After the winter break, the seven boats of the Brno Transport Company (DPMB) are about to set sail on the Brno Dam for the 79th season. A team of almost 70 people are preparing for the ceremonial opening, which will take place tomorrow at 10 am.
“Our captains will board at the Bystrc quay per tradition, and after a short welcome, we will set off on this year’s first cruise on the Brno Dam,” said Miloš Havránek, General Director of DPMB. “We believe that the season will be at least as successful as last year, when we transported 286,000 passengers.”
Initially, the boats will operate only on weekends, holidays and long weekends, and then daily after 17 May. DPMB will then return to weekend operation at the end of September. This year’s season runs until Wednesday 29 October.
Private cruises are also growing in popularity, with 74 orders already booked, mainly for company outings, birthday parties and weddings.
The launch is the result of many months of preparation. “During the winter, the batteries had to be removed from the ships and connected to the so-called winter maintenance charging,” explained Jan Seitl, transport director of DPMB. “We also inspected, serviced and overhauled the electrical equipment and maintained all systems – drainage, fire, sanitary, steering, hydraulics and anchoring. Every year we repair the interiors and equipment of the vessels and partially repaint them.”
DPMB operates seven electric boats with a capacity of 120-200 passengers. The Bystrc – Veverská Bítýška water route is less than 10 km long, and the boats make the journey in 70 minutes (a round trip takes about 2.5 hours). 53 boatmen and 13 captains ensure the operation of the boat transport in the summer months.
