The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-24
STEERING A BOAT.
The Rig of the TiIler Ropes Often
a Source of Danger.
A CURIOUS LACK OF SYSTEM.


A bronzed pilot was carefully nurs-
ing big Atlantic liner through the
murk and confusion of early morning
and innumerable passing craft up the
crowded waters of New York bay. The
ship was crowded with passengers,
most of whom had risen betimes to
watch their homecoming. A tense ex-
preston, brought on by the tremendous
responsibility. cast its grim lines over
the pilots face as he turned into the
lower Hudson rive. and saw dense
fogbank creeping down from the Pal
isades. Three miles still to go, and
1000 lives in his hands! Slowly he
crept along, almost touching q ferry
load of commuters, just skipping
triple tow of sand seows. threading
his way through the maze of vessels
big and little; the fog, denser and
more dense, making it impossible to
see the shadow of nearing craft more
than a couple of lengths away.
Suddenly a departing liner, just
hauled out into the stream, doomed up
off the starboard bow. The pilot turn
ed CHASTITY white. my God! Crossed
chains or straight chains? Crossed
or-straight? Heaven help me- In
almost instant desperation he called
Hard aportp' the quartermaster
swung the wheel overland the huge
floating hotel slowly turned out and
gllded by. almost scraping the other
Crossed chains-straight chainsT
What does this mean? 1t means this
that there is no invariable rule or sys
TEN of arranging the tiller ropes on
vessels so that the latter always move
In the same direction in response to
similar turn Of the wheel. If equipped
with crossed chains" the craft will
turn the opposite way; II with
straight chains" the wheel must be
turned in the same direction the vessel
is desired to go Most ocean vessels
are equipped with straight chains,
though this Is by no means an invari-
able custom. Sailing craft may be and
are fixed either way, On the other
hand. harbor boats, including tow
boats, tugs, etc, generally have crossed
tiller ropes.
Thus our pilot friend had spent most
of mis- nautical life aboard tugs and
other inland boats and when confront
ed with crisis of great responsibility
wayered momentarily between the in
1uence of his habit Of twenty years
and the newly acquired information
given him as he went aboard. II was
lust by the sheerest chance that be or
dered the wheel turned the correct
way.
An able ocean seaman signed for a
round trip from Buffalo to Duluth and,
asked IL he could handle the wheel.
was sent to the pilot house. They
were already under way. and. not be-
ing familiar with the uncertainties or
steering gear. he neglected to ask the
usual question. Crossed chains or
straight chainsT" The coal steamer
neared a scow load of bricks. Hard
aportr' called the mate. The helms
man flung his wheel to starboard. as
he had been used to do on the high
seas. and his vessel bore down upon
the unsuspecting tow. Hard aport,
you idiotr yelled the mate, Don't
you know this boat has crossed
chains?" He reversed the wheel and
missed the scow by bare Craze.
Such incidents as these are by no
means rare in navigating experience,
though fortunately serious accidents
therefrom are uncommon either be-
cause of benignant fate watching
over befuddled men at the wheel or
because they instinctively follow the
new conditions and turn the helm In
the right direction. Pilots themselves
scoff at suggestions of danger, saying
that a real seaman's instinct will al
ways save him from making mistakes.
All the same. a man experienced IN
handling vessels of their own particu-
lar character is generally standing by
the newcomer at the wheel for safety's
sake.
A more common danger. as far as
the general public is concerned. is the
universal lack of unity in arranging
the steering apparatus on motorboats.
Most of these craft are exceedingly
small. and the tiller ropes are put in
at the beginning Of every season by
the owners themselves, to suit their
own particular notions So, in every
fiotila will be seen steering gear OF
every description, from simple tillers
to elaborate brass mounted wheels. the
latter with either crossed or straight
chains. as individual fancy may die
tate. This is safe as long as the
owner or one used to the craft is at
the wheel, and not many accidents are
reported in such circumstances. But
accidents have resulted when an anna
teur used to crossed ropes has steered
o boat oppositely rugged.
But when one used to a launch with
crossed ropes requiring turning the
wheel opposite to the direction the
boat is TO gol takes the wheel of IN
automobile. then the passengers are
fortunate indeed If they are not put
into perilous situations: for motorists
are not always provided with the safe
instinct" ascribed TO experienced sea-
men. and autos move in the same d.
rection the wheel is turned
However. crossed chains and straight
chains will probably so on their own
sweet irresponsible existence for just
as long as some great catastrophe Is
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