Alexander McDougall (ship designer)

Captain Alexander McDougall (March 15, 1845 – May 27, 1923) was a Scottish-born American seaman who built the whaleback style of cargo and excursion ship.

In 1854, when McDougall was ten, he emigrated with his parents to the Canadian-Scots settlement of Nottawa, Ontario, now part of Collingwood.

McDougall built his first whaleback barge on his property in Duluth, on a site now occupied by Jeff Foster Trucking (formerly Superwood Corp).

A whaleback was made of iron with an unusual design: when fully loaded, only the round portion of the hull could be seen above the waterline.

McDougall conceived of a whaleback that could withstand the worst lake weather with maximal capacity of cargo.