Week 7 – Maneuver to turn a ship

7.1 Turning with the bow thruster

 While turning a vessel, BT plays an important part. In restricted space like in a congested dock,
the vessel has to literally spin on its axis. In such case the vessel is stopped and with the help of
bow thruster the bow is swung to port or starboard, pivoting the stern.
 Sometimes, the stern is also rotated with the rudder and engines. But what is generally considered
in this case is the vessel’s natural tendency to cant while coming astern. If the vessel has a right
handed propeller, the vessel’s bow will swing to starboard, while the engine is run astern. So it is
always advisable to turn on the starboard wheel as while coming astern also, the vessel will keep
turning in the desired direction.
 While backing down, it is however advisable to take a towing tug at the stern and use the bow-
thruster as and when needed. The tug straightens the stern as it pulls and any effects of transverse
thrust are thus neutralized.
 Bow thruster thus plays an important role in maneuvering of ships. But how and when it should
be used depends on the experience which has to be acquired on the field.

7.2 The accelerated turn (backing and filing) turning when there is a wind.

 Backing and filling, this common maneuver is started with the vessel dead in the water. The
engine is brought to half ahead and the rudder is put hard right. It will be immediately apparent as
the ship moves ahead that the turning diameter for this accelerating turn is significantly less than
for a turn using constant revolutions, and most ships will turn in about half the diameter required
for the turn in maneuver, assuming both turns are made in the same depth of water.
 When the vessel has picked up a good swing and some headway (the amount of swing depending
on the sea room available for the turn), the engine is put half astern (or full astern for low-
powered or deeply laden ships). The rudder becomes less effective as the ship loses headway, so
it is first put amidships and then hard left as the ship begins to gain sternway. Again, the duration
of backing and amount of sternway depend primarily on the space available for the turn, but the
vessel can be turned in about one - and -a - half-times her own length if required, by reducing the
amount of ahead and astern speed the vessel is allowed to develop. Again observe the diameter
required to make this turn, and get a feel for the maneuver and the time required to reduce
headway. The effectiveness of the rudder while the ship is going astern can also be ascertained at
this time.
 1. HALF AHEAD/HARD RIGHT.
2. HALF ASTERN/HARD RIGHT.
3. HALF ASTERN/HARD LEFT.
4 and 5. HALF AHEAD/HARD RIGHT.
6. TURN COMPLETED.

REPEAT 2, 3, 4, AND 5 AS REQUIRED.

 Do not be fooled by the fact that, during both this backing and filling maneuver and the steady
turns, the ship at first develops a good swing and then appears to be losing that swing as the rate
of turn decreases. This effect is sometimes misunderstood and the ship handler feels that the ship
is going to stop swinging. The rate of turn will only decrease until the forces affecting the ship
reach a state of equilibrium, after which a constant rate of turn is maintained. Be patient,
 Do not attempt to back and fill to the left unless you have no other alternative, as a ship will
normally lose her swing in that direction when the engine starts turning astern. An excessive
number of engine maneuvers are required to back and fill to the left, and in many cases the ship
simply will not make the maneuver. There is not much point in collecting data during this
maneuver. The rate of turn and the turning diameter required to reverse the vessel's heading are
more a factor of the ship handler’s skill than the ship's characteristics, so comparisons are not
particularly meaningful. Also, remember if you can, to use the wind and current to help maneuver
the ship.

7.3 Making a tight turn using an Anchor

 Mariners consider anchoring a ship to be an art. In fact, it’s also a form of science for it involves a
sense of pivot, around which, a ship turns and imparts the stalling force to the ship.
 While berthing a ship alongside a jetty or a pier in tidal or windy conditions, the role of the ship’s
anchor is extremely vital.
 Preferably, a ship must always approach the berth or a jetty stemming the tide (reduce the effect
of the tide by cutting it) to ensure better control of the vessel. If the opposite is done when the
ship is berthed, i.e. if the ship approaches the berth or jetty with the tide at its stern, the rudder
effect is minimized as the tide plays with the stern.
 To turn the vessel, which is coming up the tidal estuary along with the tide, the anchor is dropped
on the side towards which the vessel has to be turned. If the vessel is planned to turn on the
starboard wheel, the starboard anchor is dropped. Likewise, if it’s planned to turn on the port
 wheel the port anchor is dropped.This is done to avoid the anchor chain going across the stern of
the vessel after the swing.
 But before dropping the anchor, the ship’s speed is reduced to around 3 knots or less to minimize
the chances of chain damage or damage to the ship’s equipment and hull.
 For a ship having a normal right-handed propeller, which comes up with the tide, the starboard
anchor is dropped so as to take the advantage of the canting, i.e., swinging of the stern due to
transverse thrust ( which is essentially a sideways force acting on the stern of the vessel moving
forward or astern). The ship is brought up with the help of the anchor ( i.e. her way has stopped
and the vessel is riding only on her anchor).
 Generally for obtaining maximum holding power of the ship’s anchor, the total anchor rode (The
vessel is attached to the anchor by the rode, which is made of chain, cable, rope, or a combination
of these) should be 4 to 7 times the depth of the water the ship will be anchoring in.
 If the anchor is designed to hold on the horizontal pull (like fluke or claw type anchors), more
chain is paid out to give a lower angle of pull and the sag of the chain will give enough catenary
effect to hold the ship. The final position of the vessel is assessed beforehand so as to keep
enough leverage of the swing.
 Once the anchor drag has stopped, the helm is kept hard over to the starboard and the tide starts
pushing to the starboard quarter, turning the ship 180° to the starboard facing the tide. Once
turned, the anchor is slowly weighed up. Then, by stemming the tide the ship is brought close to
the jetty at an angle of 20° – 25° and the head rope is passed.

7.4 The Williamson Turn

 The Williamson Turn is one of the preferred maneuvers in case of a person falling overboard to
bring the vessel or small boats to its reciprocal course she was doing.
 It is named after John Williamson of USNR, who invented and used it first to recover a person
who went overboard.
 The best thing about Williamson’s turn is that it brings the vessel on an almost reciprocal course,
making it more effective at night or in restricted visibility. However, it can be used in any
condition. Still, if it is daytime and clear visibility, an Anderson turn (single turn) or a Scharnow
turn would be the quickest to reach the casualty.
Williamson Turn Procedure – How to Execute Williamson’s turn in rescuing persons overboard
Steps to be followed as below.
 As soon as you came to know on bridge of Man Overboard.
 Put the Rudder hard over to the side of a casualty.
  Once you’re heading deviate 60° from the original course, put the rudder hard over to the
opposite side.
 When you are 20° from the reciprocal course, put rudder amidships and steady on reciprocal
course.

7.5 The Single Turn

 The Anderson turn (also known as a single turn) is a manoeuvre commonly used to bring a ship
or boat with engines back to a point it previously passed through, often for the purpose of
recovering a casualty in the quickest time possible.
 The Anderson turn is most appropriate when the point to be reached remains clearly visible. For
other situations, a Scharnow turn or a Williamson turn might be more appropriate. Both require
more time to return to the target point.
 An Anderson turn consists of 1.) putting the rudder hard over to the side of the casualty, 2.)
deviating 250 degrees from the original course, 3.) placing the rudder amidships and maintaining
speed throughout the turn, 4.) stopping the vessel when the casualty is approximately 15 degrees
off the bow.
 Ideally, if dealing with a man overboard, the vessel should always be manoeuvred upwind of the
person. The vessel engines should be stopped with the person well forward of the propellers to
prevent injury.

7.6 The Scharnow Turn

 The Scharnow Turn is a maneuver used to bring a ship or boat back to a point it previously
passed through, often for the purpose of recovering a man overboard.
 The Scharnow Turn is most appropriate when the point to be reached is significantly further
astern than the vessel's turning radius. For other situations, an Anderson turn or a Williamson
turn might be more appropriate.
 Put the rudder over hard. If in response to a man overboard, put the rudder toward the person
(e.g., if the person fell over the starboard side, put the rudder over hard to starboard).
 After deviating from the original course by about 240 degrees, shift the rudder hard to the
opposite side.
 When heading about 20 degrees short of the reciprocal course, put the rudder amidships so that
vessel will turn onto the reciprocal course.
 If dealing with a man overboard, always bring the vessel upwind of the person. Stop the vessel in
the water with the person well forward of the propellers.