Whaleback

Walrücken (English Whaleback ) was a type of ship was built in the period from 1889 to 1898 mainly due to the two yards of the ship designer Alexander McDougall. The name is derived from the reminiscent of a Walrücken characteristic round shape of the hull this mainly designed for bulk shipping on the Great Lakes ships and barges.

Form and Structure

The aim of McDougall 's development was a vehicle as insensitive as possible was evident in large loading capacity and low draft against ocean waves and wind effects. The background to this aspect were the units being towed from the developed initially as a Barge " Walrücken " to be created, the towing craft had to live at that time with a small machine performance. A conventional type of barges with larger surfaces for the wind and wave resulted in poor weather conditions to a rapid reduction in speed. The basic form of all Whalebacks therefore was a cylindrical hull, stronger which top and bottom, on the sides was slightly less flattened and the ship ends pointed ran and something showed up, which is a little reminiscent of a snout, and given them the nickname pigs boats (English Pigboats ) earned.

The hatches were placed on deck in the narrow flat area. Furthermore rounded Cabins and platforms were installed to accommodate winches and deck equipment. The Walrücken with private drive, there were versions with front, as arranged in the rear part of bridge, the machinery were always to be found in the rear. The design turned out to be inexpensive in construction, extremely seaworthy, but also as uncomfortable and difficult to handle out. The hatch covers were installed flush with the first buildings in the ship's hull, but in torsion led to problems with resulting leaks and was therefore replaced later by a solution with conventional Lukenkumming.

History

The original 1881 patented design McDougall was a barge without superstructures. In the 1882, 1888 and 1890 following patents successively machines, structures, lifeboat winches and windlass were added.

The first Walrücken was built in 1887-1888 as a Barge 101 after Alexander McDougall plans by Robert Clark shipyard in Duluth, Minnesota, where Steven and stern of the barge were created by Pusey & Jones Shipbuilding Company in Wilmington, Delaware. The following year, succeeded McDougall with support from New York's financial circles to establish the shipyard American Steel Barge Company in Duluth, which even in 1889 two more Whaleback barges built. In 1890 followed with the Colgate Hoyt Walrücken the first steam-powered, which is slightly more than twice the cost of $ 120,000, as the previously built barges, and reached a speed of 16 knots.

Thereafter, until in 1898 a further 18 cargo steamers, 20 barges and a passenger steamers of this type on McDougall 's American Steel Barge Company in Superior. The only passenger ship, the Christopher Columbus was built in 1893 to transport visitors from Chicago to the World Exposition. Only two Walrücken originated without the assistance McDougall 's. Firstly, the C. S. Wetmore, which was built at a shipyard on the American Pacific coast, and the Sagamore, which was launched at the shipyard William Doxford & Sons in Pallion, UK. The last vehicle of this type, built as Frank Rockefeller Meteor is obtained. The meteor was until 1969 in service and is since 1973 as a museum ship in Superior.