"otnmbrd" wrote in message
link.net...
I'm not sure, but I think the bridge deck came about when "side paddles"
came into use, as it "bridged" the two paddlewheel housings and gave a
clear walkway from port to stbd for visibility when maneuvering.

otn

I agree, and so does the "Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea"

James D. Carter, Port Captain, GLCC
"The Boat"
Bayfield