TL;DR — An A/B must demonstrate knowledge of helm commands, engine-order telegraph procedures, and lookout duties to earn the endorsement; the exam tests the exact phrasing of rudder orders, the closed-loop "order–repeat–execute–report" cycle, and the regulatory requirements for steering-gear redundancy and alarms.
What the Rule Says
Regulatory foundation for the A/B endorsement
Before the Coast Guard issues an A/B endorsement, the applicant must prove knowledge of seamanship and the ability to carry out all duties that may be required of an A/B, including those of a lifeboatman or lifeboatman-limited. 46 CFR §12.405 The examination must be conducted in English and must cover nautical terms, compass use, running lights, passing signals, fog signals, and distress signals. Critically for this topic, the exam must also cover commands in handling the wheel as helmsman and knowledge of the use of the engine room telegraph.
The lookout watch
A watch is a period of duty during which a crew member is responsible for a specific task. The deck watches most relevant to a deck rating underway are the helmsman, the lookout, and the messenger/standby. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-1 The lookout's duty is to keep a proper watch by sight and hearing and to report everything seen or heard that may affect the safety of the ship — other vessels, lights, buoys and other aids to navigation, floating objects, land, discolored water, and any distress signal.
Reports are made by relative bearing using the clock system or points. Dead ahead is reported as "dead ahead"; other objects are reported as, for example, "ship, two points on the starboard bow" or "buoy, broad on the port beam." The lookout also reports the object's approximate range and whether it is closing.
Lookouts are normally posted on the bow. In restricted visibility, additional lookouts may be stationed. In restricted visibility the lookout listens for fog signals and reports their bearing. A good lookout keeps eyes moving, does not fix on one object, protects night vision by avoiding white light and allowing time to adapt to darkness, and never leaves the station until properly relieved. The lookout does not combine the duty with other work that would take attention from watching.
The helm watch and relieving the wheel
The helmsman steers the ship on the course or by the orders given by the conning officer. When taking over the wheel, the relieving helmsman is given the ordered course and any special instructions before the watch is turned over. The person being relieved states the ordered course and how the ship is steering; the relief repeats it back. The wheel is never left unattended while a helmsman is on watch. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-2
The helmsman repeats every order exactly as received, carries it out, and then reports when it has been executed. For example, on "right standard rudder" the helmsman answers "right standard rudder, aye," puts the rudder over to the standard angle, and reports "my rudder is right standard." When steadying on a heading the helmsman reports the heading the ship is actually steady on. If the helmsman cannot hold the course or the ship is swinging, the conning officer is told at once.
Standard rudder orders
Direction is always "right" or "left" — never "port" or "starboard" for the rudder — to avoid confusion. NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-1 Common rudder-angle orders from small to hard are:
- "Ease the rudder" — reduce the rudder angle currently applied.
- "Rudder amidships" — zero rudder.
- "Standard rudder" — a set moderate angle that turns the ship in her standard tactical diameter.
- "Full rudder" — a larger angle short of the mechanical stop.
- "Hard right/left rudder" — the maximum rudder angle.
Heading orders include "steady on course zero-nine-zero," "steady as she goes" (maintain the ship's present heading at the moment of the order), "come right to one-three-five," "meet her" (apply opposite rudder to check the swing), "mind your helm / nothing to the left" (do not allow the ship's head to go left of the ordered course), and "shift your rudder" (put the rudder over the same number of degrees on the opposite side).
Numbers are spoken digit by digit — "zero-nine-zero," not "ninety" — to prevent mishearing. Every command is repeated back verbatim before it is carried out, executed, and then reported complete.
Engine order telegraph (EOT) and the lee helm
Engine speed and direction are ordered through the engine order telegraph, a signaling device that repeats the bridge's order to the engine room and lets the engine room acknowledge it. The person who operates the telegraph on the bridge is the lee helmsman. NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-2
Standard engine orders are: "all ahead one-third," "ahead two-thirds," "ahead standard," "ahead full," "ahead flank," "stop," "back one-third," "back full," and "back emergency." The lee helmsman moves the telegraph handle to the ordered position; the engine room matches its pointer to answer the bell, showing the order is understood and being carried out. The lee helmsman repeats each engine order aloud when received and reports when the engine room answers the bell — for example, "engine room answers all ahead one-third."
On ships with a combined station one person may handle both wheel and telegraph, but steering and engine orders are still kept verbally distinct. The bridge keeps a bell book logging every engine order and the time.
Steering-gear regulatory requirements
Each self-propelled vessel must be provided with a main steering gear and an auxiliary steering gear arranged so that failure of one will not render the other inoperative and transfer from main to auxiliary can be effected quickly. 46 CFR §58.25-5 Steering gear must be separate and independent of all other shipboard systems except the electrical switchboards from which they are powered, automatic pilots and similar navigational equipment, and propulsion machinery for an integrated system of propulsion and steering. No thruster may count as part of a vessel's required steering capability except on a vessel with an integrated system of propulsion and steering.
Rudder-angle indication must be provided both at the main steering station in the pilothouse and in the steering-gear compartment, and the rudder-angle indicator must be independent of control systems for steering gear. 46 CFR §58.25-25 On each vessel of 1,600 gross tons or over, a steering-failure alarm must be provided in the pilothouse. Audible and visible alarms must activate in the pilothouse upon failure of electric power to the control system or power unit of any steering gear, or upon low oil level in any hydraulic steering-gear reservoir. Each power motor for the main and auxiliary steering gear must have a "motor running" indicator light in both the pilothouse and the machinery space.
Most ships use electrohydraulic steering gear: an electric motor drives a hydraulic pump delivering oil to a ram or rotary-vane actuator connected to the rudder stock. A feedback (follow-up) linkage stops rudder motion when the ordered angle is reached. NAVEDTRA 14104 §10-2 Ships carry a means of steering locally from the steering-gear room (emergency steering) using communications with the bridge, and the changeover to emergency steering is drilled so the crew can execute it quickly.
Why It Matters on the Exam
The A/B exam is explicitly required by regulation to test helm commands and EOT use. 46 CFR §12.405 Exam questions on this topic typically fall into four categories:
1. Exact meaning of a rudder order — e.g., what does "meet her" mean, or what is the difference between "full rudder" and "hard rudder"? NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-1 2. Helmsman procedure — what does the helmsman say and do after receiving an order, and what does the helmsman report when the ship steadies? NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-2 3. EOT procedure — who operates the telegraph, what are the standard bell orders, and what constitutes a complete closed loop? NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-2 4. Lookout reporting — how is a contact reported, what does the lookout do in restricted visibility, and what are the night-vision rules? NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-1 5. Steering-gear alarms and redundancy — where must rudder-angle indicators be located, what triggers a pilothouse alarm, and what is the gross-tonnage threshold for a steering-failure alarm? 46 CFR §58.25-25
Common Pitfalls
Using "port" or "starboard" for rudder direction. Rudder orders always use "right" or "left." "Port" and "starboard" are not used for rudder commands because they can be misheard or confused under stress. NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-1
Confusing "steady as she goes" with "rudder amidships." "Steady as she goes" means maintain the ship's heading at the instant the order is given — it says nothing about rudder angle. "Rudder amidships" means zero rudder.
Forgetting the report after execution. The cycle is order → repeat back → execute → report. Stopping at "execute" is incomplete. The helmsman must report "my rudder is right standard" or the heading actually steadied on. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-2
Assuming the lookout can multitask. The lookout does not combine the duty with other work that would take attention from watching. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-1
Misidentifying who operates the EOT. The lee helmsman operates the telegraph, not the helmsman at the wheel. On a combined station one person handles both, but the orders remain verbally distinct. NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-2
Misquoting the gross-tonnage threshold for the steering-failure alarm. The threshold is 1,600 gross tons. 46 CFR §58.25-25
Thinking a thruster satisfies steering requirements. No thruster counts as part of a vessel's required steering capability unless the vessel has an integrated system of propulsion and steering. 46 CFR §58.25-5
Quick Check
Q1 — What are the three steps a helmsman must complete after receiving a rudder order?
Repeat the order back verbatim to confirm it was heard correctly, execute the order, then report when it has been carried out — for example, "my rudder is right standard." The wheel is never left unattended during this process. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-2
Q2 — What does "shift your rudder" mean?
Put the rudder over the same number of degrees on the opposite side from where it currently is. NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-1
Q3 — A lookout spots a vessel off the right side of the bow, closer to ahead than to the beam. How should the report be phrased?
Using relative bearing by points or clock position — for example, "ship, two points on the starboard bow" — along with approximate range and whether it is closing. NAVEDTRA 14067 §1-1
Q4 — What triggers an audible and visible alarm in the pilothouse under 46 CFR §58.25-25?
Failure of electric power to the control system of any steering gear, failure of electric power to the power unit of any steering gear, or low oil level in any hydraulic steering-gear reservoir. 46 CFR §58.25-25
Q5 — On a vessel of 800 gross tons, is a steering-failure alarm in the pilothouse required?
No. The steering-failure alarm in the pilothouse is required only on vessels of 1,600 gross tons or over.
Q6 — What is the closed-loop sequence for an engine order telegraph bell?
The conning officer gives the order; the lee helmsman repeats it aloud and moves the telegraph handle to the ordered position; the engine room matches its pointer to answer the bell; the lee helmsman reports to the conning officer that the engine room has answered — for example, "engine room answers all ahead one-third." NAVEDTRA 14067 §2-2
Q7 — What does the A/B examination regulation specifically require regarding helm and EOT knowledge?
The examination must include questions on the applicant's knowledge of commands in handling the wheel by obeying orders passed as helmsman, and knowledge of the use of the engine room telegraph. [46 CFR §12.405](cite://46-cfr-12-405