 FACT: Near the end of the film, Epps tells Dodge to take the helm to  steer the drifting ship away from the rocks. The rudder of a  drifting vessel has absolutely no effect on the direction of travel;  a vessel must be "making way" through the water for its rudder to  work. The vessel also has no power, and the engine room is flooded.  The steering gear room would be underwater. So the helm controls  would be dead.