hjulhusen

Hjulhusen, or the wheelhouses, are the enclosed navigation and helm stations located on the bridge or upper part of a ship or boat. They house the steering gear and related equipment and provide the crew with a protected space from which to steer and navigate the vessel.

Traditionally built as a separate chamber on the vessel's superstructure, wheelhouses are typically made of steel or aluminum with large windows for visibility. Inside, they contain the ship’s wheel or steering console, helm chair, autopilot controls, radar and plotting displays, communications gear, and navigation charts. Modern wheelhouses are climate-controlled and designed to minimize weather exposure, with reinforced windows and watertight doors. The layout emphasizes visibility, ergonomics, and safe access to the deck.

Wheelhouses vary by vessel type. Smaller craft may have a compact, single-room wheelhouse; larger ships may feature a multi-operator bridge with multiple consoles, chart room, and integrated bridge system. The wheelhouse is connected to other bridge equipment and is part of the vessel’s command-and-control center.

Safety and regulatory considerations include requirements for unobstructed visibility, secure mounting of instruments, redundancy, and protection against salt spray and water ingress. Historically, wheelhouses developed in the era of steam and early motor ships, evolving from open observation decks to enclosed, weatherproof command spaces to improve crew protection and operational efficiency.