ships steering wheel

[Roger Dyer]

Hi Alec,

Good to hear from you too, mate, hope you are keeping well. My apologies to you and Bill for giving the wrong information, knew you had been with U.B.C. and somehow had it in my head that you were on the 'Baltic Trader'. I was on the 'Clipper, 'Express (summer of 1960), 'Spray, 'Importer, 'Swift, and 'Merchant (twice). Also have 'Baltic Exporter' in my D.B., but never sailed on her. Was taken ill the day after joining and 'Engagement Cancelled' was entered in my book, which bl---y annoyed me. Why they couldn't add ' -due to sickness' is beyond me. I always thought it looked like a black mark, but fortunately it did not harm my reputation with the company. Like MacAndrew's with whom they were associated, I thought U.B.C. were a good outfit to work for, even if the run could be a bitch in winter.

The only U.B.C. vessel I sailed on not built in Germany was the 'Spray, which was built in the U.K. Had originally been built for a Scandi company I think (though not sure)and was only with U.B.C. for a year or two. Nice little ship but I found the bosun a bit odd. We were passing through the islands between Turku and Mantyluoto(Finland) in a heavy mist, condensation dripping everywhere, when the good old bosun told me to wipe down exterior deckheads and bulkheads with cotton waste and paint them. I thought it was madness in such conditions and told him he was crazy - he was !!! I would liked to have stayed on her longer, but madness is catching. She was the only 'Baltic boat' I ever came across that had a conventional wheel with hydraulic steering, all the others had the labour intensive systems so favoured by the Germans at the time. Having said that, I confess that in rough weather Idle
Jack (Y.T.) found the push-button system easier.

.................take care mate, Roger

[happy daze john in oz]

Lots here: 5.5 foot Ships Wheel Manchester Dry Docks Co, Ships Wheels & Steering Pedestals


Well worth having a browse around the above site

Thank you for posting that. I have one exactly the same, got it about 30 years ago from the restraurant of a department store that was closing the restaurant. The store manager told me it was genuine but I had doubts as it was so big. How the store came by it I never found out but i do know how they got rid of it.

[alf corbyn]

i suppose those queen spokes were on UCL liners?

[happy daze john in oz]

And a number of P&O Alf.

[John Arton]

One night in the middle of the Atlantic 12-4 watch on the Empress of Canada, the Q.M. on watch and steering, suddenly abandoned the wheel and threw himself down on the wheelhouse deck blubbering and screaming "how could he do it to mme, the bitch". This greatley suprised me and the 2nd Mate as up to this point the guy in question was one of the best and steady Q.M.'s on board and we had no idea of his life style. What ever we did we could not persuade him to stop screaming and blubbering and all this time the Canada was describing a gracefull circle in mid ocean at 25 kts.
Eventually got the 2nd Q.M. on watch to return early from his break and he took over the wheel for the rest of the watch whilst the bridge watch got the first Q.M. back to his cabin.
It turned out that he lived with his partner and had actually gone through some sort of gay marriage ceremony with him, though god knows what it was as this was the early 70's.
Apparentley his partner had been making eyes at a young steward in the Pig and Whistle prior to the Q.M. coming on watch and he had got it into his head that his partner was going to run off with this young lad. He had been brooding on this whilst doing his stint on the wheel and knowing that he could not do anything about it until he finished at 0400 had allowed it to build up inside him until as said, he suddenly broke down in tears.
He was off watches for two days whilst his mates covered for him saying he had the runs, so there was no logging.
2 days later he appears on the bridge for the afternoon watch as bright as a button with a big grin on his face as if nothing had happened.
Apparentley him and his partner had had a serious chat and made up between themselves and every thing was hunky dory.
At times you felt that half the crews on the passenger ships were doubling up as agony aunts the number of falling's out amongst the steam queens etc. we had to sort out. Still looking back it was all good experience and I learned lots on how to handle people and there problems both personal and professional.
Would not have missed it for a minute, only problem was the blighters sold the Canada that year.
rgds
JA

[Ivan Cloherty]

Is this the fellow

[Red Lead Ted]

Ship,s Helm.................................. Terry.

[Les Woodard]

Convinces me that keeping away from liners was the best decission I made. Just knew they where full of shirt lifters. Sure they where on cargo ships as well but mostly as a novelty item and for those that where to lazy to do it for themselves LOL.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi All.
Like Roger I not only used to like steering but took pride in keeping the ship on course, I found rough seas a chalange. On one tanker I was on the wheel for eight hours every day while she was cleaning tanks, I didn't like the job and the other crew members disliked steering, I got the same overtime as them, so other than relief for dinner I was in the wheel house all day, and still did my stint on the night watches.
I did a few times after a hectic few days on the booze and sailing late nod off to sleep and hit my chin on the spokes, very sobering point.
Cheers Des

redc.gif

[j.sabourn]

Been on ships with buttons for steering, ships with no rudders but azimuth thrusters, half wheels quarter wheels, Tillers, But there is nothing like the old wheel to get the feel of a ship. You cant feel the ship with an electronic button. All these so called modernizations obviously designed by landsmen and not seamen. Cheers John Sabourn