For the Navy guys out there. Is there still a ship’s wheel on the bridge, or is everything electronic dials and push buttons?

Arleigh Burke class destroyer helm:

Ticonderoga Class Cruiser USS Vicksburg's Helm

Why are they all wearing the hoods amd gloves?

quote:

Originally posted by houndawg:
Why are they all wearing the hoods amd gloves?

They are in GQ or running drills...

Last CG ship I saw with an actual wheel was a utility boat, the fast small boats have them, but mostly it’s a joystick that has degree marks off to either side so the helmsman can adjust course....one ship I was on had an autopilot (we called it Iron Mike) that was a dial, you just put in two or three degrees of change and it took over

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC, June 01, 2021 02:58 PM

Fire protection. Lots of stuff on warships burn. You either fight the fire or die.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Fire protection. Lots of stuff on warships burn. You either fight the fire or die.

I knew that. I didn't realize they were running a drill.

Cool picture

In the upper left, anyone have an idea what the guy in the blue jacket is doing with his right arm?

Looks like he punched through the glass front of a box showing diagrams of the ship above and below where his arm is. I'm sure there's a purpose, but as a landlubber, I'm mystified.

It looks like he's pointing out something or making a grease pencil mark on a map of the ship's compartments. I would think this is some kind of damage control drill or practice GQ.

On the other hand, if they're in the gulf it may not be a drill.

quote:

In the upper left, anyone have an idea what the guy in the blue jacket is doing with his right arm?

Marking map, I thought the same, WTF he's doing a Super Hero Punch through the glass chart!, then you can see the blue cover seems to end at some point past his elbow, then it's white covering, you see his arm going to the left on the glass and writing something.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Cool picture

In the upper left, anyone have an idea what the guy in the blue jacket is doing with his right arm?

Looks like he punched through the glass front of a box showing diagrams of the ship above and below where his arm is. I'm sure there's a purpose, but as a landlubber, I'm mystified.

He’s marking damage on the ships diagrams...these are done at the local damage control locker and at the Damage Control Central, and on the bridge so whomever is driving the ship can also keep up with damage control efforts or spread of damage as it comes in (or across the sound powered phone circuit)

DAmage Control Central doesn’t necessarily need to be on the bridge. I ran a damage control locker during a real engineroom fire and it is managed pandemonium at its best,( we were short trained personnel and supervisors), so other people on the same circuit can chart the damage and repairs in case something happens to your local damage control locker...

Thanks for the explanation and the example from personal experience! This Forum is truly populated with people who have been there, and done that!

Just FYI, I stood watch down in after steering. We had two small steering wheels. We could select which hydraulic pumps etc. were on line. Redundancy is a necessity. WE could steer the ship from the bowels of the ship in an emergency. We had our own compass, etc. so that we could take orders over the sound powered phones.

FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class.

I know several skippers that had the small brass steering "knob" (being pointed out here) replaced with a more traditional (albeit small) wheel.

I'm an old guy so when I was in the Navy, there was a wooden helm wheel, and the helmsman steered the ship taking in account the wind and sail positions, and taking orders from the officer of the deck. Think "Captain & Commander"

Just some silly nonsense... Mostly electronics with a bit human intervention. Again, think a 787 aircraft.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
I'm an old guy so when I was in the Navy, there was a wooden helm wheel, and the helmsman steered the ship taking in account the wind and sail positions, and taking orders from the officer of the deck. Think "Captain & Commander"

Just some silly nonsense... Mostly electronics with a bit human intervention. Again, think a 787 aircraft.

Well, to be fair, there is that ONE Navy ship with the wooden helm and sails, and you wouldn't have to be all that old to serve on her.

Steering with the little wheel on a FFG was about the least ergonomic pain in the arm you ever want to try... and I only had to do it to see what it was like, not over and over. Humanity only had about 75 years of automobile experience when it was designed, so it's not like we had anything to draw on.

I really think the designers envisioned the wheel being used only occasionally, with Iron Mike doing most of the driving.

Looks like RC controls. This is what it should look like...



and you climb through this hatch to access the helm.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
Arleigh Burke class destroyer helm:

I believe that's the original helm control on the Burke's, it actually has physical dials and throttles. The two destroyers that had the collisions, were using the new digital, touch-screen controls, which contributed to the confusion and disaster.

Helm is being updated, once again, to more traditional controls with a limited amount of touch-screen interface.

quote:

Originally posted by feersum dreadnaught:

and you climb through this hatch to access the helm.

Iowa class?

Whatever class, that is the armored citadel on a battleship, which makes it at least 77 years old. I do like the 'traditional' controls, of course, but then again, I've never been a sailor.