldemor), her brother, her parents and her mother's parents came to U.S. on the May voyage of the Hekla in 1882. The family history only included the mention that the trip seemed to take a long time.

I see on this site that the ship was relatively new--built in 1881--and that a number of repairs were needed for mechanical failure. In America, when you have a "new" vehicle that needs repair of basic systems that vehicle is termed a "lemon." So to more experienced my question is are the noted repairs mentioned for Hekla (1) what would be expected for shakedown of a new vessel or were they indicating a flawed vessel?

jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran

Norway
4961 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2012 :  22:13:05  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
The emigrantship Hekla(1) ran aground the Sydostgrunnen reef outside Sandefjord, Vestfold on Saturday Feb. 15th, 1883, en route Copenhagen - Newport via Kristiania (Oslo).
It took several days until the ship went down, so most of the goods and personal items for the passengers were rescued.
The bow of the ship was also later rescued. The shipwreck is today pretty broken down, but the remains of the ship can still be seen on 20-30 meter depth next to the reef.




I haven't seen stories that support your claim.
Read more about the shipping Line Thingvalla here.

Jan Peter
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Magnar Hjelmeland
Medium member

Norway
96 Posts

Posted - 06/11/2012 :  22:33:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi, I am not sure if this kind of ships were of good construction, or it has to be learn to handle. think the propeller and rudder were often in the air, particular what is called in ballast. This ships or in fact all have to be kept down in the water.

Ballast trips is even today avfull, if the ship is not built for it.

May be the first S/S Hekla had a "Jonas" on board, than you are helpless what ever you do. Magnar.

mhj.
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
7765 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2012 :  22:26:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for responses, beautiful maps and the link to the Thingvalla corp history. Interesting that Danes and Norwegians were pushing back against the British Lines domination of emigrant transport to North America and that my ancestors were part of that movement. Perhaps Hekla was just an unlucky ship....
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Articles for Newbies:

Hunting Passenger Lists:

An article describing how, and where, to look for passenger information about Norwegian emigrants
    1:   Emigration Records - Sources - Timeline
    2:   Canadian Records (1865-1935)
    3:   Canadian Immigration Records Database
    4:   US arrivals - Customs Passenger Lists
    5:   Port of New York Passenger Records
    6:   Norwegian Emigration Records
    7:   British outbound passenger lists
 

The Transatlantic Crossing:

An article about how the majority of emigrants would travel. It also gives some insight to the amazing development in how ships were constructed and the transportation arranged
    1:   Early Norwegian Emigrants
    2:   Steerage - Between Decks
    3:   By sail - daily life
    4:   Children of the ocean
    5:   Sailing ship provisions
    6:   Health and sickness
    7:   From sail to steam
    8:   By steamship across the ocean
    9:   The giant express steamers
 
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