Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[sea monkey]

I have a couple of questions regarding tugs from the late 1870 to early 1880 era:
When where port & starboard lights first used?
When did towing hooks first appear?
and around when did wheelhouses move forward of the funnel?
Photos of the world's oldest tug – the Mayflower, are all from after a refit at the turn of the century, so no help there. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

[Brian60]

I'm not sure I can help or even if its correct. But I saw an episode of Hornblower, it was an evening shot and the call went out from the officer to 'set lights'. It went on to show the crew lighting oil lamps and hanging one from the stern and one to each side of the shroudlines on the mast.

If correct this sets the use of navigation lights as early as 1803 (Napoleonic wars), maybe earlier.

[Netleyned]

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/sea-and-ships/facts/faqs/ships-and-vessels/when-were-navigation-lights-introduced-on-ships


This might help


Ned

[dodes]

Not sure now where I read it, but I did have a very interesting read on the subject some time ago o0n tug towing hooks. They had some interesting old photos going back to 1860, appears the first tugs where quite small and had a simple strong post to make up the towing hawser, then they went to a simple hook bolted through the timber bitt progressing to a simple hook and eye arrangement like on gates which had a simple metal curved bar under it for the hook to travel on, about 1880, but by then the tugs where getting bigger and more powerful, please do not take me as gospel I have slept several times since reading the article and I expect my gates given are a bit loose . As to the wheelhouse and funnel I cannot help you, though a lot of the early tugs had no wheelhouse just an open platform/bridge to steer and con the vessel.

[sea monkey]

Thanks boys. That is all very helpful.
Steve