ships wheel

[Keith Tindell]

Thinking back on how many hours a lot of us on this site have stood doing our trick at the wheel, rarely in my recollection , talking to any of the watch officers, and i dont know if this was frowned upon at that time. But how many stories get passed down over the years, and the one that i expect most on this site have heard, was the guy on the maiden voyage of a ship was caught carving his name on the wheel, taken and logged for this, and money deducted from his wages for a new wheel, and at the end of the voyage the seamen presenting the company with a large bill as they had been using *his* wheel for the rest of the voyage. I have no idea if this is true, but suspect its folklore and passed down. I do recall the wheel always had lots of carvings of names etc on it, but today would be impossible on buttons or little stainless steel wheels, just my random thoughts as to how many also heard the same story. KT

[j.sabourn]

Even the one about taking the wheel off. JS

[cappy]

funny thing about a ships method of steering......a wheel is a feeling of some control .......a tiller ie on a yacht is a different control and have never felt happywith a tiller......i would assume the worst job must be to do a trick pressing buttons......that must be very boring compared to having a wheel in your hand .....just my view...... as a boy on the colliers my ist trip aug 1950 given the chance i would have steered to london and back but my granda made me peel spuds for the cook as well and help him in the galley and learnedme to scull as one of the needs of the collier man was to get ashore from the coaling staithes on the tyne.....i remember that time as the best a young man could have had......but the engine room was a no no for me ......and to be truthful at that age i didnt like the strange noises the hissing of steam and the smell regads cappy

[Captain Kong]

In 1954 on the Tilapa, skin boat, I carved, `I love Elsie` on the wheel,
Elsie lived near the Flat Iron off Stanhope Street in Liverpool, She is still alive and well, an 80 year old widow now.
Brian

[Ivan Cloherty]

Even the one about taking the wheel off. JS

Have been the victim of that one, can assure you it wasn't just folklore, I'm sure the 3rd mate must have been in on the joke as he just smirked as far as I could tell, no doubt he could have been in a cartload of sh*te had the master decided to wander up that night.

[cappy]

In 1954 on the Tilapa, skin boat, I carved, `I love Elsie` on the wheel,
Elsie lived near the Flat Iron off Stanhope Street in Liverpool, She is still alive and well, an 80 year old widow now.
Brian

#####many a good tune played on an old fiddle........regards cappy

[Keith Tindell]

I dont doubt these old ships wheels could tell many a tale. I wonder how many are still going as garden gates, hung on pub walls etc, your one may be on a pub wall to this day Brian, everyone wondering about a deep love story with a young lady, KT

[Captain Kong]

If I found it I would certainly try to buy it.
What memories.
Cheers
Brian

[John Albert Evans]

As a 16 years old galley boy on the San Fernando, Eagle Oil Shipping Comapany I used to take the wheel sometimes, with the Captains permission I might add, between 2pm and 3pm when I wasn't working in the galley. Thinking back now all those years ago a young boy steering a huge tanker (For that time 1957) across the Pacific, what a thrill, sorry guys nostalgia has set in

John.

[cappy]

As a 16 years old galley boy on the San Fernando, Eagle Oil Shipping Comapany I used to take the wheel sometimes, with the Captains permission I might add, between 2pm and 3pm when I wasn't working in the galley. Thinking back now all those years ago a young boy steering a huge tanker (For that time 1957) across the Pacific, what a thrill, sorry guys nostalgia has set in:dream

John.

nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia it what the site is about and keeps us all going ....better than neurolgia......regards cappy