Bridge (nautical)

During critical maneuvers the captain will be on the bridge, often supported by an officer of the watch, an able seaman on the wheel and sometimes a pilot, if required.

On modern ships the wheelhouse or pilothouse refers to the bridge of smaller motor vessels, such as tugs.

Many ships still have a flying bridge, a platform atop the pilot house, open to weather, containing a binnacle and voice tubes to allow the conning officer to direct the ship from a higher position during fair weather conditions.

[2] On a submarine, the bridge is the highest point on the conning tower, to provide for better visual navigation when on the surface.

[3] They became standard on United States Navy submarines after 1917, greatly improving the function of the vessels while at the surface.

Aboard modern warships, navigational command comes from the bridge, whereas electronically directed weapon systems are usually controlled from an interior compartment.

[5] The navigation station of a ship may be located on the bridge or in a separate chart room, nearby.

[6] Besides the desk and the navigation charts, the area contains navigational instruments that may include electronic equipment for a Global Positioning System receiver and chart display, fathometer, a compass, a marine chronometer, two-way radios, and radiotelephone, etc.

[7] A flying bridge, also known as "monkey island",[8][9] is an open area on top of a surface ship that provides unobstructed views of the fore, aft, and the sides of a vessel.

[3] Since the 1980s, large pleasure craft may have a flying bridge[14] toward the stern that is used as additional outdoor seating space and a place to store a tender.