I have to second Georgs.

Do everything you can to keep from hand steering on a long passage.
 You will have much safer short handed watch keeping if you are not
tired out by standing (for most of us) and trying to chase a compass
heading.  Fatigue while short handed is a great problem. Of course
the real answer is a helmsperson, a second helmsperson (change every
hour), a navigator, a engineer, a captain, a cook, a deck hand, etc.
 But the QE 2 may not being going to the places we wish to see.

How the subject of steering,  how many have a backup to their
hydraulic steering lines?

We are carrying for the autopilot a spare control head, motor,
cylinder with a parallel hydraulic line.

Byron Nelson
M/V Voyager

I have to second Georgs. Do everything you can to keep from hand steering on a long passage. You will have much safer short handed watch keeping if you are not tired out by standing (for most of us) and trying to chase a compass heading. Fatigue while short handed is a great problem. Of course the real answer is a helmsperson, a second helmsperson (change every hour), a navigator, a engineer, a captain, a cook, a deck hand, etc. But the QE 2 may not being going to the places we wish to see. How the subject of steering, how many have a backup to their hydraulic steering lines? We are carrying for the autopilot a spare control head, motor, cylinder with a parallel hydraulic line. Byron Nelson M/V Voyager

Do everything you can to keep from hand steering on a long passage.
 You will have much safer short handed watch keeping if you are not

At 09:48 AM 12/23/04 -0800, you wrote: > Do everything you can to keep from hand steering on a long passage. > You will have much safer short handed watch keeping if you are not There is another issue which gets forgotten here. It is real smart when you get to the age that most of us are to keep an eye on your ankles, feet and lower legs. This business of standing while steering or even hanging your legs over the edge of seat can result in swelling, fluid buildup in the lower extremities. This kind of swelling is dangerous. It can lead to clots which can result in heart attacks and strokes. Not to mention distended veins in the legs. This list of problems is not complete by any means. In other words, if you notice swelling, change your habits. Get your feet up, use elastic socks or bandage wraps to prevent the swelling and don't allow this to go on for days, weeks, etc. without taking precautions. Talk to your doctor about this, if you have a tendency towards this swelling. Regards, Mike Capt. Mike Maurice Tualatin(Portland), Oregon