Stability

[Jim Avery]

Steering commands are properly given as "Left" or "Right". I am not sure about the "Hard left" part though, I believe "Full left rudder" would be the proper terminology.

 

As a former Merchant Master, I can attest that when something dangerous suddenly appears, proper decorum will usually change a bit with a few added expletives.:eek: On occasion, they have even been known to help.

J.

[rm3]

As a former Merchant Master, I can attest that when something dangerous suddenly appears, proper decorum will usually change a bit with a few added expletives.:eek: On occasion, they have even been known to help.

J.

 

Yep. Been there, done that! :)

[TheOldBear]

Steering commands are properly given as "Left" or "Right". I am not sure about the "Hard left" part though, I believe "Full left rudder" would be the proper terminology.

 

In Naval usage, there are three commands [increasing to the left or right]

 

• [direction] Standard Rudder
  
• [direction] Full Rudder
  
• Hard [direction] rudder
  

 

When maneuvering in close quarters, say for underway replenishment, the conning officer could also give rudder commands by degrees [left 3 degrees rudder]

[garigoun]

To the best of my knowledge the US navy and merchant service have always used the terms 'left' and 'right' for helm directions but when did this become the norm for UK operated vessels does anybody know?.

Up until the 80's when I left the sea the terms port and starboard were still in common use.The exchange would go something like _

Master, 'Port 10.'

Helmsman. 'Port 10.' then 'Port 10 on sir'

There were various degrees of formality depending on the wishes and temperament of the Old Man though this could sometimes work in reverse. A sailor on one ship I was on who was ex R.N. would reply '10 degrees port sir' then '10 degrees port rudder on sir' . I could never decide if he was doing it a bit tongue in cheek but by the time the master paid off 4 months later he was asking for ' 10 degrees port rudder please helmsman' Very grey funnel and tiddley. Perhaps Pepperrn can enlighten us further.

A Nautical Gari

[Cruachan]

The exchange would go something like _

Master, 'Port 10.'

Helmsman. 'Port 10.' then 'Port 10 on sir'

 

And here I always thought it was like "Left hand down a bit".

 

J

[garigoun]

And here I always thought it was like "Left hand down a bit".

 

J

 

Too much Leslie Phillips dear boy.

Gari

[bob brown]

In the air traffic world, the controllers will say the aircrafts call sign, then direct them which way to turn, and to which new heading such as:

"United one seven eight heavy, turn right to zero eight zero", which the Captain or first officer will repeat back, then execute.

[Cornus]

Just try to avoid sailing over New Years.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtTqH-rARbs

 

Kyle, thanks for that clip...:eek:. It's one of the scenes that entered my head in the middle of the night last week while on RCCL's Explorer of the Seas. Around 3:30 a.m. we were hit with a 100 mph gust of wind...can it be called a 'gust' at that speed? It knocked out the auto pilot and we started listing. I was convinced we were just going to continue tipping over :eek::eek::eek:!!! It was the only time I remember the Captain making an announcement to the entire ship in the middle of the night. He broadcast what had happened to all the cabins around 4:00 a.m. Reassuring, but really scary at the time. Check out the final page of the roll call for this sailing http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=869968&page=31 especially post #608. We had a port side balcony cabin [the side tilting down into the water] and I was convinced we were just going to continue over...another :eek:! For some reason, at that moment, I couldn't get the scene of Shelley swimming under water out of my head.

[Snort2448]

In the air traffic world, the controllers will say the aircrafts call sign, then direct them which way to turn, and to which new heading such as:

"United one seven eight heavy, turn right to zero eight zero", which the Captain or first officer will repeat back, then execute.

 

Some airlines allow passengers to eavesdrop in the radiocomm between the pilot/first officer and ground control. I love it! But I often wondered, what do they mean when they say "heavy"? Does it mean the flight is over-weight? Ahead of schedule?

[hansol1966]

It means its a large jet say a 747 or 777, large airbuses also.Fred.

[Berserker]

Wasn't Concorde always Speedbird? Rather nicer than "heavy".....

[bob brown]

Some airlines allow passengers to eavesdrop in the radiocomm between the pilot/first officer and ground control. I love it! But I often wondered, what do they mean when they say "heavy"? Does it mean the flight is over-weight? Ahead of schedule?

It refers to an aircraft, usually a wide-body that weighs over 315,000 pounds. The reason is to alert other traffic of its presence. In addition, controllers will caution other following aircraft to be aware of its wake turbulence, which can severly buffet a smaller following aircraft.