# When did they enclose the wheel on ships?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-they-enclose-the-wheel-on-ships/499689>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-they-enclose-the-wheel-on-ships/499689 "2009-06-13T21:08:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-they-enclose-the-wheel-on-ships/499689/21 "2009-06-16T13:14:20Z")

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To say nothing of the risk to your officers and men from flying glass once you get into battle.

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-they-enclose-the-wheel-on-ships/499689/22 "2009-06-16T15:58:54Z")

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I still believe the availability of glass had little or nothing to do with it. I have shown glass was available and used in ships. It was used in portholes and skylights.

Pretty much any sailboat today which requires a crew will have an open wheel. I believe it comes down to communication with the crew and not to unavailability of glass.

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