Study the following table:

Order (by OOW, Pilot or Master)

Helmsman’s reply

Helmsman’s actions

Helmsman’s final report

Starboard twenty degrees

Starboard twenty, sir

Turns the wheel until twenty degrees to starboard is shown by the rudder indicator

Twenty degrees of starboard helm “on”, sir

Midships

Midships, sir

Returns the wheel to the midships position. Checks that rudder indicator shows midships

Wheel amidships, sir

Hard-a-port

Hard-a-port, sir

Turns the wheel as far to port as it will go. Checks that rudder indicator shows maximum port helm

Wheel hard-a-port, sir

Ease the wheel to port ten degrees

Ease the wheel to port ten degrees, sir

Allows the wheel to return towards the midships position, but retains ten degrees of port helm as shown by rudder indicator

Wheel eased to port ten degrees, sir

Check her (should be understood to mean, check the swing of the vessel)

Check her, sir

Turns the wheel against the swing of the vessel, up to approx. ten degrees of opposing helm being applied to reduce the rate of swing. Eases the wheel back to the midships position once the vessel stops swinging

Steady

Steady, sir

Observes compass heading, or land reference point, and steadies the ship’s head in/on that heading. Applies helm as required in order to maintain a steady course

Steady on course, X, Y, Z (or whatever the heading happens to be)

The supervising officer may, in addition, use the following phrases:

“How is your heading?”, a question as to the ship’s compass heading.

“Alter course to …”, ordering the helmsman to apply helm to change the ship’s course

to whatever is stated.

“State when the vessel stops steering”, or when vessel no longer responds to helm

movement because she has reduced her way, i.e. helm hard-a-port

and the vessel paying off to starboard.

“Finished with the wheel”, when the helmsman is no longer required. The wheel is

returned to midships and the helmsman can stand down.