Balustrade ?

It is a widespread misunderstanding that our main activity on the bridge is steering and scanning the horizon with binoculars for 24 hours a day. Up to the sixties and on some smaller ships up to the seventies this was true, but shortly after the Second World War, the first autopilots were introduced successfully. They can do this far more accurate than the most experienced helmsman. Modern autopilots have computers constantly calculating the effect of their own action, in other words, they build up a history and can adjust and fine-tune themselves. They are only interested in one thing; keeping their heading with as less rudder angle as possible. The second one did not even exist; an experienced mate or lookout will notice any disturbance on the horizon automatically and after that grab the binoculars. If not, our ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aid) radar will pick up automatically any echo, calculates the Speed and Heading and gives alarm if the echo is coming too close.

The picture shows one of the most attractive aspects of this tug; not me, but the outer bridge. Normally a ship has only two bridge wings but our vessel has an outer bridge in front of the wheelhouse. Its old fashioned but very convenient. Who knows the correct English maritime word for this? Balustrade? I have no clue.