ship is moored or which side of the ship is tied up to
the pier.
Superstructure deck. The superstructure deck is a partial
deck above the main, upper, or forecastle deck that
might not extend to the sides of the ship; or if it does,
it does not have side plating carried up to it.
Upper deck. The upper deck is a partial deck extending
from side to side above the main deck amidships. It
is part of the superstructure, which is the part of a
ship’s structure above the deck. The superstructure
does not include masts, yards, stacks, and related
parts. The side plating extends upward to the upper
deck.
Well deck. The well deck is the forward part of the main
deck between upper deck and forecastle and aft
between the upper deck and the poop deck.
Doors and Hatches
Access through bulkheads is provided by doors and
through decks by hatches. Watertight (WT) doors, as the
term implies, form a watertight seal when properly
closed. All doors leading to weather decks are of the
watertight variety, as are those in structural (watertight)
bulkheads. (See fig. 8-4.) The doors are held closed by
fittings called dogs, which bear up tight on wedges. A
rubber gasket around the edge of the door presses
against a knife-edge around the doorframe forming a
watertight seal when all dogs are properly seated
(dogged down). Some doors have individually operated
dogs, as shown in figure 8-5. Other doors are quick
acting types, for which a handwheel or lever operates all
the dogs at once, as shown in figure 8-6. Some WT doors
have openings, called passing scuttles, through which
ammunition is passed. These scuttles (small tubelike
openings) are flashproof as well as watertight.
8-5
Student Notes:
Figure 8-4.—Dogs and gasket for watertight
door.
Figure 8-5.—Watertight door with individually
operated dogs.
Figure 8-6.—Quick-acting watertight door.
