Let’s hope you don’t conclude this blog has gone to the dogs . . . first wenches and now this. But doghouse is the word I hear most often in reference to the aft-facing cabin that offers good visibility of the winch and tow as well as protection from weather and parted wire. Notice the variety of styles, sizes, and locations of these cabins. Barney Turecamo has the triple-pane model mounted center, whereas
Comet‘s is starboard with a roof-mounted spotlight, all of which describes
Gulf Dawn‘s, which also features an AC.
I’m not sure what the small dome on Wilcomico‘s roof is, but it adds steel lattice glass protection. And notice its portside orientation, unlike all the previous examples.
Falcon‘s doghouse is more capacious than the upper wheelhouse.
To follow on Nathan Stewart‘s winch fotos from yesterday, notice the controls, a
full set of them plus ability to monitor two channels at least on the VHF.
Finally, for now, Nanticoke, one of Vane Brothers Patapsco-class tugs, as is Wilcomico, uses the doghouse as a location to display the IMO number. Here’s gCaptain’s take on IMO’s.
More on this later . . . since many “tug” boats do not have winches, and not all that have winches have doghouses. Is there a rival term to “doghouse,” since Nanticoke and sister vessels are powered by Caterpillar 3516s . . . Cats . . . it could become complicated.
One week until the equinox! And if you missed my late addition to yesterday’s post, Henry’s posted from Amsterdam; check out his eagerness to get back to sea here.
All fotos by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
1 comment
Comments feed for this article
March 14, 2009 at 3:51 pm
towmasters
If it’s enclosed it’s a doghouse. If it’s exposed it’s referred to as the after control station. The doghouse/after control station should, ideally, be offset to one side or the other to allow the captain or mate to see forward up the side of the tug for the purpose of seeing where you’re going (more or less). It should, ideally, also be on the same side as the capstan so that you can watch the crew handling the lines and stop the winch if they get caught up in the line. Dismemberment or a crushed appendage can ruin your whole day!
The domes on the Vane tugs’ doghouses are satellite TV antennae. The cages over the aft window serve more to obstruct vision than anything else. If the 2″ diameter wire, under tension, were to come whipping back at the doghouse you’d have to be fool to think that would really save you.
On a related note, the upper wheelhouse on the Franklin Reinauer, my old alma mater, was so small and confining that we took a cue from hockey and dubbed it the “penalty box.”