Re: Whaleback Steamers

From: Jim
Location: Milwaukee
Email:
Remote Name: 63.184.176.117
Date: 10/27/04
Time: 10:12:49 PM

Comments

Well, I'm not an engineer, but I do know that the inventor, Alexander McDougall, thought a vessel that let the waves come up on the ship's sides would help stabilize her- hence the rounded sides, no gunwales, etc. The conoidal bow was designed to produce the least strain for the towing vessel, for the whaleback design was originally intended for consort barges. Also, the whaleback barges initially were very cheap to build. Shipyard innovations later marginalized their economy after 1895 or so, and their small hatches and structural limitations doomed them as the Soo locks kept getting bigger and the channels kept getting dredged deeper. Many of the whalebacks that survived into the third decade of the century were specialized as auto carriers, sandsuckers, self-unloaders, and, of course, the last whaleback survived so long because she was made into a tanker. Alexander McDougall has an autobiograhpy which is out of print, but still available at our downtown Milwaukee library. Just to let you know, Alexander McDougall's personal yard tender is extant, here in Milwaukee, and turned 112 years old this summer. An article on the tug will be appearing in the next "Great Laker" magazine.