"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008 16:31:45 -0400, Eisboch penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:



Seriously? A tiller, I can understand. Pull it over to port to turn
starboard and visa-versa. But a helm or steering wheel?

Eisboch


Yes! The ships were rigged so that the wheel caused action and
reaction similar to a tiller. All the way up until about 1930,
steering systems worked this way. One of my co-workers thought he had
found a silly error in the movie Titanic! He noted that the ship
turned opposite the wheel (expecting a modern automobile sort of
response). I had to disappoint him by telling him that "hard to port"
actually turned the ship to starboard.

This quirk has lead to causation in several large maritime
accidents...



Nice nautical tidbit I never knew. Thanks. When I think about it, being a
transition from a tiller, it makes sense. The helmsman would be thinking
rudder position and not the ship's bow heading.

Eisboch