Chief Wawatam was designed to break ice with her bow propeller, which could both propel the boat and take water out from underneath the ice to allow it to be broken through by force of gravity from the weight of the ship.
The Chief Wawatam was built with a unique design that allowed it to break through ice. The bow propeller not only propelled the boat forward but also removed water beneath the ice, enabling the ship to be broken through by the natural force of gravity.