Altering Course — Turn and Wheel

Turn together

A turn together is a manoeuvre in which all ships turn simultaneously, thus maintaining their true bearings and distances from the Guide.

Ordering a turn: direction is indicated by the PORT flag or the STARBOARD pennant relative to the numeral flags.

Amount: three numerals give the true course to turn to; one or two numerals give tens of degrees relative to the present course. The ANSWER pennant allows turns to within five degrees. Consecutive relative turns should be avoided — order the next turn as a specified course using three numerals.

Wheeling (CORPEN)

To wheel is to alter course in such a manner that on completion all ships are in their former relative positions.

Direction is indicated by the PORT flag or STARBOARD pennant; amount by three numerals (the new true course) or one or two numerals (tens of degrees relative to present course).

Wheels are prohibited in a circular formation, when ships are formed on a line of bearing, and in multiple line formations when line guides are neither astern nor abeam of each other — except that each line may be ordered to wheel simultaneously.

The amount of wheel is limited to 180° in single column and 90° in single line abreast.

Wheeling in single column

The leading ship alters to the new course and becomes Guide; the remaining ships follow round in her wake.

A ship turning outside the wake should not swing beyond the new course, but should steady parallel to it and wait until the next ship astern has completed her wheel before gradually regaining station.

A ship turning inside the wake may ease her rudder as soon as the mistake is apparent; a reduction of speed will probably be necessary to avoid coming dangerously close to the next ship ahead.

If the leading ship is Guide and alters course without signal, the remaining ships follow in her wake unless she has signalled breakdown, man overboard, or to disregard her movements. If she is not the Guide, the rest of the formation disregards the movement and remains in formation.

Wheeling in single line abreast and pivot speed

The pivot ship alters to the new course and becomes Guide. Remaining ships increase speed as necessary up to stationing speed, alter course independently to regain by the most direct route their previous relative bearings and distances from the pivot ship, then adjust course and speed to hers.

When ordering the wheel the OTC may reduce the speed of the pivot ship or pivot column to expedite completion.

In columns with line guides bearing abeam, all ships of the pivot column proceed at the new signalled speed at the same time as the Guide. In line abreast with line guides bearing astern, all lines except the leading line proceed at the new signalled speed at the same time as the Guide.