Object on Forward Cabins of Johnstown and Elton Hoyt 2nd

[Guest]

The new one doesn't work as well as the old one. I don't know the details, but this forum is easier to post on and easier to see when there are replies. Seems like it is easier for admins too, based on other posts.

Ironic, isn't it? I've been using computers since I bought an IBM PC in 1984 (for what was then a small fortune), so I think I know what I'm doing in that regard, but I tried five times to register on the new site with no success. So, here we all are! I agree this forum is much easier to use (although I think directions for posting images with advice on how to decrease size to meet the site limits would be useful for newbies).

I'm going to also show my age a bit by revealing my first computer was a Timex/Sinclair 1000 I bought back in 1982 with my paper route money. I later replaced this with a Commodore 64 a few years and then with a Laser computer in 1986. The latter had no hard drive and required a DOS disc to be inserted at startup to run. Long story short, I have been around computers for many years and fully agree with your opinions and find this forum much easier to use. I don't feel I will ever use the new forum if/or when this one is discontinued.

[William Lafferty]

The new one doesn't work as well as the old one. I don't know the details, but this forum is easier to post on and easier to see when there are replies. Seems like it is easier for admins too, based on other posts.

Ironic, isn't it? I've been using computers since I bought an IBM PC in 1984 (for what was then a small fortune), so I think I know what I'm doing in that regard, but I tried five times to register on the new site with no success. So, here we all are! I agree this forum is much easier to use (although I think directions for posting images with advice on how to decrease size to meet the site limits would be useful for newbies).

[Guest_SB]

That said, why is everybody on this old Boatnerd information search site and not the new information search site?

The new one doesn't work as well as the old one. I don't know the details, but this forum is easier to post on and easier to see when there are replies. Seems like it is easier for admins too, based on other posts.

[Guest]

It looks like a wind deflector. Probably to help prevent freezing spray accumulation on the bridge windows. If you notice at the outboard edges, the facing surfaces have a gentle concave curve. It also stands proud of the foreword house by four to six inches.

The curved plates and gap behind serve to draw in air as the ship moves and force it upwards at velocity forming an air curtain. Most salties have similar, albeit smaller wind deflectors on the bridge wings. This one is bigger as it would need to deflect air up and over the bridge (rather than just over the head of the lookout).

[William Lafferty]

Here is the Johnstown being gingerly towed on the Chicago River on 6 June 1952. The pilothouse is facing the vessel's port side, and there is no indication off any major bracing I can see.

That said, why is everybody on this old Boatnerd information search site and not the new information search site?

[Andrew]

There is no railing for the bunting to be draped in the picture yet. I have never seen this before in pictures of the vessels. It could be that since they were towed up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, it could have been a bracing structure, since I think the pilothouses were disassembled for the trip up the rivers due to low bridges. Perhaps it was a little like the hull strengtheners placed on the Canadian newbuilds which were removed after their first season on the lakes- the yard either ran out of time or didn't bother removing the object right away. Certainly an odd-looking thing though.

[Guest]

I have attached an image of the forward cabins of the Bethlehem steamer Johnstown with an object just below the pilothouse circled in red. I'm unsure what is the proper terminology for that deck but was wondering what was the purpose of the large rectangular structure circled in red? These appear in early shots of the Johnstown and the Elton Hoyt 2nd. I'm assuming one would have been most likely on the Sparrows Point as well. They do not appear to have been used very long as they are absent in later pictures. Could these have been used to store the tarps sometimes put in place in front of the pilothouse during poor weather? I believe that was called "bunting" but I'm unsure of the proper term.