otnmbrd wrote:
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.

You're correct. Side-wheelers were the earliest motorized
propulsion...with wheels on both sides of the boat, in the middle. They
both had to be inspected during each watch, which was real chore because
decks were cluttered with rigging, cargo, superstructure etc. A civil
engineer and bridge builder named Isambard Kingdom (what WAS his mother
thinking???) Brunel decided to try his hand at shipbuilding...his first
and most famous vessel was the Great Western, which at the time was the
largest ship ever built. You can see it at
http://www.stfaiths100.freeserve.co....s/brunelgw.htm With his
bridge building engineering background, it was only natural that Brunel
would solve the problem of getting across the ship amidship by including
a real bridge in his design. It not only made wheel inspections much
easier, but the elevated view made negotiating harbors and docking so
much easier that other ship designers began incorporating bridges too.
And when side wheelers gave way to sternwheelers--and eventually
propellers--the elevated command centers remained, along with their
original name: the bridge.

If you're curious to know more about Brunel, go he
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RAbrunel.htm

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/html/get_ri...oat_odors.html