Rudderless, in reference to the absence of a ship’s rudder, since the early
nineteenth century has figuratively meant “without guidance or control.” The
nautical saying Who won’t be ruled by the rudder must be ruled by the rock isn’t
found in the Oxford English Dictionary, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations or any
other major collection of quotations. Dating back at least a century, it means
“those who won’t listen to reason must bear the consequences, like a ship that
runs upon a rock if it will not answer the helm."