Why do they run water on the Decks of Ships passing through the Canal?
On a hot day, ships are often seen with sprays of water, or hoses washing down the decks. This is done to prevent ‘hogging.’ Hogging occurs when a ship’s metal deck expands and arches like “a hog’s back.’ This forces the bow and stern to expand outwards and downwards, while the hull retains the temperature of the surrounding water and does not change size. The result would be the boat sinking deeper into the water. Any change in a ship’s draft can bring it dangerously close the Canal bottom, or shoals or sandbars located near the approaches to the Canal.
