Video

Hugues Cauvier: Understanding the ship's pivot point (complete video)


by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 3 September 2024 3302 -

1
Note from the editor:
This video has been recut and edited by the creator Hugues Cauvier. Previously there were three episodes, which have now been combined into one.
In the last few days, we have published another version on Marine-Pilots.com by a YouTube user ‘Marine Online’, which was not authorised by the author, but was simply copied and published with ‘Marine Online's’ own name as the author. We condemn such copyright violation!
Here you can see the original version of the rightful author, who has invested a lot of time in this video. Many thanks for that.

*********************************
Found on YouTube. Created by "Hugues". Originally published on 2024-08-02.
-

Full length video of the theory proposed in 2008 (originally in three parts).
Deals with the Apparent Pivot Point, the Center of Lateral Resistance, the Ship Generated Current and much more.

About the theory :

‘’The concept of pivoting point was described by the the British admiralty As the point of no drift angle. Further developments were introduced by Hugues Cauvier in 2008 (‘’The Pivot Point’’, The Pilot, October 2008) and triggered much discussion on the Pivot Point: what is it? Where is it located?’’
- Pivot Point, Port Revel - Ship handling Training on Manned Models, 2014

‘’(The) article(*) is one of the most important works in the theory of the pivot point.’’
- Control of the Pivot Point Position of a Conventional Single Screw Vessel, Kobetsb , Popovychb , Zinchenkoa , Nosova , Tovstokoryia , Kyrychenko, Kherson State Maritime Academy. 2023

‘’So-called added water mass or ‘ship-induced current’ (so described by Canadian pilot Capt Hugues Cauvier), is water movement induced by the rotation of a deep-laden ship in a swinging basin. These very real effects are demonstrated spontaneously, visibly and clearly when using manned models’’
- Capt. Cliff Beazley, FNI, Managing Director, Port Ash Australia, in Seaways Magazine, Sept 2017

‘’3 years after Captain Cauvier’s article, Dr Seo writes an article that is published in the Nautical Institute magazine Seaways. The article adds weight to Captain Cauvier’s argument that the ‘traditional’ pivot point is only the ‘apparent’ centre of rotation’’… ‘’ Professor Jeong from the Korea Maritime University wrote a short two page summary of Captain Cauvier’s article and was convinced that the ‘traditional’ pivot point was “not real” and not the centre of leverage’’… ’’ Dr. Carreno wrote a scientific paper on the shallow water effects on the ship’s pivot point and discusses a lot of the theory in Captain Cauvier’s article.’’… « He (Dr Seo) sends another nod to Captain Cauvier when he writes about the above scenario … “The account is mistaken in two aspects. One is that the pivot point is treated as a physical entity (as the fulcrum) … the other that the pivot point is treated as the cause. »
- Tim Cummins, Harbour Pilot, A review of the ship’s pivot point: Science, Maths and Observation, Where is the centre of a ship’s rotation? Marine-pilots.com, 2020

* H. Cauvier, The Pivot Point, The Pilot. The official organ of the United Kingdom maritime pilots’ association (2008).
Author: Capt. Hugues Cauvier
active marine pilot - Corporation des Pilotes du Saint-Laurent Central
Read more...

Opinion Bow Truster Effect on Ship's Headway

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

When the bow thruster has been in operation for a while, pilots often notice that the ship not only turns but also gains speed. But why is this? Opinion by Capt. Hugues Cauvier.

6

Video Bow thruster effect on ship's headway 1

by Capt. Hugues Cauvier - published on 14 July 2022

What is causing the forward motion of a stopped vessel using continous bow thruster action?
by Capt. H. Cauvier

4

Video How to Launch a Pilot Boat–Behind the Scenes at Point Hope Shipyard

published on 20 June 2025

Welcome to Point Hope Shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In this video, I follow the float off of the Pacific Navigator, a hardworking pilot boat that serves the Port of Victoria and Ogden Point. We watch as the vessel is pulled along the marine railway, rotated on the turntable, and positioned onto the cradle. Once secured, the cradle lowers to float-off depth, and the Pacific Navigator fires up her engines for a short harbour spin before returning to duty. Some segments,...

0

Article What is a pilot boat?

published on 9 January 2023

A pilot boat is a specialized vessel that is used to transport pilots to and from ships that are entering or leaving port. Pilot boats are typically small, fast vessels that are designed to operate in a variety of weather conditions and sea states.

0

Video Stern-First Method for POD Ships –Practical samples starting with Twin screw followed by POD ships

published on 12 August 2022

Practical samples for manoeuvres for ships going astern - as Stern-First-Method SFM. Introduction using as sample from the Master Thesis by Karel Wiegert for an arrival manoeuvre of a cruise vessel in Southampton port with a Twin-screw vessel under strong current. The same manoeuvre with the same ship model was used to show the advantage of Fast Time Simulation FTS using the SAMMON Planning Tool. This goes much faster than the manoeuvres in the real time simulator - and it can even be...

2

Video Two Way Traffic (The Texas Chicken). Explained by Capt. Lou Vest

published on 22 October 2020

With ships as large as 175 feet wide and a channel a maximum of 500 feet wide, how to you safely pass? Former Houston ship channel pilot, Lou Vest, explains how ships fight against hydrodynamics to pass with such narrow margins.
https://houstonmaritime.org

0

Article Pilots and VTS operators working together to improve maritime safety

published on 2 February 2022

The Norwegian Coastal Administration has signed an agreement with Aboa Mare to provide a new
course for pilots and VTS operators. By practising together in a simulator, maritime safety along the
Norwegian coast will be reinforced.

0

Video Harbor Pilots SRL Career Day

published on 31 January 2021

Captain Bronson Stubbs discusses what harbor pilots do

0

Opinion How OpenBridge seeks to improve maritime workplaces

by Prof. Kjetil Nordby Institute of Design - The Oslo School of Architecture and Design - published on 6 May 2020

Lack of standard user interfaces across bridge equipment is a major concern for maritime safety. Pilots are in a unique position, as they are constantly exposed to new and differing bridge working environments, equipment, interface designs and combinations of systems. As pilots face this problem throughout every shift they need to put in considerable effort to adjust their work to the many user interfaces they meet.

0

Article New SOLAS Amendments Mark Major Step Forward for Pilot Safety

published on 1 July 2025

The IMO has adopted groundbreaking amendments to SOLAS Regulation V/23, introducing mandatory performance standards for pilot transfer arrangements.

2