STEERING

Duties of the Helmsman

 Steer vessel when in manual steering operation
 Report for duty early i.e. punctual
 At changeover, the course being steered
should always be repeated out loud
 Outgoing helmsman should report course to
OOW who in turn repeats in acknowledgement
 Must advise reliever the amount of helm the
vessel is carrying in order to keep her steady
 Steering system
 Gyro or automatic steering
 Hand or manual steering
 Lever steering, having separate circuits and
used in case of breakdown of normal steering
methods
 Emergency steering gear
 (Changeover of steering system is under
supervision or by order of duty officer)
 Helm order

 Effects turning of vessel

 In ahead motion, the stem turns to the side to
which the helm is put
 In astern motion, the stern goes to the reverse
side of the helm
 Rudder angle
 The angle between the center line of the vessel
and rudder
 Shown on the helm indicator in front of the
steering wheel
 Major steering orders

 Midship - rudder to be held in the fore and aft position

 Port/stbd five – 5 degrees of port/stbd rudder to be held
 Port/stbd ten – 10 degrees of port/stbd rudder to be held
 Port/stbd fifteen – 15 degrees “ “ “
“
 Port/stbd twenty – 20 degrees “ “ “
“
 Port/stbd twenty five – 25 “ “ “ “
“
 cont…
 Hard port/stbd – rudder to be held fully over
port/stbd
 Ease to five – reduce the amount of rudder to 5
degrees and hold
 Ease to ten “ “ “ “ “
 Ease to fifteen “ “ “ “ “
 Ease to twenty “ “ “ “ “
 Steady – reduce swing as rapidly as possible
 cont…
 Steady-as-she-goes – steer a steady course on the
compass heading indicated at the time of order. The
helmsman is to repeat the order and call out the
compass heading on receiving the order. When the
ship is steady on that heading, the helmsman is to
call-out “steady on _ _ _”
 Keep buoy/mark/beacon on/…port/stbd side
 Report if she does not answer wheel (wheel is not
steering)
 Finished with wheel
 Compass steering procedure
 When course to be steered is by compass, the
direction of turn is stated followed by each
numeral being said separately
 E.g. Port, steer one-eight-two = course 182 degrees
 Helmsman repeats order, brings vessel round
steadily to course ordered, then calls out
“steady on one-eight-two”
 Person who gave order should acknowledge
 Helm steering procedure
 When helm order is given, helmsman repeats
order immediately and commences steering.
On compliance of order, reports such
compliance
 Officer - orders hard starboard!
 Helmsman – hard starboard! Then executes order

 Helmsman – hard starboard now sir!

 Officer – acknowledges
 Keeping a good helm duty
 Should frequently compare gyrocompass heading to
magnetic compass heading
 May help serve as lookout if no separate lookout is
detailed or the situation is safe enough to allow it
 Should report unusual behavior of the steering wheel
immediately
 Should answer back steering orders immediately and
call back for confirmation
 Should clarify if the steering order is not clearly
understood
 Should not handover the steering wheel when vessel
is altering course
 Steering gear tests
 No boats or obstructions near the rudder
 Test before sailing conducted for;
 Automatic steering
 Manual steering

 Lever/non-follow-up steering
 Guidelines when on “automatic
steering”
 Master and OOW must be fully conversant with
steering changeover procedures
 Once a watch, automatic steering should be changed
over to manual steering to check operational readiness
 On prolonged automatic mode, at least daily test
should be carried-out for manual steering mode
 When entering congested waters, poor visibility,
and/or other dangers, manual steering and helmsman
should be engaged immediately
 Master and OOW should supervise changeover of
steering from automatic to manual or vice versa
 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION
HARD STARBOARD RUDDER NOW SIR

HARD HARD
STARBOAR STARBOAR
D D
PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY
 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

MIDSHIP RUDDER NOW SIR

MIDSHIP MIDSHIP

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

HARD PORT RUDDER NOW SIR

HARD PORT HARD PORT

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

MIDSHIP RUDDER NOW SIR

MIDSHIP MIDSHIP

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

PORT 25 RUDDER NOW SIR

PORT 25 PORT 25

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

PORT 10 RUDDER NOW SIR

EASE TO 10 EASE TO 10

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION
MIDSHIP RUDDER NOW SIR

MIDSHIP MIDSHIP

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

HARD STARBOARD RUDDER NOW SIR

HARD STARBOARD HARD STARBOARD

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

EASE BY 10 RUDDER NOW SIR OR

STARBOARD 25 RUDDER NOW SIR
EASE BY 10 EASE BY 10

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

STARBOARD 5 RUDDER NOW SIR

EASE TO 5 EASE TO 5

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR

PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION

MIDSHIP RUDDER NOW SIR

MIDSHIP MIDSHIP

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 0

090

RUDDER INDICATOR
STARBOARD
PORT
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION
RUDDER STARBOARD 20 NOW SIR
STEADY ON COURSE 090°
COURSE 090° NOW SIR
STARBOARD 20 STARBOARD 20

STEADY ON COURSE 090° STEADY ON COURSE 090°

PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY

 RUDDER INDICATOR
PORT STARBOARD

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

CONFIRMATION
STEER 090°

HEADING 090° NOW SIR

0

STEER 090° STEER 090°

090
PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY
KEEP BUOY ON PORT SIDE KEEP BUOY ON PORT SIDE
PILOT ORDER HELMSMAN REPLY