Modern helm steering is like a car. Turn the top of the wheel in the
direction you want to go.

That said, let me try to confuse the subject a little. Until 1933 the
command to turn a ship quickly to port was "Hard-a-Starboard". The idea
being that the command was referencing the tiller rather than the wheel.

As to your radial drive. In a cable system, the arm that turns the rudder
post can be a Quadrant or a full disk radial drive. Radials work best when
the cables can be led directly to the post. Quadrants require a sheave on
either side to guide the cable.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"lupi" wrote in message
...
I know, dumbest question you ever heard but I've always had a proper
tiller. I'm pretty sure the steering system is called a radial drive
but it's disassembled and lying in the bilge.
So,.. if you are standing at the mighty wheel stroking your binnacle
fondly, a corn cob pipe clenched in your teeth, humming the words to a
ribald shanty and you want the bow to swing gently to port (a left
turn, so to speak) you would then:
a) turn the wheel counter clockwise (like a car)
b) turn the wheel clockwise (umm,.. like a boat?)
It's a European built boat and it's in the northern hemisphere at
present if that makes a difference.
Again, I apologize.