Parts of a Ship Wheel

A ship's wheel is the device that controls the ship's rudder, the apparatus connected to the hull that steers the ship. Also known as a helm, early ship wheels worked in correspondence to the tiller, the long post connected to the rudder. When the helmsman turned the wheel clockwise the ship would veer left and vice versa. Modern ships changed this action so that the movement of the wheel is aligned with the movement of the ship.

  1. Handle

    • A ship wheel has 8 or more handles.

      A ship wheel usually has eight or more spokes with eight handles beyond the rim of the wheel. In older ships, a helmsman would hold the wheel with the handles. Before hydraulic systems, these handles helped give the helmsman leverage when steering.

    Arc

    • A ship wheel has eight arcs that join to form the wheel. Each arc connects to the spokes, forming a circle.

    Holder

    • The holder on a ship wheel is the central piece that hold the handles in place. The holder then connects to the tiller, which is the device that connects the ship's rudder.

    Circle

    • The circle surrounding the arcs and spokes gives the ship wheel extra support. Sometimes this can be made of brass if the handles and arcs are made from wood.

    Front and Back Cover

    • The front and back cover give extra support to the central holder. The covers may be metal rather than wood.