The Sun Deck

Used to be the gang aft had white stuff between the planks to tread on. In the days of sail. To set them one step higher. Must be a deck for second class passengers this then? Or was the white stuff just a cosmetic layer on top? I've heard it named "Marine Glue". But that doesn't sound very exclusive... Never knew more than twelve passengers, - cargo liners, but I do believe we had "white stuff" (yellow actually) on their deck... Stein

The SOUTHERN CROSS was a one class vessel , not sure about the white stuff.

Maybe the caulking turns white with time - like dog muck in the olden days.

John T.

"The Boatswains Manual", Glasgow 1944, informs us that steamyachts uses a white variety of Marine Glue as a filling after caulking. Less fancy vessels the black variety of the same substance. Although I'm not familiar with any sort of luxury vessel, beyond advertisements and the like, I still find the black seams incongruous. If somebody from the passenger liner category would visit, I'm sure they would agree.
For a look at the white version, look at the half-deck of the Polly Woodside recently posted under the title "Melbourne" in the sailing ship category. Stein

Hey that's MY photograph and it's not the Southern Cross(Cloud)

Okay Tmac, it's your photo, I found it at the end of a fine shipbuilding gallery. I now am informed that it is a Port Line vessel, possibly the Port Nicholson. And possible theft aside, to what degree was she a luxury vessel? And since you obviously know a few things about shipbuilding, what is your knowledge of black/white Marine Glue and caulking practice? -If I now anger you even more; it was not my intention. Stein.

All the ships I served on with SSA up until the early 70s used black pitch caulking - Maybe white is now used instead as I take it these days only pax ships have timber decking?

Just a word about the caulking. I've actually had to do this myself on my own boat, Carlyta. The 'white' stuff is actually long lengths of multi-stranded caulking twine that is hammered down between the planking using the corner of a specially shaped caulking iron, bunching up the twine a little between each stroke of the hammer. Then it's hammered down flat with the straight edge of the iron. Then, hot molten black pitch is poured in over the top of it. The caulking irons can clearly be seen here, but it looks as if they're being used to dig out the old stuff prior to recaulking. Balls of caulking twine can clearly be seen here, but it appears to be black rather than white. I still have a ball of this stuff in my workshop, but that is white.

Ronnie.

I can't see people queueing up to do this job. It must have been hell on your hands and no-one is wearing gloves.

Their hands must have been as rough as a badgers chuff at the end of the shift!

Brian

Having plenty of time - staying up at night waiting for root canal work - I have passed some of it leafing through the whole Life Onboard gallery searching for white Marine Glue on top of oakum and pitch. Of about 10 clear-cut passenger decks, the only one with this luxury was beneath the posed legs of a pair of Piero Casiglias pin ups. Titled "Life Onboard" at page 49 (tonight). Ship: the Guiglielmo Marconi. A couple of British "Empresses", felt no need for it. At least not on the boat deck. It might be that from British Square riggers - see my posted photo of the Polly Woodside under the title "Melbourne" - the practice passed to continental European passenger liners, without settling down on British ones. I still would be interested in hearing from an expert on floating elegance, like our member Stephen Card, what his knowledge of the subject is. That British first class should take a back-seat in any such matter sounds strange to me.
Stein