A steel deck is made of strakes running fore and
flooding, sprinkling, and pumping under conditions of
aft. The outboard strake in the deck plating is
damage are located on the damage control deck. The DC
composed of stringer plates, which are welded or
deck is either the second or third deck on most ships.
riveted to the side plates and are, therefore, important
The definition and location of the decks in modern
strength members. Decks are supported by transverse
ships (figs. 3-3 and 3-4) are as follows:
frames (deck beams) and by longitudinal (deck)
FORECASTLE (pronounced folk'sul): Forward
girders. Vertical steel pillars that are called stanchions
section of the main deck, generally extending from the
provide other means of deck support. These are
stem aft to just abaft the anchor windlass.
mounted one above the other or one above a strength
bulkhead. (The short posts used as lifeline supports
HALF DECK: Any partial deck between complete
also are called stanchions.) Decks usually are arched
decks.
from the gunwale to the centerline to provide for
PLATFORMS: Partial decks below the lowest
drainage of water and to strengthen the deck.
complete deck. They are usually broken to admit
A deck or part of a deck exposed to the weather is
machinery or other spaces and are called platform
called a weather deck (fig. 3-3). Bulwarks are solid
decks or just platforms. They are numbered downward,
fencing along the gunwale of the main (weather) deck.
as first platform, second platform, and so on.
Bulwarks are fitted with freeing ports (scuppers) to
FLATS: Plating or gratings installed only to
allow the water to run off during heavy weather.
provide working or walking surfaces above bilges.
A deck that extends from side to side and stem to
LEVELS: Level is a general term used to designate
stern is a complete deck. In aircraft carriers the
deck heights above the main deck. The first level above
uppermost complete deck is the flight deck, from which
the main deck is the 01 (pronounced oh-one) level, the
aircraft take off and land. In all ships (except for aircraft
second the 02 level, and so on. Different decks at a
carriers) the uppermost complete deck is the main deck.
particular level, however, carry different names. For
In aircraft carriers the hangar deck is the main deck. The
example, both a poop deck and a boat deck (usually) are
hangar deck is the deck on which aircraft are stowed and
on the 01 level.
serviced when not on the flight deck.
UPPER DECK: A partial deck extending from side
The first complete deck below the main deck is the
to side above the main deck amidships. It is part of the
second deck (fig. 3-4), the next the third, the next the
superstructure, which is the part of a ship's structure
fourth, and so on.
above the main deck, exclusive of masts, yards, stacks,
and related parts. The side plating extends upward to
A strength deck is a complete deck (usually the
the upper deck.
main deck) designed to carry not only deck loads on it
but also the hull stresses. The damage control deck is the
SUPERSTRUCTURE DECK: A partial deck
lowest deck having access through the main transverse
above the main, upper, or forecastle deck that does not
bulkheads, from forward to aft. The main repair
extend to the sides of the ship (if it does, it does not
equipment and the principal facilities for the control of
have the side plating carried up to it.).
Figure 3-4. Deck numbering system.
3-3
