# What kind of boat is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648 "2011-03-31T17:20:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648/21 "2011-04-04T04:45:58Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Just a WAG - > > Could it be some kind of pressurized vessel that workers would use while building supports for bridges or doing some other kind of underwater work, so that they could depressurize without getting the bends? I’ve been trying to figure out exactly where the bridge was. There’s no solid answer, but probably State Street. Anyway, while looking around, I found [this](http://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/co-o/Chgo_Rvr.htm) which says that whole area, from State Street to Franklin, is only 21 feet deep. Would they need to depressurize? Would they even know how in 1907? Geez, look how much this area has [changed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChicagoRiver.jpg). It really looked nicer in 1907. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648/22 "2011-04-04T05:25:57Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Would they even know how in 1907? Sure. They started to figure this stuff out in the late 1800s. The boat may have only been docked there and used elsewhere, too. That particular location doesn’t have to be deep. Of course, it’s still a WAG on my part with no data at all to support it. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648/23 "2011-04-04T05:32:13Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > [Direct link to hi-res picture](http://www.shorpy.com/node/10221?size=_original) as it’s dropped off the bottom of the front page. > [@Fubaya](#): > > It looks a little like a lifeboat. I’m guessing lifeboat. [offshore lifeboat - Google Search](http://www.google.com/images?q=offshore+lifeboat&spell=1&biw=1073&bih=662) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648/24 "2011-04-04T06:00:33Z")
Another WAG - Some sort of narrowboat or canal boat? [http://narrowboatsforsale.com/](http://narrowboatsforsale.com/) [http://www.hellopro.co.uk/images/produit-2/8/7/2/mini-luxe-dutch-barge-laura-tugs-66278.jpg](http://www.hellopro.co.uk/images/produit-2/8/7/2/mini-luxe-dutch-barge-laura-tugs-66278.jpg) [http://www.rent-my.com/images/justadream-612.JPG](http://www.rent-my.com/images/justadream-612.JPG) > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I’m guessing lifeboat. [offshore lifeboat - Google Search](http://www.google.com/images?q=offshore+lifeboat&spell=1&biw=1073&bih=662) Did they have that style of lifeboat back then? ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648/25 "2011-04-04T12:40:48Z")
Another WAG. How about an ice breaker? On the English canals ice was broken up by rocking a narrow boat - see this image [here](http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blisworth.org.uk/images/Canal%2520Boats/08-29P%2520IceBreak-95-1962.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.blisworth.org.uk/images/Canalboats.htm&usg=__UOfDsVg6r2E2dkZ8DcaP28pOytA=&h=500&w=500&sz=24&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=10RGAdEWqNPpgM:&tbnh=139&tbnw=139&ei=zLuZTa-sOsqM4gadv6ylDA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcanal%2Bice%2Bbreaking%2Bnarrowboat%2Brocker%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26gbv%3D2%26biw%3D1196%26bih%3D779%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=123&vpy=267&dur=172&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=110&ty=148&oei=zLuZTa-sOsqM4gadv6ylDA&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0)- and I wondered if the central rail along the top was to give more leverage when rocking the boat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-boat-is-this/576648.md?page=1)