Comments on: Sailing Lingo: Williamson Turn http://www.starclippersblog.com/2009/12/sailing-lingo-williamson-turn/ The official online blog community of Star Clippers' three tall ships. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:37:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Alan Denison http://www.starclippersblog.com/2009/12/sailing-lingo-williamson-turn/comment-page-1/#comment-362 Alan Denison Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:32:37 +0000 http://www.starclippersblog.com/?p=1306#comment-362 A williamson turn is a manoeuvre used to turn a ship onto a reciprocal course passing through the same points it previously travelled over. It is often used to recover a man overboard as it best ensures the ship will travel over the same 'gound', particularly useful in dark or poor weather. It is said is was named after a John Williamson of the USN(R) who used it during the 2nd World War, but there are those who consider the manoeuvre dates well before that being used to keep a warship's guns the same distance from an enemy after a turn. Just found your blog - Alan A williamson turn is a manoeuvre used to turn a ship onto a reciprocal course passing through the same points it previously travelled over. It is often used to recover a man overboard as it best ensures the ship will travel over the same ‘gound’, particularly useful in dark or poor weather.

It is said is was named after a John Williamson of the USN(R) who used it during the 2nd World War, but there are those who consider the manoeuvre dates well before that being used to keep a warship’s guns the same distance from an enemy after a turn.

Just found your blog – Alan

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