Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    5
    Thanks (Given)
    6
    Thanks (Received)
    0
    Likes (Given)
    1
    Likes (Received)
    3

    Default Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    Many cargo vessels and tankers built as late as the 1940s had wooden fronts to their bridges, even though the rest of their superstructures were steel. Why was this so? Was the wooden front at these late dates merely a design feature, an echo of past practice, perhaps, or were there practical reasons? All comments are welcome.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Wirral
    Posts
    2,596
    Thanks (Given)
    2871
    Thanks (Received)
    2533
    Likes (Given)
    4410
    Likes (Received)
    6267

    Default Re: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    Having shed many pints of sweat and numerous layers of skin off my hands and fingers, I am firmly convinced, as a past Cadet, that wooden bridge fronts together with teak handrails, were used to keep Cadets and Apprentices fully employed in the care, protection and renovation of Woodwork.

    However on a more serious note, when I asked this question at sea, I was informed by a rather quietly knowledgeable Old Man, that it was to keep the temperature in the wheelhouse as even and as pleasant as possible, as wood was warm in the winter and cool in the summer and did not magnify nor decrease the internal temperature, as steel did. I have always accepted this explanation as a perfectly reasonable explanation.
    When one door closes another one shuts, it must be the wind

  3. #3
    Lewis McColl's Avatar
    Lewis McColl Guest

    Default Re: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    I always thought it was they thought a steel bridge front would have affected the Compass??

  4. Thanks Eric Sogge thanked for this post
  5. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76764

    Default Re: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    The compass is corrected for The steel of the ship as far as practically possible this is the deviation of the compass error and variates as to course . The other bit is the variation and is the earths magnetism and is fairly constant in different parts of the world with an annual usually small correction. A good compass corrector will just about erase any deviation, but this will alter as time. Goes by. In theory any ships master is competent to correct his own compass. This used to be a question and practice In the orals , whether still there or not don’t know.the correction magnets for the compass are inside the binnacle , Lord Kelvins balls , and the flinders bar outside. JS
    Just as a surmise maybe the wood fronted bridge developed from the open bridge and was a method of shielding the helmsman from the weather , and was maybe retained for decorative purposes. For those ex Chapman’s people , the old Geneton had an open wheelhouse but beleive she had a wooden bulwark across the bridge front. The chart room I think was a deck down and covered in of course couldn’t get the charts wet. JWS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 18th October 2018 at 12:44 AM.

  6. Thanks Eric Sogge, happy daze john in oz, N/A thanked for this post
  7. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    W.A.
    Posts
    23,641
    Thanks (Given)
    12850
    Thanks (Received)
    13719
    Likes (Given)
    19100
    Likes (Received)
    76764

    Default Re: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    Think Lewis”s suggestion may bear some reference to the possible truth. Also the weight of steel would have added more substantially. To the displacement of the vessel. As a previous post was the custom in years gone by to build ships as possible to the north / south line , as was when a ship acquired its magnetism with all the banging etc. of the steel work, and as the lines of magnetic force travel north to south was considered to lessen the magnetism of the ship at its birth. JWS

  8. Thanks Eric Sogge thanked for this post
    Likes happy daze john in oz, N/A liked this post
  9. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Waterlooville Hampshire UK
    Posts
    7,068
    Thanks (Given)
    1693
    Thanks (Received)
    3689
    Likes (Given)
    3684
    Likes (Received)
    13348

    Default Re: Ships' Wooden Bridge Fronts

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Allman View Post
    However on a more serious note, when I asked this question at sea, I was informed by a rather quietly knowledgeable Old Man, that it was to keep the temperature in the wheelhouse as even and as pleasant as possible, as wood was warm in the winter and cool in the summer and did not magnify nor decrease the internal temperature, as steel did. I have always accepted this explanation as a perfectly reasonable explanation.
    I agree to an extent , the " SS Normannia" had wooden decks , and a passenger deck/ deck-head above my cabin was warm in winter , cool in summer and due to poor calking , wet when raining
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

  10. Thanks Eric Sogge thanked for this post

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •