Life can be pretty tough right now, and it can leave you looking for a change. Well, I’ve got it for you: how would you like to buy, restore and run a historic Alabama riverboat? Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Hear me out, man. I promise, this will be good for you.
What we’ve got here is the Bama Belle. She might not look like much right now, but in her heyday, she was something to behold: a 90-foot paddlewheel riverboat that could show about 120 people the time of their lives with an open-air bar and restaurant for dining and relaxing. Relaxing is the keyword here, because no one is going anywhere in a hurry. The Bama Belle is powered by twin 46-horsepower Cummins generators, so you’d better not be in a rush.
Apparently, most of “the bottom” has been redone since 2011, and while I’m not totally sure what that entails, I assume it’s better than the bottom not being redone. The good news is that the Bama Belle comes with 120 life jackets — enough for the maximum amount of passengers it’s rated for — if things go a bit sideways.
Da Belle of da ball
Sadly, after some years of disuse, the Bama Belle has fallen into a bit of disrepair, but that means it can be had for a bit of a steal: just $99,000, which is apparently a good price for one of these rigs. I’ll have to take the seller’s word for it, since I — oddly — don’t know the going rate of disused riverboats. According to his Facebook Marketplace listing, it was surveyed in 2018 at $250,000, but the boat hasn’t been in use since the seller’s business went under during Covid.
The Belle was originally built for the Mississippi River 55 years ago by a company in Iowa, and this was the second-to-last ship it ever built, according to Al.com. Obviously, they were really trying that day.
While it’s true that the boat hasn’t seen much action in the past few years, the seller is confident in its mechanical chops.
“If your serious about a sternwheeler be advised the hull and mechanicals should be you main concern.you can buy paint and curtains,”
So true, bestie. So true.
If you really are ready to turn your life around and start a new chapter, you should head on down to the Black Warrior River (don’t love that name) in Jasper, Alabama, with $99,000 in hand. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and start your life anew.
