Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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guest

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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looking to purchase a "used" pilot/wheelhouse? look no further than MRC in port colborne. im sure they would gladly give you a quote. it more than likily have to be "barged" FOB port colborne
Jared
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Joined: December 6, 2014, 4:51 pm

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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Guest wrote: May 2, 2023, 10:39 am
Jared wrote: April 21, 2023, 11:38 pm Just a little bit of a artistic flair. There's some practical use for nice weather days as the flair would reach up to the chest on an average height person allowing them to lean comfortably and be shielded by any spray. However, very few people were ever up there. It's similar why both masts have a crows nest, even though by that era, lookouts were long gone.
I can't imagine that someone would be standing up there that close to an active radar while underway.
I don't think anybody would be standing up there normally anyways.
Guest

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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Jared wrote: April 21, 2023, 11:38 pm Just a little bit of a artistic flair. There's some practical use for nice weather days as the flair would reach up to the chest on an average height person allowing them to lean comfortably and be shielded by any spray. However, very few people were ever up there. It's similar why both masts have a crows nest, even though by that era, lookouts were long gone.
I can't imagine that someone would be standing up there that close to an active radar while underway.
Guest

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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Jon Paul wrote: April 29, 2023, 8:27 am
Guest wrote: April 28, 2023, 8:29 am I didn't realize those were crow's nests on the masts, I always assumed they were just safety platforms with railings to assist in the servicing of mast lights and radar components.
That's what they are there for not crows nests. And look outs were not long gone in the 70's. I spent many a watch on the bow in all kinds of weather.
Yeah me too n I learned how to cat nap standing up!😂
Jon Paul
Posts: 888
Joined: December 14, 2017, 8:37 pm

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

Unread post by Jon Paul »

Jared wrote: April 29, 2023, 5:44 pm
Jon Paul wrote: April 29, 2023, 8:27 am
Guest wrote: April 28, 2023, 8:29 am I didn't realize those were crow's nests on the masts, I always assumed they were just safety platforms with railings to assist in the servicing of mast lights and radar components.
That's what they are there for not crows nests. And look outs were not long gone in the 70's. I spent many a watch on the bow in all kinds of weather.
I was referring to mast lookouts. The last went to the wayside by the 1930s. The blueprints I see for the Homer say "nest" on the stern mast and "platform" on the bow structure.
I'm not sure what purpose a crows nest on an aft mast would serve. The intent of a bow watch was to identify and confirm opposing traffic and meeting or passing signals whether by whistle or the subsequent lights that accompanied by them. An intercom was placed adjacent to the bow lookout post to confirm. With a certain mate on watch it was a race to see who hit the button first to say " one whistle or two" lol
Jared
Posts: 798
Joined: December 6, 2014, 4:51 pm

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

Unread post by Jared »

Jon Paul wrote: April 29, 2023, 8:27 am
Guest wrote: April 28, 2023, 8:29 am I didn't realize those were crow's nests on the masts, I always assumed they were just safety platforms with railings to assist in the servicing of mast lights and radar components.
That's what they are there for not crows nests. And look outs were not long gone in the 70's. I spent many a watch on the bow in all kinds of weather.
I was referring to mast lookouts. The last went to the wayside by the 1930s. The blueprints I see for the Homer say "nest" on the stern mast and "platform" on the bow structure.
Jon Paul
Posts: 888
Joined: December 14, 2017, 8:37 pm

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

Unread post by Jon Paul »

Guest wrote: April 28, 2023, 8:29 am I didn't realize those were crow's nests on the masts, I always assumed they were just safety platforms with railings to assist in the servicing of mast lights and radar components.
That's what they are there for not crows nests. And look outs were not long gone in the 70's. I spent many a watch on the bow in all kinds of weather.
Guest

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

Unread post by Guest »

I didn't realize those were crow's nests on the masts, I always assumed they were just safety platforms with railings to assist in the servicing of mast lights and radar components.
Jared
Posts: 798
Joined: December 6, 2014, 4:51 pm

Re: Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

Unread post by Jared »

Just a little bit of a artistic flair. There's some practical use for nice weather days as the flair would reach up to the chest on an average height person allowing them to lean comfortably and be shielded by any spray. However, very few people were ever up there. It's similar why both masts have a crows nest, even though by that era, lookouts were long gone.
Guest

Homer/Fitzgerald pilot house

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The picture of the Arthur B Homer on yesterday's history page reminded me of something I've long wondered about - what was the reason for the high pilot house roof on both the Homer and Fitzgerald? Interior photos of the Fitzgerald don't appear that the ceiling in the pilot house was abnormally high. Was this space between the ceiling and roof used for something (e.g. HVAC), or was it just decorative? Thanks.
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