What should a helmsman focus on while navigating?

The focus of a helmsman while navigating is primarily on maintaining steady hands on the steering. This is critical because smooth and consistent steering helps to ensure the safety and stability of the vessel, especially in varying sea conditions. A helmsman must be attentive to the vessel's movement and adjust the steering as necessary to maintain a straight course or to maneuver through obstacles.

Maintaining steady hands enables precise control, which is vital during navigation, particularly in challenging environments or when making turns. This focus on the steering also allows the helmsman to quickly react to any changes in the boat's behavior or movements of other vessels, ensuring the safety of everyone on board.

While staying updated on weather conditions and communicating with other vessels are also important aspects of navigation, they do not take precedence over the immediate task of steering the boat. Social interactions are generally non-essential during the critical task of navigating and steering a vessel. Therefore, the primary responsibility of a helmsman is to keep a steady and controlled hand on the steering to navigate effectively and safely.