¶ Ruddering Sequence (1)
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Index Entry
Ruddering Sequence:
"Within the grand strategy of anticipatory problem solving
to be accomplished exclusively through design transformations
of human ecology’s physical environment apparatus, the
design strategems range from powerful to subtle. For
instance, instead of attempting to push the bow of an ocean
liner from one side to the other in order to steer it (as we
do the front ends of automobiles, as well as of social trend
fronts) inasmuch as the great seas also try to push the bows
to one side or the other thus tending to throw the ship out
of control, the naval architect must design in such a way that
the ship’s course will not tend to be diverted by heavy seas,
yet will be steerable. To do this he designs a ship’s hull
with the hinge or pivot point of the ship occurring
forwardly under the step of the bow. This makes a long
lever arm aft and a very short lever arm forward of the
pivot, and the long lever overpowers the short one as in a
weathervane ‘ship.’ Thus the naval architect makes the
stern of the ship (rather than the bow) swing to one side or
the other of the course. The course tends to be held
steadily by the bow. The stern tries to follow the bow in
a straight course. The keel then makes the stern follow the"
