How to turn the OceanStar

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[Azipod]

I'm having a problem turning the Ocean-Star.

I understand this ship has Azipods, so I understand the concept on how to steer it.

However, on the Ocean-Star, you can only steer by using thrust to push the ship towards a particular direction, there is no steering if the engines are off.  Even in real cruise ships with Azipods, there is a rudder so the ship can still turn even if the engines are at idle.  It seems very odd that in this simulator that engineers didn't give this ship rudders.

Also, even using thrust to steer the Ocean-Star, the entire ship appears to "SKID" out of a turn, and the turning radius is increased and the ship does not turn on a curve but with a very wide curve.

How are you guys manuevering the Ocean-Star?

I hope the engineers gave the Ocean-Star the needed rudders in SSE!

[saltydog]

I imagine the azipod-housings themselves would act as rudders when the propellers are at idle..

[Nathan|C]

The Ship Simulator Extremes Orient Star (originally Ocean Star) is going to be somewhat the same as the Ship Simulator 2008 Ocean Star.

How do you know that The dynamics have to be completely re-worked for SSE as far as I know 

[clanky]

I imagine the azipod-housings themselves would act as rudders when the propellers are at idle..

I have never actually sailed on a ship with azipods, but looking at that picture I would guess that the propeller sitting in front of the azipod housing would give such turbulent flow over them that there would be little or no steering when the propeller was not turning.

[Denis]

Hi Azipod,

You already asked the same question more than one year ago ... I imagine the answer that was given to you at that time is still valid !

http://80.95.161.114/shipsim/forum/index.php/topic,14210.0.html

LucATC announced the next release of the game would probably add the features you're mentionning :

Hello Terry,
In fact, Azipod legs have been designed and can be used as rudders due to their relatively important dimensions. It improves steering at all speeds without degrading the advantages of pods. It is not possible to simulate that in ShipSim2008 in a realistic way, and will be implemented in the next version, as some here probably guessed it.
But there are also azimuthal pods with slim legs and no rudders, and Ocean Star will be modified for her next upgrade in the shipyard, I think  
Regards,
Luc

You can find additional informations on those topics :

http://80.95.161.114/shipsim/forum/index.php/topic,9012.msg104399.html#msg104399

This topic is a copy of real life large azimuth cruise ship characteristics :

http://80.95.161.114/shipsim/forum/index.php/topic,9156.0.html

From what I know, in standard propulsion or azimuth propulsion, rudder effectiveness is very poor when no thrust is applied. I don't believe it happens in real life, that masters try to steer their ships with no thrust applied ... I don't really see a problem here !

[Traddles]

The attached picture shows the set up of "Freedom of the Seas" azipods. One fixed drive in the centre and two rotatable azipods, one to port and one to starb'd. There is no rudder at all. As has been mentioned above, the housing of the two outer drives would give a small (Very small) steering effect, but for manoevring, the ship would be at slow speed and the azipods and bow thrusters would give far better control than rudders. When "Queen Mary 2" came up the Mersey to Liverpool Pierhead on a flood tide she swung herself round 180% without the aid of tugs and placed herself neatly alongside the floating stage, using azipods and bow thrusters only.
This manual by mvsmith explains exactly how to control the "Ocean Star" with ease:-
http://80.95.161.114/shipsim/forum/index.php/topic,2886.0.html  Under the subtitle "Controlling azimuth drives".