Opinion Bow Truster Effect on Ship's Headway

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

When the bow thruster has been in operation for a while, pilots often notice that the ship not only turns but also gains speed. But why is this? Opinion by Capt. Hugues Cauvier.

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Opinion A Corrected Version on Positioning of Pivot Point

by Capt. Santosha K. Nayak - published on 18 November 2020

Understanding the fundamentals of the pivot point is highly required for understanding the alteration of the courses. Pivot point is an imaginary point on the vessel which turns on a circular path on the perimeter of vessel’s turning circle when the vessel makes a turn. The knowledge about the position of the pivot point in a manoeuvring situation provides the ship handler with the information on the geometry of motion of the ship.

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Opinion Scientific Fact: The ‘traditional’ understanding of the ship’s pivot point is wrong!

by Tim Cummins, Harbour Pilot, Portsmouth International Port - published on 9 July 2020

In fact, the pivot point that we “see” is a trick of the eye, it looks like the ship is rotating about this point but in fact it is elsewhere, a point that you cannot see.

Related content

Video Bow thruster effect on ship's headway 1

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

What is causing the forward motion of a stopped vessel using continous bow thruster action?
by Capt. H. Cauvier

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Video Hugues Cauvier: Understanding the ship's pivot point (complete video)

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 3 September 2024

This video has been recut and edited by the creator Hugues Cauvier. Previously there were three episodes, which have now been combined into one.

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Video How to Launch a Pilot Boat–Behind the Scenes at Point Hope Shipyard

published on 20 June 2025

Welcome to Point Hope Shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In this video, I follow the float off of the Pacific Navigator, a hardworking pilot boat that serves the Port of Victoria and Ogden Point. We watch as the vessel is pulled along the marine railway, rotated on the turntable, and positioned onto the cradle. Once secured, the cradle lowers to float-off depth, and the Pacific Navigator fires up her engines for a short harbour spin before returning to duty. Some segments,...

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Video Curso Maritime Pilot AND Pilotage Transportation – Safety and Sea Survival Training

published on 12 March 2024

ANPRA y la Escuela Naval de Aviación Naval presentan el curso "Maritime Pilot AND Pilotage Transportation – Safety and Sea Survival Training (MP-SISST)".
Este programa integral está diseñado para preparar a profesionales de la navegación con las habilidades necesarias para enfrentar los desafíos del mar con confianza y seguridad. Desde técnicas avanzadas de pilotaje hasta protocolos de supervivencia en el mar, este curso ofrece un enfoque completo y práctico para garantizar la seguridad y...

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Video Yaw Stability of Ships - Basic Principles by Knud Benedict

published on 18 November 2021

Another very good explanatory video by Knud Benedict. Absolutely worth seeing.
Yaw Stability is an important element of Ships Manoeuvrability - both for course keeping and turning ability. This first video in a series explains the Basic Principles of stability in steady state equilibrium conditions and the forces / moments involved

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Video Two Way Traffic (The Texas Chicken). Explained by Capt. Lou Vest

published on 22 October 2020

With ships as large as 175 feet wide and a channel a maximum of 500 feet wide, how to you safely pass? Former Houston ship channel pilot, Lou Vest, explains how ships fight against hydrodynamics to pass with such narrow margins.
https://houstonmaritime.org

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Video Maritime Piloting in the 17th-Century

published on 25 June 2022

Many people wonder how ships made it across entire oceans without getting lost in the seventeenth century. Aaron introduces seventeenth century navigation to us today by beginning with piloting.

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Video Ex chief pilot of Bremerhaven harbor pilots on 400 meter ships (German with subtitles)

published on 1 February 2023

Matthias Meyer was head of the Bremerhaven port pilots, nautical expert and lecturer at maritime schools. In front of our camera, he voices what has long been a topic of discussion in shipping circles: that the 400-meter container ships have simply become too big for the narrow shipping channels of the Weser and Elbe. In his view, a serious accident is only a matter of time. We take a look at how the district is dealing with these giants and what politicians, BUND and shipowners have to say...

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Opinion Marine Pilots: Unsung Heroes Of The Shipping Industry

published on 12 August 2020

Qualified pilots are usually employed by the local port or maritime administration, and provide their services to ships for a fee, calculated in relation to the ship’s tonnage, draught or other criteria.

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Video 37' RHIB Pilot Boat "The Aldebaran" by BRIX Marine | World's Best RHIB Pilot Boat | NAIAD

published on 16 April 2024

Awarded World’s Best RHIB Pilot Boat of 2023, BRIX Marine's 37' NAIAD Pilot is purpose-built with cutting-edge design, advanced technology, and unparalleled performance to excel in its mission as a pilot boat.
With a length of 37 feet and powered by twin 300HP @YamahaOutboards01, the Aldebaran prioritizes practicality and performance. The aluminum hull, D-shaped foam, and polyurea membrane ensure durability, while the cabin provides comfort with insulated walls and shock-mitigating...

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