Brandon, I'm sorry to say this; But I must correct you to some extend. A ship, especially a sailing ship, is steered mainly by the sails. The rudder is merely a secondary help, but is not actually able to steer the ship entirely on it's own. It merely supports the hull moving along with the sails. In earlier periods, the system was, as you know, quite different. Having a vertical beam one would hold on to, rather than a wheel (Now I must apologize for not knowing the exact English terminology). I work on a historical shipyard in the Netherlands (the Bataviawerf, now part of Batavialand) where we have a fully accurate replica of a Dutch 17th century East-Indiaman (The Batavia, 1627-1628), which is still steered by such a beam (and sails, as mentioned). Feel free to come and have a look at her whenever you find yourself able to do so, I will gladly show you around if you'd like. Though I am afraid that in about 7 months I myself will find myself across the channel in England for a few years, rather than in the Netherlands, and thus would be unable to directlt recieve you if you were to indeed pay a visit someday.
That's a very good point. I should have done more research into just how much of a role the rudder had in the steering of the ship. It makes perfect sense that the sails, and their direction, would have just as much if not more of a role in it. I will be sure to add a note to the description that while this video explains the mechanism behind a wheel and how the rudder works, it doesn't provide a full picture of how the ships themselves were navigated. Thank you!
Of course the rudder can steer the ship "on its own." As proof of this, the rudder can be used to sheer the ship around at anchor with a mere 1-knots of tide running past the hull. What you might have said is that the rudder is useless unless the ship is moving through the water, and that the rotational forces imparted by the sails can easily overpower the rudder in rough weather. In ordinary conditions a minor course change would be effected entirely through the rudder, and the sails trimmed to fit the new heading without actually assisting the turn. Naturally, in evolutions such as tacking or wearing, the sails were of critical importance. But likewise those maneuvers would be much slower and chancier without the rudder.
That vertical beam you're describing sounds like a whipstaff. Also, very jealous, the Batavia is one of my favourite tall ships and would love to see her in person.
Jari Bronthuis, the vertical beam in English is the Tiller itself. See example from wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiller#/media/File:Rumpel.JPG The arrangement of a wheel controlling the tiller, rather than simply controlling the tiller directly, is primarily a function of mechanical advantage. A directly linked tiller is limited by a 1 to 1 ratio effectively, which limited the tillers ability to direct the ship, due to the strength required. maximum spin is 180 degrees (hard port to hard starboard) By arranging the tiller control around a wheel, the wheel could be turned many times, and by using a pully system, the strength required to turn via the rudder is dramatically less.
You most definitely can use the rudder to steer on its own. In fact you absolutely require the rudder to set the vessel at the correct angle to the wind. Depending on the hydrodynamics of the hull a big vessel can lose steering way at as much as six or seven knots. This means a requirement for external force such as tugs or shore lines is required below that speed.
More Royal Navy of the late 1700's and early 1800's. No one is doing these kinds of educational videos on it. Many questions to be answered and topics to be explored. Kudos on going there. =)
Yes, but you have to be careful with that. Because the tiller (the horizontal lever at the top of the rudder) goes opposite to the rudder direction (i.e. if you pull the tiller to port, the ship goes starboard and vice versa), the command "Port Your Helm" means that the ship goes to starboard. Or it used to. Not all that long ago they changed the command to just "Port" or "Starboard". Confusingly, "Hard a'port' means that the ship goes to port . . .
The reason for the dual wheels at the top was to allow a second person to assist with the steering. Also, it would be possible to use pullies to amplify the force applied by the wheel. It looks like Victory utilized this to some extent, although it's hard to see.
I want to be contradictory to some of the comments which have been posted here, but I can't be bothered being individually contradictory to each of them, who argue that it was a poor system. The use of rope and chain linkage to control the tiller continued primarily because it worked, exhibiting both mechanical effectiveness, and was also *repairable*. If the rope snapped, you could let another loop out, (which would decrease steering effectiveness due to less friction) tie the rope back together again, using the lengths let out, re-tension it, and continue sailing whilst at sea. If a tensioner broke, you could jerry something to tension the rope or pull lengths back in. Mechanical linkages (such as screws and cogs) if they break, need replacing with the right part which needs to be manufactured, and which needs to be delivered to you. The US Navy manual on towing boats SL740-AA-MAN-010 issued 1 JULY 2002 has a short section on what to do if the military ship you are towing has damaged tiller controls, recommending using chains rather than steel ropes, should they have broken, if possible. see s 5-7.6 Locking the Rudder Simply put, if a "ship of the line" was at sea, it needed to be able to make ad hoc repairs without going back to port (most difficult without steering), and without requiring another ship to be sent to rescue it (given that locating a ship somewhere in the ocean outside visual range without radio is not an easy task... It would need to be realised it went missing first), and this, my dear friends, was the reason that the decision was made (at least by the Admiralty) that it was preferable to use ropes on ships for tiller control, and later, cables and chain, far later than the date when other systems were technically feasible. The British Empires warships were designed with survivability and repairability in mind, because help was not "coming"
Next time you visit the UK go to Harlepool, they have the oldest floating war ship (Victory being in dry dock). It is surrounded by museums and displays and has a detachment of marines who give firepower demonstrations. The ship itself has a audio guide. Well worth a visit.
I actually have a great deal of footage and many pictures from a trip up there, waiting to be made into videos! Sadly I wasn't able to see the firing display, but I had an incredible time up there.
Louis, I was responding to your comment about the Trincomalle in Hartlepool, I am well aware of where the Victory is as I went there years ago as a child and wouldn't mind going back down there know I'm older I can appreciate these old Warships alot better and try and get some decent photographs.
I recently visited Victory just last week. It's under restoration work and the masts and bowsprit have been removed and the entire exterior is covered by scaffolding and tarps but the interior is still very much accessible and definitely worth the visit. A very kind tour guide took the time to show me the rear area where the tiller (now removed) was and told me the same story about how it was manually steered. She also told me that the wheel generally took 8 men to turn though that was dependent on conditions. It's a great ship and definitely worth a visit, even if someone is not particularly interested in ships. You won't find many ships like it still around I can tell you that.
The build up to that diagram was fantastic 😂, but on a serious note this was very interesting. I have always wondered how these old ships worked. It’s both simple and complex. A truly beautiful piece of engineering.
I have a feeling that 2018 will be a very good year for learning about history. The community on youtube has grown immensely on all history related channels over the past few years, new channels are popping up left and right. And best of all there seems to be a level of communication between channels and their viewers that we've probably never seen before. Great video, hope to see more naval related stuff on this channel.
I want to Believe no she wouldn't handle it I can see the light through the hull when I go a board plus the hole reason the navy put her in drydock is because the ship wasn't safe to be on water she was constantly leaking and flooding.
Yo this has genuinely been a question of mine. Thanks for answering! Just recently stumbled upon your colonial camo vid and i gotta say man good stuff!!!
In the 1970's, my father lost a race commanding a vessel in the US Coast Guard Academy, when the steering line from the wheel to the tiller jammed. He said, "We could only go in circles until we got it freed". Sorry, this video and his story just reminds me of how much lines can jam.
One of those questions that I had never thought to ask. I figured it would be a system of shafts and gears, like in a windmill. This is simpler, being just a variation on the capstan.
If you think about this from a physics standpoint, it makes perfect sense. It's a good use of torque. The ropes that attach to the tiller are close to 90 degrees to the tiller, making it easier to actually steer the rudder. The tiller is long enough that it extends further out from the axis of rotation for the rudder, meaning the men controlling the wheel can actually steer such a large ship.
That's very enlightening. In all of the old pirate movies and other movies about the wood sailing ships, I do not remember ever seeing a rope wound around the wheel., and I never thought to ask that same simple question. I guess that the ship just magically moved it's rudder...LOL..!! Thanks....now I'm just a wee bit smarter for this.
Very well done Sir. Entertaining as well as informative. I'm more used to steamships, with telemotors and such, so I enjoyed seeing how things were done before the advent of modern Marine technology.
I’m surprised they didn’t have a back up system like the capstan with block and tackle being such an important part of the ships combat capability. Once again thank you for sharing.
All of these ships had a "back up system" They are blocks and tackle that can be quickly hooked onto the tiller and then to ringbolts in the ships sides and hauled on manually by seamen below deck in the event that the wheel is shot away or a tiller rope parts. They would relay steering orders down deck by deck from the officers up on the quarterdeck.
I must note that Brandon is sadly not a "Sir", due to his lack of Commonwealth Citizenship. From wikipedia: Today, in the UK and in certain Commonwealth realms, a number of men are entitled to the prefix of 'Sir', including knights bachelor, knights of the orders of chivalry and baronets; although foreign nationals can be awarded these honours, they are explicitly excluded using the prefix, instead using the associated post-nominal letters Simply put, he could be Mr Brandon F. KBE. (if he were given the honour of a knighthood) say, but correctly he could only use the post-nominal letters appropriate (honorary KBE tends to be used rather than Kb (which is Knight Bachelor)), but unless and until such time as he obtains citizenship from a Commonwealth state he couldn't use the prefix Sir.
Hi Brandon, I'm a shipyard outside machinist. On some freighters the set up for the rudder and tillerhead and tiller are exactly the same. On one Norwegian freighter built in the 1960's and still carrying pulp to Europe and paper back to Canada the same set up is used. The only difference is steel rope is used. In most ships of less then 250 meters the rudder, tillerhead, and tiller remain and hydraulics replace the rope and wheel.
This was quite fascinating Brandon! I love your channel so much :D Recently I've been making a 3D model of my favorite ship and the first ocean liner in History: Brunel's SS Great Britain and you actually answered a question of why the wheel was on the stern of the ship instead in the bridge section right next to the large tall funnel. Now I'm wondering how they tell the engine room for less or more speed since they didn't have the fancy equipment that ships like the Titanic had (Engine order telegraphs and etc) Great video! Huzzah!
I love boats. In fact, the sport I play is crew. Since I am so small I have the pleasure to be the coxwain and not a rower. In other words, I sit in the stern and steer, as well as yell orders.
Oh Captain Brandon, this video was amazing! Informative and entertaining. I just wanted to extend my humble gratitude and my compliments on your marvellous, beautiful, inspiring and mind blowing diagram! I will be forever envious of your absolute genius talent in drawing and illustrations. jokes aside, Keep it up, your videos are lovely.
indeed this is how most modern sailboats are still steered, although a steel cable has replaced the old natural fiber rope. Hydraulic steering is becoming more popular, but most of them still use cables. I'm speaking in generalizations here, so people don't need to chime in about "quadrants", emergency tillers, and the like.
any1 who's interested in this time period of Royal Navy history & drinking should try Pusser's rum. it's made to Admiralty specifications, exactly like it was +200 yrs. ago.
Hey, looking forward to more videos on ships... I'm half way through Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series and I REALLY need some help with all that navy terminology. :-) Great vid
Fun fact: before the wheel/helm was invented, ships like the swedish ship Vasa would only have a bunch of strong sailors at the tiller pulling it to use the rudder. I know because, i have visited The Vasa ship museum (Note that even when Vasa sank, her sistership with Minor changes would serve for a far longer career)
How exactly was the helm used? In movies, games and toys they usually stay behind it facing the direction of the ship (as on modern ships and most other vehicles). But the helm you showed doesn't seem to allow for that so were there two man on each side/two at each 'wheel'? And how much force is needed to turn that rudder with all the water pushing against it only with those ropes?
I suspect the rope was exposed for two reasons- so inspection could easily be made regularly, and so that it could dry out quickly. Certainly the portion nearest the deck apertures would often get wet. Being made from natural materials it could quickly rot and begin to weaken if allowed to remain damp inside a tube or cover. Leaving it exposed allows better air movement around it so it will dry quicker.
I'll be sure to fix my terminology in the next one! On the bright side, at least I already knew to call it a 'cable' in my anchor video, and not 'bigger rope'!
One of the reasons that the steering rope was not armored was so that it could breathe. If it were in tubes and the like it would rot ,being a natural fiber. Further by being exposed there would have been a chance of splicing it as a temporary repair.
The coil on the helm's axle.Was it's advancing and retreating, as the wheel was turned to the extreme of either direction, controlled to keep it in a single wrap and not double up,did it not matter,did it slip on the axle to keep it aligned with the exit holes?And what did they do to keep the rope from freezing solid in extreme cold?A canvas cover with a lamp for heat?
Good diagram, says former architectural and mechanical draftsman. However, I want to know if wheels were mid-deck, how they could see to navigate? Did they have someone in a crow'snest or forward deck calling out direction? Just don't see how they could see well from mid-deck.
Pardon, sir, but I'm not certain if this is something you'd be intrigued in making, but would you care to make a small video analyzing two vessels throughout history, comparing their speed, armament, armor, and overall analytics and decide which of the two would come out in a 1-v1 duel?
It’s an engineering principle the more times you wind the rope around the hub of the wheel the more torque you get in every turn so you can pull massive amounts of weight .
@@caroleast9636 More grip around the circumference mutiple times translates to more torque. One pulls on the rope that translates to torque which is the rotational analog of linear force or pull.
Is a "rope based steering system" the exact proper tech term to be used? I been told there are no ropes on a ship but only lines. Does this prove that statement about lines being wrong?
how does the single wheeled ships work? can you make a vid on that ? there were ships of the 1700s and 1800s that also had a single whel, no wood bar or dowel in between to hold a coil of rope
Heard recently that a life without a helm purposely directed will drift to destruction. May our lives be guided to glorify He who purchased us with His blood.
I would like to remind you that you pilot a British Warship hence the Royal Navys 'Pilot Watch' from 2-8 and the 'Pilot House' in later Ironclads this would be covering of the rudder housings beam.
I think some of those metal hooks that the Roper ran through may have been Victorian editions as well as those pillars, when the ship was made inoperative. It looks like the rope is making too sharp of an angle to not get caught, but then perhaps that was necessary to introduce some more tension.
![ปฏิเสธไม่ไหว (Crush on you) - LIPTA feat. No One Else [TEASER MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VC689EgdSIw/mqdefault.jpg)
1000+ hours in Her Majesty's Royal Painting Software.
It's a lifestyle, more than a career, I'd say.
I was an underwater door gunner on a submarine myself
@@BrandonF p0
As someone studying engineering at uni I can say that diagram is perfect. Simple and effective.
"Good enough? Good enough!"
Hey jew, wheres Cartman?
XD
Are you sure about that?
Kyle Broflovski I wish there were labels though. At first I had no idea what I was looking at despite his descriptions.
Brandon, I'm sorry to say this; But I must correct you to some extend.
A ship, especially a sailing ship, is steered mainly by the sails. The rudder is merely a secondary help, but is not actually able to steer the ship entirely on it's own. It merely supports the hull moving along with the sails.
In earlier periods, the system was, as you know, quite different. Having a vertical beam one would hold on to, rather than a wheel (Now I must apologize for not knowing the exact English terminology).
I work on a historical shipyard in the Netherlands (the Bataviawerf, now part of Batavialand) where we have a fully accurate replica of a Dutch 17th century East-Indiaman (The Batavia, 1627-1628), which is still steered by such a beam (and sails, as mentioned).
Feel free to come and have a look at her whenever you find yourself able to do so, I will gladly show you around if you'd like.
Though I am afraid that in about 7 months I myself will find myself across the channel in England for a few years, rather than in the Netherlands, and thus would be unable to directlt recieve you if you were to indeed pay a visit someday.
That's a very good point. I should have done more research into just how much of a role the rudder had in the steering of the ship. It makes perfect sense that the sails, and their direction, would have just as much if not more of a role in it. I will be sure to add a note to the description that while this video explains the mechanism behind a wheel and how the rudder works, it doesn't provide a full picture of how the ships themselves were navigated. Thank you!
Of course the rudder can steer the ship "on its own." As proof of this, the rudder can be used to sheer the ship around at anchor with a mere 1-knots of tide running past the hull.
What you might have said is that the rudder is useless unless the ship is moving through the water, and that the rotational forces imparted by the sails can easily overpower the rudder in rough weather.
In ordinary conditions a minor course change would be effected entirely through the rudder, and the sails trimmed to fit the new heading without actually assisting the turn. Naturally, in evolutions such as tacking or wearing, the sails were of critical importance. But likewise those maneuvers would be much slower and chancier without the rudder.
That vertical beam you're describing sounds like a whipstaff.
Also, very jealous, the Batavia is one of my favourite tall ships and would love to see her in person.
Jari Bronthuis, the vertical beam in English is the Tiller itself.
See example from wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiller#/media/File:Rumpel.JPG
The arrangement of a wheel controlling the tiller, rather than simply controlling the tiller directly, is primarily a function of mechanical advantage.
A directly linked tiller is limited by a 1 to 1 ratio effectively, which limited the tillers ability to direct the ship, due to the strength required. maximum spin is 180 degrees (hard port to hard starboard) By arranging the tiller control around a wheel, the wheel could be turned many times, and by using a pully system, the strength required to turn via the rudder is dramatically less.
You most definitely can use the rudder to steer on its own. In fact you absolutely require the rudder to set the vessel at the correct angle to the wind. Depending on the hydrodynamics of the hull a big vessel can lose steering way at as much as six or seven knots. This means a requirement for external force such as tugs or shore lines is required below that speed.
4:17 I refuse to believe you didn't have a 10 group team of animaters
Ah yes. Group teams must have been essential. Perhaps even 10 of them..
@@conservat1vepatr1ot10 is the minimum, but it is better to have 100. 😊
More Royal Navy of the late 1700's and early 1800's. No one is doing these kinds of educational videos on it. Many questions to be answered and topics to be explored. Kudos on going there. =)
Thanks, and you can expect a good few more on these ships, and how they worked!
You are shure with late 1700's and early 1800's? I mean battle of trafalgar have been at early 1900's.
@@michaelburger7114 The Battle of Trafalgar was in 1805.
@@peterblood50 exactly. 1805 is early 19th century. Perhaps just a misapprehension about 19th century and 1900's.
First of all: yes we do all say wheel occasionally but the proper term is: Helm
Yes, but you have to be careful with that. Because the tiller (the horizontal lever at the top of the rudder) goes opposite to the rudder direction (i.e. if you pull the tiller to port, the ship goes starboard and vice versa), the command "Port Your Helm" means that the ship goes to starboard. Or it used to. Not all that long ago they changed the command to just "Port" or "Starboard". Confusingly, "Hard a'port' means that the ship goes to port . . .
In the (international) merchant navy we say wheel
The reason for the dual wheels at the top was to allow a second person to assist with the steering. Also, it would be possible to use pullies to amplify the force applied by the wheel. It looks like Victory utilized this to some extent, although it's hard to see.
"How do you steer a ship of the line?"
...Carefully.
Jokes aside, good video mate. :3
Hah, indeed! And thank you!
How do you steer a Welsh ship of the line?
Caerphilly
very cleaver, sir.
Outlast The Dark a
Outlast The Dark I dont get it...
I want to be contradictory to some of the comments which have been posted here, but I can't be bothered being individually contradictory to each of them, who argue that it was a poor system. The use of rope and chain linkage to control the tiller continued primarily because it worked, exhibiting both mechanical effectiveness, and was also *repairable*. If the rope snapped, you could let another loop out, (which would decrease steering effectiveness due to less friction) tie the rope back together again, using the lengths let out, re-tension it, and continue sailing whilst at sea. If a tensioner broke, you could jerry something to tension the rope or pull lengths back in. Mechanical linkages (such as screws and cogs) if they break, need replacing with the right part which needs to be manufactured, and which needs to be delivered to you.
The US Navy manual on towing boats SL740-AA-MAN-010 issued 1 JULY 2002 has a short section on what to do if the military ship you are towing has damaged tiller controls, recommending using chains rather than steel ropes, should they have broken, if possible. see s 5-7.6 Locking the Rudder
Simply put, if a "ship of the line" was at sea, it needed to be able to make ad hoc repairs without going back to port (most difficult without steering), and without requiring another ship to be sent to rescue it (given that locating a ship somewhere in the ocean outside visual range without radio is not an easy task... It would need to be realised it went missing first), and this, my dear friends, was the reason that the decision was made (at least by the Admiralty) that it was preferable to use ropes on ships for tiller control, and later, cables and chain, far later than the date when other systems were technically feasible.
The British Empires warships were designed with survivability and repairability in mind, because help was not "coming"
Bob Bobskin well it was the best of the time
Next time you visit the UK go to Harlepool, they have the oldest floating war ship (Victory being in dry dock). It is surrounded by museums and displays and has a detachment of marines who give firepower demonstrations. The ship itself has a audio guide. Well worth a visit.
I actually have a great deal of footage and many pictures from a trip up there, waiting to be made into videos! Sadly I wasn't able to see the firing display, but I had an incredible time up there.
Ah the good ol' Trincomalle! May need to go up there at some point and get some videos and pictures (even more so if there's a firing display on)
Victory is in Portsmouth (I've seen it and been on it so don't bother arguing
Brandon F. Did you also see warrior
Louis, I was responding to your comment about the Trincomalle in Hartlepool, I am well aware of where the Victory is as I went there years ago as a child and wouldn't mind going back down there know I'm older I can appreciate these old Warships alot better and try and get some decent photographs.
I recently visited Victory just last week. It's under restoration work and the masts and bowsprit have been removed and the entire exterior is covered by scaffolding and tarps but the interior is still very much accessible and definitely worth the visit. A very kind tour guide took the time to show me the rear area where the tiller (now removed) was and told me the same story about how it was manually steered. She also told me that the wheel generally took 8 men to turn though that was dependent on conditions.
It's a great ship and definitely worth a visit, even if someone is not particularly interested in ships. You won't find many ships like it still around I can tell you that.
The build up to that diagram was fantastic 😂, but on a serious note this was very interesting. I have always wondered how these old ships worked. It’s both simple and complex. A truly beautiful piece of engineering.
I love your down to eart practical history videos , thank you for good work
I have a feeling that 2018 will be a very good year for learning about history. The community on youtube has grown immensely on all history related channels over the past few years, new channels are popping up left and right. And best of all there seems to be a level of communication between channels and their viewers that we've probably never seen before.
Great video, hope to see more naval related stuff on this channel.
I have the sudden urge to watch hornblower again.
Same here, I practically know the whole series by heart
David Poitevint: Hornblower is still cool! X-)
+David Poitevint already have 'em.
read the books there better then read the jack aubry books by Patrick O'brien theres 21 of them i think
Somebody recommended this to me the other day. Is it good?
HMS victory is a beautiful ship she deserves to feel the ocean around her hips again ..fine video mate 😉
I want to Believe she would leak like a sieve.
Naaaa she's an old girl but she can handle it...
I want to Believe no she wouldn't handle it I can see the light through the hull when I go a board plus the hole reason the navy put her in drydock is because the ship wasn't safe to be on water she was constantly leaking and flooding.
Nothing a bit of tape can't fix
I want to Believe at a cost and most of her hull will need to be replaced.
This is a terribly underrated channel. Keep up at the bloody good content, mate.
Very well done and informative video, The HMS Victory was state of the art technology in her day.
Yo this has genuinely been a question of mine. Thanks for answering! Just recently stumbled upon your colonial camo vid and i gotta say man good stuff!!!
Wow, I was actually wondering this just the other day ^^
So nice that videos from years ago are still helpful
Without a rudder the ship cannot sail against the wind, so the rudder is essential for navigation. Good stuff, keep it coming.
This answers the question i didnt asked but answered by the way and for that i thank you for the new knowledge you shared
Congratulations on your brilliant artwork very nicely done 👍..and most interesting breakdown cheers 🙏
Power steering column, of course.
Today it is pretty much that. I could only imagine the torque needed to turn this wheel for 8 hour straight or more
In the 1970's, my father lost a race commanding a vessel in the US Coast Guard Academy, when the steering line from the wheel to the tiller jammed. He said, "We could only go in circles until we got it freed". Sorry, this video and his story just reminds me of how much lines can jam.
Thank you.
I've wondered about this and after your video and the comments below, I see it was really a complicated procedure to steer a wooden ship.
One of those questions that I had never thought to ask. I figured it would be a system of shafts and gears, like in a windmill. This is simpler, being just a variation on the capstan.
If you think about this from a physics standpoint, it makes perfect sense. It's a good use of torque. The ropes that attach to the tiller are close to 90 degrees to the tiller, making it easier to actually steer the rudder. The tiller is long enough that it extends further out from the axis of rotation for the rudder, meaning the men controlling the wheel can actually steer such a large ship.
Thanks for this, I really didnt know how those weels worked. Excellent job!
Well done. Vert interesting and informative. Thanks
That's very enlightening. In all of the old pirate movies and other movies about the wood sailing ships, I do not remember ever seeing a rope wound around the wheel., and I never thought to ask that same simple question. I guess that the ship just magically moved it's rudder...LOL..!! Thanks....now I'm just a wee bit smarter for this.
Well, another well-made video. Thank you very much and keep up the good work! Greetings from Germany
you are the only one who is a gentleman that i acctual like...
Nice presentation, thanks , I learned a bit
Very well done Sir. Entertaining as well as informative. I'm more used to steamships, with telemotors and such, so I enjoyed seeing how things were done before the advent of modern Marine technology.
Hello men starboard ten round the bouy and back again. I love the detailed content
I’m surprised they didn’t have a back up system like the capstan with block and tackle being such an important part of the ships combat capability.
Once again thank you for sharing.
All of these ships had a "back up system" They are blocks and tackle that can be quickly hooked onto the tiller and then to ringbolts in the ships sides and hauled on manually by seamen below deck in the event that the wheel is shot away or a tiller rope parts. They would relay steering orders down deck by deck from the officers up on the quarterdeck.
A, another entertaining video to entertain me while I lie in sickness, I thank you for your keeping me entertained sir Brandon
Let this video be dedicated to your health!
I must note that Brandon is sadly not a "Sir", due to his lack of Commonwealth Citizenship.
From wikipedia:
Today, in the UK and in certain Commonwealth realms, a number of men are entitled to the prefix of 'Sir', including knights bachelor, knights of the orders of chivalry and baronets; although foreign nationals can be awarded these honours, they are explicitly excluded using the prefix, instead using the associated post-nominal letters
Simply put, he could be Mr Brandon F. KBE. (if he were given the honour of a knighthood) say, but correctly he could only use the post-nominal letters appropriate (honorary KBE tends to be used rather than Kb (which is Knight Bachelor)), but unless and until such time as he obtains citizenship from a Commonwealth state he couldn't use the prefix Sir.
DON'T DIE!!!
'The rudder's shot away Sir, the steering don't answer'. 'We're caught like fish in a barrel'.
I think this proves rudders are important.
You better hold fast
Brandon you're a treasure, mate
Love your content, keep it up ❤👍🏼
Thank you!
Hi Brandon, I'm a shipyard outside machinist. On some freighters the set up for the rudder and tillerhead and tiller are exactly the same. On one Norwegian freighter built in the 1960's and still carrying pulp to Europe and paper back to Canada the same set up is used. The only difference is steel rope is used. In most ships of less then 250 meters the rudder, tillerhead, and tiller remain and hydraulics replace the rope and wheel.
diagram joke's delivery was f***ing gold
I never looked into this, but already knew how it worked by how I would make it.
The reason for the line being so exposed is for faster replacement. Also the sails were more useful for steering the ship than the wheel itself.
Great work as usual, keep it up good sir!
Thank you
This was quite fascinating Brandon! I love your channel so much :D Recently I've been making a 3D model of my favorite ship and the first ocean liner in History: Brunel's SS Great Britain and you actually answered a question of why the wheel was on the stern of the ship instead in the bridge section right next to the large tall funnel. Now I'm wondering how they tell the engine room for less or more speed since they didn't have the fancy equipment that ships like the Titanic had (Engine order telegraphs and etc)
Great video! Huzzah!
Smashing video, I need to visit Portsmouth at some point
I love boats. In fact, the sport I play is crew. Since I am so small I have the pleasure to be the coxwain and not a rower. In other words, I sit in the stern and steer, as well as yell orders.
Sounds like the best job to have, on a boat!
Oh Captain Brandon, this video was amazing! Informative and entertaining. I just wanted to extend my humble gratitude and my compliments on your marvellous, beautiful, inspiring and mind blowing diagram! I will be forever envious of your absolute genius talent in drawing and illustrations. jokes aside, Keep it up, your videos are lovely.
Jolly good show.
Awesome video. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
You're the one who voiced the narrator for the "duck and cover" instructional video on South Park.
"That's right, duck and coveehh"
that’s awesome! assassins creed black flag nostalgia 😭
I'll be honest I didn't wonder this until you posed the question
Good topic
Ah, the HMS-Paint… she has lovely (mouse-drawn) lines!
Very interesting sir! I would much like to visit this place myself one day!
It's a beautiful site, and there are many more ships besides the Victory!
K E R B A L
S P A C E
P R O G R A M
indeed this is how most modern sailboats are still steered, although a steel cable has replaced the old natural fiber rope. Hydraulic steering is becoming more popular, but most of them still use cables. I'm speaking in generalizations here, so people don't need to chime in about "quadrants", emergency tillers, and the like.
Do a special on what is done to clear a ship of the line for action in a battle. It was complicated.
any1 who's interested in this time period of Royal Navy history & drinking should try Pusser's rum. it's made to Admiralty specifications, exactly like it was +200 yrs. ago.
Hey, looking forward to more videos on ships... I'm half way through Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series and I REALLY need some help with all that navy terminology. :-) Great vid
Fun fact: before the wheel/helm was invented, ships like the swedish ship Vasa would only have a bunch of strong sailors at the tiller pulling it to use the rudder. I know because, i have visited The Vasa ship museum
(Note that even when Vasa sank, her sistership with Minor changes would serve for a far longer career)
It was those crafty ropes all along.
That last bit with the bloke with a flute on the anchor made me giggle.
Finally someone answered this
Breathtaking illustration! No way you did that all by yourself!! Hahaha
I am SO looking forward to the day your voice changes.
How exactly was the helm used? In movies, games and toys they usually stay behind it facing the direction of the ship (as on modern ships and most other vehicles). But the helm you showed doesn't seem to allow for that so were there two man on each side/two at each 'wheel'? And how much force is needed to turn that rudder with all the water pushing against it only with those ropes?
i needed this vid so i can do the wheel for my flying dutchman im building
I suspect the rope was exposed for two reasons- so inspection could easily be made regularly, and so that it could dry out quickly. Certainly the portion nearest the deck apertures would often get wet. Being made from natural materials it could quickly rot and begin to weaken if allowed to remain damp inside a tube or cover. Leaving it exposed allows better air movement around it so it will dry quicker.
my sphincter clenched every time he said ROPE
I'll be sure to fix my terminology in the next one! On the bright side, at least I already knew to call it a 'cable' in my anchor video, and not 'bigger rope'!
It a line!!!!! Not a cable either.
Vessels have lines cowboys have ropes. Lol.
On a ship you have lines, warps and sheets - never ropes!
@@theofficialdiamondlou2418 'Cable' is quite correct.
@@al35mm However, lines, etc., are made of rope, which is manufactured in a rope walk.
Well now I know how to steer a ship of the line...I'm sure that will come in handy
One of the reasons that the steering rope was not armored was so that it could breathe. If it were in tubes and the like it would rot ,being a natural fiber. Further by being exposed there would have been a chance of splicing it as a temporary repair.
The coil on the helm's axle.Was it's advancing and retreating, as the wheel was turned to the extreme of either direction, controlled to keep it in a single wrap and not double up,did it not matter,did it slip on the axle to keep it aligned with the exit holes?And what did they do to keep the rope from freezing solid in extreme cold?A canvas cover with a lamp for heat?
I do have a question, what kind of steering command did sailing ships follow since they already have pulleys in them and not just the tiller?
It looked like there were some pulleys. Did they use mechanical advantage to make it easier to steer?
Question: If you turn the wheel to the left will you go right? If you turn the rubber to a direction will it go the opposite direction?
Good diagram, says former architectural and mechanical draftsman. However, I want to know if wheels were mid-deck, how they could see to navigate? Did they have someone in a crow'snest or forward deck calling out direction? Just don't see how they could see well from mid-deck.
Pardon, sir, but I'm not certain if this is something you'd be intrigued in making, but would you care to make a small video analyzing two vessels throughout history, comparing their speed, armament, armor, and overall analytics and decide which of the two would come out in a 1-v1 duel?
It’s an engineering principle the more times you wind the rope around the hub of the wheel the more torque you get in every turn so you can pull massive amounts of weight .
More turns give more grip and less slip...not more pull..unless slipping is a problem!
@@caroleast9636 More grip around the circumference mutiple times translates to more torque. One pulls on the rope that translates to torque which is the rotational analog of linear force or pull.
Is a "rope based steering system" the exact proper tech term to be used?
I been told there are no ropes on a ship but only lines. Does this prove that statement about lines being wrong?
I find it amusing how Horatio Nelson is in HMS Rose, a 122 gun heavy first rate, several years after hes dead in Napoleon Total War.
Interesting. But what are those buckets for that are above the wheel?
That moment when you want to watch a video that has just been uploaded but your in the middle of class...
It will be there waiting for when you return!
Yes, the tend to host classes several times a year... Wait, I don't think that's what Brandon F. meant...
you're*
well no problem now because online classes
how does the single wheeled ships work? can you make a vid on that ? there were ships of the 1700s and 1800s that also had a single whel, no wood bar or dowel in between to hold a coil of rope
Heard recently that a life without a helm purposely directed will drift to destruction. May our lives be guided to glorify He who purchased us with His blood.
I would like to remind you that you pilot a British Warship hence the Royal Navys 'Pilot Watch' from 2-8 and the 'Pilot House' in later Ironclads this would be covering of the rudder housings beam.
does that apply to every ship built 17 century 19 century?
Definitely an interesting video. Funny to see another American so interested in British history. Question: Where do I find these groups?
...a long way to modern days joysticks...!
I am SHORE that didint expect to SEA that coming.
I think some of those metal hooks that the Roper ran through may have been Victorian editions as well as those pillars, when the ship was made inoperative. It looks like the rope is making too sharp of an angle to not get caught, but then perhaps that was necessary to introduce some more tension.
Interesting History
The guide rope being openly exposed is directly due to ease of repair and replacement. Especially under storm or battle conditions.
The exposed lines should make repairs and maintenance easy.
I have question, do they use oil to fuel ship?
Fairly simple.
Indeed dear boy! Indeed.