Steering Failure

Steering failure needs immediate control of speed and direction. Reduce sail or engine power, keep the vessel away from hazards, and rig the emergency tiller if fitted. Brief the crew before a passage so they know where the emergency tiller is and how deck panels or cockpit covers open.

If the emergency tiller is unavailable or ineffective, jury steering may be possible using sails, a drogue, warps, a bucket, or a towed object to create drag. Trim can help: more mainsail tends to turn the boat upwind, more headsail tends to bear away. These are survival techniques, not precise steering systems.