I am not sure but I believe the whaleback design was a US contribution to naval architecture. I remember seeing a couple trading on the Great lakes back in the sixties. I understand that the Sagamore was the only British built whaleback.
For more info see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Christopher_Columbus

 

,Hi Dave , Have A Look At Some Great Lakes Maritime Web sites, Or A good lead Into some Info Is BOAT NERD There Were Some LAKERS Of similar Design.Regrds Jim.

 

Hello Dave,

The Whaleback, Sagamore for which you have the picture posted is not the Sagamore sunk by U-Boat in 1917. The Whaleback Sagamore was built in 1892 as a barge and was unpowered, being towed throughout the Great Lakes. She never left the Great Lakes though a number of the Whalebacks did. Most were used in Coastal service and one, the Charles Whetmore sailed to England then around the tip of South America to Everett, Washington USA. I believe I have a picture of the Sagamore you are talking about but I'll need to find it and since it is copyrighted I will find the link to it and post the link.

Randy

 

Not the picture I was looking for but a picture none-the-less; http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hstchg/docks1.htm
Just found these also; http://www.forestprints.co.uk/ss_sagamore.htm
and; http://www.modelshipworld.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1938&sid=768e7a11e919b0d35b91c89720d4eb3f

Randy

 

Dave,

If you are interested in the history of the ship you've actually posted, she is one of 42 Whalebacks built by Alexander McDougall between 1888 and 1896. Of the 42, most were unpowered barges like the Sagamore. 17 were powered like the Charles W. Wetmore. 1 was built as passenger vessel to service the 1893 Chicago World Fair, the Christopher Columbus. Only one is still in existence, the Meteor outside of Superior Wisconsin. The idea behind the unusual hull shape was that the vessel would cut through waves and without the excessive upper works or slab sides, they would not be influenced by wave action. Despite their short period of existence they were successful ships. The problem was that loading and unloading technology was advancing at a rate that quickly made them obsolete. Due to the construction design of the Whalebacks it was impossible to increase the hatch size without compromising the integrity of the hull. Despite their shortcomings, a number of them continued in service into the '60s.

Randy