Is there a word (preferably in English) for the small adjustments made
to the wheel of a ship when steering to keep it on course? 
Specifically, I'd like to know what the ACT of making those constant
little course corrections is known as...

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Clarification of Question by dotw-ga on 26 Jun 2003 16:38 PDT

Thanks to all for your input...

DOTW

Perhaps another researcher will be able to locate a precise term for
"small adjustments made to the wheel."

In general, though, steering the ship is sometimes called "helming." 
Changing the direction of the wheel is called "shifting the helm."

" SHIFT THE HELM - To alter its position from right to left, or from
left to right."
source: Landlubber Dictionary, Dictionary of Nautical Terms
http://www.aschulze.net/pirates/dict.htm

Good luck.

I believe Juggler has the correct phrase 

Helm - The instrument by which the ship is steered, and includes both
the wheel and the tiller, as one general term.

To shift the helm - To alter its position from right to left, or from
left to right.

Glossary of Nautical Terms
http://www.psych.usyd.edu.au/vbb/woronora/maritime/Glossary.html

Like juggler-ga and wlk115-ga, I also don't know of a single word for
the ongoing steering adjustments you describe, and "shifting the helm"
seems to me about as close as you'll get, though someone else might
know better or have more luck finding one.  However, just for fun,
here's another link for you, to the table of contents of "William
Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine," which has pretty comprehensive
explanations and definition for most any nautical term you might run
across: http://www.jcu.edu.au/aff/history/southseas/refs/falc/contents.html
 You might check "H" for "helm" and "S" for "steering."

Good luck,
Byrd
Google Answers Researcher

I can say reliably that shifting the helm is indeed the term. 
Sometimes "drift" is used.  These terms were heard on the bridge of a
US Coast Guard ship.

Juggler-ga is correct.. The single english word " Helming" is the only
one that fits correctly. It covers both port and starboard helm or
rudder corrections.Regards, Pugwashjw-ga

I'd probably have used the phrase "con the helm" though because the
steering officer is often referred to as the "conning officer" -- and
on large ships is separate from the sailor who's actually steering --
it's perhaps a difficult argument to support.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

The term "Minding" the helm fits best.  The Encyclopedia of Nautical
Knowledge, First Edition, Second printing,1992, Cornell Maritime
Press,pg.344, defines the term "Mind" as follows:  "Take heed; regard;
pay attention to; as used in a cautionary or admonitory sense.  M.
your helm! (or rudder), order to a helmsman to give more of his
attention to the steering or to meet an impending condition, as in
entering a tideway, in which vessel is likely to be forced off her
course."

Therefore, when a quartermaster or helmsman makes those small
adjustments to the ship's wheel to keep the vessel on course, the
helmsman is "Minding the helm."  See the above reference for
definitions of "Steering" and "Helm."