But the helm is on the wrong side

The PO of Pioneer (commercial fisherman) told me for commercial vessels, the "working side" is the side the boat reverses towards.
As earlier mentioned, a right-hand prop walks to port in reverse so port becomes the working side and the helm, and wheel house door if there is one, should be on the port side.
Seems sensible to me.

Hey Bendit,

How's that 3406 goin !!!!

Cheers Chris D Liberty

Post #31 works for me. Works opposite for me having propwalk to starboard with a starboard helm.

CaptTom said:

All kinds of good "reasons" for one side or the other, but I've always been taught that it's got nothing to do with prop walk or which side the dock is on.

The real reason: per NavRules, the vessel to your starboard is the stand-on. You need to give way to anything on that side. Hence that's the side you want the best visibility.

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Seems all a bit weird...but lots of things seem to lack logic. The international sea rules re passing/converging traffic are such that we pass port to port, while steering on the right, and, as you say, give way to the right. You'd think if optimum visibility is the priority it would seem to make more sense then for boats to also pass st'bd to st'bd, wouldn't it..? As we do in a number of countries, Australia included, where we drive on the left, in RHD vehicles, and also give way to the right(starboard), on our roads. In countries like the US, with LHD, (driving on the right side of the road), you give way to the left, (port side), i.e. the side you are driving from. It appears the rules of the sea are a mix of both systems.

Peter B said:

You'd think if optimum visibility is the priority

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There is an old adage in the marine industry: "Most collisions occur from which quadrant?"

skipping ahead, most answer from the Starboard (the give way side)

Untrue. Most collisions occur from the PORT. The side we tend to think of as the 'safe side'. We get a lull into thinking that others will 'obey' the rules and turn to the right, and keep a lookout. The problem is the people who are NOT keeping a proper (effective) lookout are the ones who run into others. Think auto and lane collisions. Now add into this the problem of complacency. Doomed.

Regarding the helm position, on vessels small enough, the side is determined by the accessibility to the mooring line access and the hand of the prop. Not sure what size is considered single handed appropriate, but this usually is determined by ability and aptitude.

caltexflanc said:

Look at the picture of your boat. If you are hard starboard with your helm, then you have that pillar right in your way to detect a vessel coming from your forward port quarter. Center or port helm, the pillar is out of the equation.

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Thanks George,
To stbd Iv'e got one "pillar" but to port I've got at least four. And moving my head 2" clears the stbd pillar but to clear the port pillars I'd need to move my head 10" at least and look in 3 or 4 spots. I feel my visability is better to stbd .. where my helm is.
I have so many windows there's good visability but in close next to a float if possible I'd want to be on the float side of the boat.

Eric, I really should have quoted Capt. Tom, whose boat I was referencing. I just noticed that miscue. Oops!

I am fine with my port helm & LH prop, I can turn 1/2 way in the seat to carry on a conversation and still watch the danger zone. In my boat with the s'board helm, I can't do that.
Both back towerds their helm side so I land on that side when I can. I see no problem and would never reject a boat for that reason.

Liberty2015 said:

Hey Bendit,

How's that 3406 goin !!!!

Cheers Chris D Liberty

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Hi Chris,
Engine's good but trans rear seal is leaking a bit. I'll have to pull it out (BIG JOB as it weighs 195Kg) at the end of summer - probably June.
Cheers,

Wrong side

IDK. It all sounds to me like the optimum size of the space shuttle booster rockets was decided centuries ago by the spacing between the wheels of Roman war chariots.

Wanderin Star said:

IDK. It all sounds to me like the optimum size of the space shuttle booster rockets was decided centuries ago by the spacing between the wheels of Roman war chariots.

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How'd you guess?

Wrong side

caltexflanc said:

How'd you guess?

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CTF: Guess? Man I got skills!

Gaston: Think you could check out that bell for me? Spoda be at the Australian Maritime Museum in Sydney. We visited Melbourne in 67. Yeah, shellback. See Crusty? you ain't old. I got out in 76, about the time you went in. Went to PO1 in 10 and out. Agent Orange.

Gaston; sorry, wrong thread. See drifting,,,Navy style, # 20.