The watches are changed at eight bells and the same sequence of
half-hourly bells repeated. The watch below is called fifteen minutes
before eight bells, and it is a habit of disciplinary nautical etiquette to
relieve the watch on deck promptly on the stroke of eight bells. Formr
erly, the watch and watch system was universal and it is still the usual
routine for deck hands, except on ships where* quartermasters are spec-
ially engaged to steer the ship, in which case the deck hands are usually
on whole day work, each man taking a turn on the lookout at night.
The officers, however, are organised in three watches, the chief officer
taking the 4 to 8 watch morning and evening, the third officer the 8 to
12 watches, and the second officer the middle and afternoon watches
from midnight to 4 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m.
Helm Orders.—The rudder in very small ships is turned by a helm
or tiller as in the life-boats. The helm has disappeared from ocean-going
ships but the name still survives and only the rudder remains the same.
When it is desired to turn the ship's head to starboard, the rudder
is angled to starboard by turning the steering wheel so that its upper
half also turns to starboard; conversely, when the ship's head is turned
to port, the rudder is angled to port by turning the, wheel sd that its
upper half also turns to port, all of which sounds quite intelligible and
logical. The word helm for some unexplained reason is still retained and
the Board of Trade has intimated that "from 30th June, 1931, helm or
steering orders to the steersman shall be given in the direct sense> e.g. when
the ship is going ahead an order containing the word 'starboard' or 'right
or any equivalent of 'starboard9 or 'right* shall only be used when it is
intended, on ships as at present generally constructed and arranged, that
the wheel, the rudder-blade and the head of the ship, shaft all move to the
right."
This recommendation also forms the text of Article 41 of the
International Convention (1929).
We, have purposely avoideS using the word helm in this book and
have referred to the action of theTudder direct which, after all, is t&e
apparatus that causes the ship to turn.
Conning the Ship.—When the command is given "port 10°" the
man at the wheel replies in a responsible manner "port 10°, sir/' and
then turns*'the wheel until the indicator on the steering wheel jpjllai
comes to "port 10 Y* the rudder is then at an angle of 10° with, the line
of tte keel and the skip's head wiB turn in response to tike action of the
In some skips the order "$K>rt 10°w would mean steer 10° to
of your course. The order may be e<hard-a-port" or "hard-a-