DSK wrote:

I'm saying that many of the statements made about why the Titanic hit
the iceberg, with regard to her rudder's ineffectiveness, are incorrect.


Nav wrote:

Such as?


Such as yours.


If the engine were stopped the rudder effectiveness would have been
reduced.


OK, tell us what you mean by stopped. Then tell us about the Titanic's
engineering plant and how they would have "stopped" the central shaft.



The engine would be stopped by opening the steam bypass valve. That
might not stop the propellor but that's not the issue here.

Now are you still saying that stopping the engine has no effect on
rudder effectiveness


... I think that is most likely true, why do you disagree with it?


Oh, just a silly whim on my part, no doubt. Years of marine propulsion
engineering have nothing to do with it.


So you think an engine in neutral has no effect on rudder?


If it were reversed, effectiveness would be even lower.


That's a mighty big "if." As above, please explain how they would have
put the central shaft in reverse.

In any case, the ship was going full speed, the loss of the prop stream
across the rudder would not reduce the rudder's effectiveness very much.


Do you know what slip is and how it would affect the rudder? What would
have been a likely value of slip for the central propellor of the
Titanic at full speed?

It's strange but every time I've taken the helm of a displacement boat
the loss of helm authority when the engine is throttled back has been
most obvious. Perhaps it's your engineering expertise that makes the
difference.


Cheers