hi PD's - stumbled upon the following
http://www.steamboats.org/cjg-bin/glossary/guru_glossary_all.cgi

which has some interesting terms & explanations on steamboat "words" - Derek

oops - says the page dosn't exist - just go to the home page , then on to History & Educational & the first listing is the Glossary site

I mean I looked at the word BAR - I thought the answer would be " a quiet comfortable place for a boiler stoker to have a refreashing cold drink after a hot days stoking" - but no I was wrong, appears that a BAR is "a naturally occurring shallow area near a channel >>> & sand etc"!!!!

You had the URL slightly wrong Derek - try this one, it works....

http://www.steamboats.org/cgi-bin/glossary/guru_glossary_all.cgi

sorry all & thanks Eddie - I now see the error in my ways in quoting

org/cjg, when it should have been org/cgi

in my defence all I can think is that I spent too much time relaxing in the BAR after my shift in the boiler room