BOAT EXPERTS! SHIP EXPERTS! ETC. 10 PTS! who is the person who steers the boat or drives the boat? navigator?

Question

who is the person who drives the boat or like steers the boat? like what is he called? boat captain? navigator? iunno . HELP PLEASE

Answer 1

Although the role has changed over the years, in general, a "Helmsman" actually "steers" the ship, a "navigator" guides the ship ( follows the charts etc" and relays the course changes to the helmsman. The "captain" has overall command of the ship, can over ride any orders or directions if needed, and is in charge of the safety of the ship and passengers. Obviously, in some cases, some or all of these duties are handled by the same person. A large ship will have a large bridge crew, a smaller ship or boat, may only have a captian, who does all 3 things.

Answer 2

tiller man

Answer 3

The person who steers the boat is called the skipper

Answer 4

to answer your question, the navigator plots, and the helmsman steers.... on a ship, but if you have a boat then you will not have a navigator, unless it is your drunk friend next to you telling you where to go, in that case it is the captian, so actually frank is correct

Answer 5

On navy ships' it's the quartermaster. On merchant ships its the helmsman. On boats it the coxswain.

Answer 6

helmsman in the merchant marine - i am sure military navies use different terms.

Answer 7

IT'S THE SKIPPER AND I SHOULD KNOW I GO SAILING

Answer 8

Helmsman.

Answer 9

Commercial salt water ships are steered by the helmsman, on fresh water (IE Great Lakes)  he or she is the wheelsman. Often watchmen will spell the Helsman/wheelsman while he takes a break.  Sometimes deckhands will steer to train before upgrading their rating.  Most times, unless in restricted waters, the auto pilot does the actual steering.  

The navigation is done by the deck officers either Mates or Captain (technically Master).  Normally the Master-Skipper-Captain-Old Man... (depends on the boat or company what he/she is called and whether he or she is present), decides on the route to be sailed and the Mates are in charge of keeping to the prescribed route while on watch.  Some boats are very formal, others not so.  Some skippers leave a lot to the mates, some are adamant about keeping to the track.

On non commercial boats, often the person is the owner and has no title. You will hear a lot of references to Cap or Skipper or other terms, more often than not it would be more appropriate to say Bob is steering.  Boat ownership actually confers no official title other than owner.   Larger boats will have licensed Captains, Mates, deckhands,engineers etc., but like commercial vessels a large number of people may actually steer the boat at any given time.

To make a long story short, no one person steers all the time.

Answer 10

My 20 years in the Coast Guard taught me that the HELMSMAN actually steers the ship and the navigator is the person who lays out the course that you sail. The Officer of the Deck is the person in charge of the bridge operations and oversees the navigator and the Helmsman.

Semper Paratus!!!!!

Answer 11

Helmsman is driving the ship.  The captain makes the course of the ship.

Answer 12

Well, I have been on 3 cruises and whenever the preson who is navigating the boat comes on the loudspeaker, they always say, Hello, this is you captain speaking....so it is probably called the captain.

Answer 13

Helmsman, steerman, or boatswain.

Answer 14

OK here goes;;; navigator plots and makes sure boat is in right place and going right way and doesn't hit nasty things (rocks) Capetian he is GOD he has soul responsibility for boat and all on her. coxswain he usually steers BUT this is shared around it is broken down to "watches"and every one gets a turn. CON FUSSED??? that's OK go join the navy thay will sort it all out for you.

Answer 15

Depends on the boat.

Big boats: Helmsman

Smaller boats: Skipper (Captain)

Answer 16

The person steering is at the helm - the helmsman. The navigator plots the course. The captain is in charge of the entire ship and might never steer.