Boatnerd Discussion Forum

If you really want to get to the nitty gritty, I think that "solid rail" can technically be defined as a bulwark. It's an evolved design on vessels that have a raised pilothouse and it's purpose is to mitigate the amount of sea spray hitting the pilothouse windows. Dodgers further the cause and extend up further. Originally, for additional visibility, some ore carriers had open pilothouses on the roof of the original one. These were pretty exposed and efforts we often made to make them more comfortable through the use of canopies and shrouds but not being enclosed, it wasn't really a practical, all day location to pilot a vessel from. Realizing the visibility benefits of the raised house, many ships were converted having a "real pilothouse" constructed above the original. Many of these early raised houses had a single cat walk around the front with a wire fence. Of course, this didn't help with the spray at all and the wire fence was eventually filled in to be a solid one to serve the same function as a bulwark would if the pilothouse were still on the foc'sle deck. A very good example of this evolution can be found in the Historical Galleries if you look at the J.H. Sheadle - F.A. Bailey - La Salle - Meaford album.





http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/histor ... lle-MM.jpg



This feature stuck to future designs. It actually eventually posed a visibility issue on vessels built with a texas deck like the William A. and the John G. Munson. These vessels had cutout panels added so pilots could peer through this bulwark when they needed to.

Might be a regional thing. I've heard the term combing used around my area.

I've always known any solid "rail" as a bulwark, Pipe rail is "rail" and wire rail is "fence" A spray dodger or dodger is usually a piece of canvas put up on poles above the bulwark or along the fence rail up forward to keep spray off the pilothouse windows and the hatch crane rails and hatches.

It is a bulwark. See the definition provided by rocky. Bulwarks do not have to be an extention of the ship's side as in the case of a forecastle.

It is not a dodger. A dodger is the actual tarp/weather cloth itself being referenced by JL.

The bulwarks are the sides that enclose the focsle. They are part of the hull. I thought that the part the arrow was pointing at was a dodger.

bulwark. a solid wall enclosing the perimeter of a weather or maindeck for the protection of persons or objects on deck.

It is actually called a dodger. On many vessels, stanchions are located there and a canvas weather cloth can be rigged to reduce spray, wind

Slightly off topic but sort of in the same area something I have always wondered about-
Why are 'cheatlines' called what they are?
Thanks
Monty

Bulwark.

I believe that is referred to as "house coaming" it is used to strengthen the deck and also to provide protection from wind and weather. Also makes for a more pleasing overall appearance.

What is the curved plating called that runs along the deck just below the pilothouse of traditional styled Great Lakes freighters? On some ships this plating displays the vessel's name. I have attached an image pointing out what I'm referring to. Thanks for any replies.