Hi Saltydog,
I didn't know that bow rudders were still in use.
Back in the 1960s I worked on the Isle Of Wight ferries running from Portsmouth harbour to Ryde. In the summer we used to use a paddle steamer for Solent cruises and peak time relief on the regular run. That had a bow rudder, the reason for it was that when the paddle steamer went astern the stern rudder couldn't steer the vessel. When she was going ahead the bow rudder had to be locked in place, it didn't have hydraulics of any kind and wasn't retractable. The wheel was actually in the bows and was about 5 feet in diameter.
Regards, Dave