As you wrote Denny, she did have some manly rails. I always wonder why so many tugs don't at least have warship type rails which can be lowered if needed when towing?
Yes, it was great on that working deck. One could almost go barefoot in the middle of winter and, again as you wrote, no ice or snow at all. IMHO it was a pretty good cooling system. It also had the advantage of being able to fill the system with good clean water before entering any muddy spots.
The only disadvantage with the little ship was that to access the head one had to go out on deck. Not a problem for a younger man perhaps but nowadays it could be a bit of a hassle in the middle of the night.
She is a sweet little ship, built for icebreaking and timber towing although she has done her share of towing barges too. I often thought that she would make a nice floating home - although after having seen the pictures of your tug then I have to admit that I could never get her into such fine shape. When you get the chance, do post some more pics of your fine ship!
Stay well.
Aye // Stephen