First, kudos to him who goes by “Danny from Bruklin” for identifying fjorder’s scene with the sea otter as Monterrey Bay, specifically Santa Cruz harbor. Danny, you’re up . . . when you’re up for it.
The next two fotos come from coyote, who submitted earlier gypsum 1 and 2 foto sets. Below . . . what executes turn decisions aboard Gypsum King.
Blue and rust red outside, but mostly white inside: it’s the inside top end of Gypsum King‘s steering system showing hydraulic actuators. Make a decision and one cylinder retracts as the other extends. Great tech stuff at this link; find steering gear along left navigation bar.
Here’s the analogous piece on an antique canoe-yawl, braided twine replacing steel cylinders on this portable vessel. See the pivot in the bottom-most large drawing at this link.
Executing decisions isn’t the problem; developing the judgment and assembling the self-confidence to make good decisions are the sticking points.
Executor on USCGC barque Eagle, built circa 1936
Rudder on Sakura Express, three years old,
Rudder on Peking, built 1911 and –tell all ship fanatics–to be moved into drydock in the Kills on January 7ish, 2008. Bring your camera; i won’t be around:((
Rudder on London Express, built 1998. Repeat: the hard part is the decision, not the execution.
Photos, WVD.
tugster: a waterblog 
5 comments
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December 20, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Biffle French
Who invented the rudder and when?
December 21, 2007 at 10:31 am
coyote des neiges
I’d say Cro Magon in the préhistoric times!!!
December 21, 2007 at 10:33 am
coyote des neiges
By the way, the Gypsum ship on the first picture would be the Gypsum Baron instead of Gypsum King (my mistake when sending, sorry). They were sister ships, but the Baron was painted blue after the King went to scrapyard (paix à son âme!). Before, they were both black hull!
December 21, 2007 at 2:55 pm
mageb
Facinating lesson. Thank you. It brings to mind a nice image I have of a gull sitting on the Lane Victory’s rudder. Somewhere. Sorry you won’t be here to photograph the Peking. What horrible condition she is in. Sad.
December 23, 2007 at 4:12 pm
bonnie
Neat rudder post!
HA HA HA HA HA!
Get it? Rudder post?
SORRY! Somebody had to make the pun! And I’ve breathed just enough cleaning solution during my post-Texas, pre-holidays apartment scrubdown to be the one to do it!
On a less fumeheaded note, I particularly love the inclusion of the antique canoe-yawl, whose steering mechanism is a perfect mirror of that on my surfski, albeit in wood & cord instead of metal & cable.
And in closing, happy whatevers to everybody!