Calling the Master

The officer of the watch should notify the Master immediately in the following circumstances:

1. If restricted visibility is encountered or suspected.

2. If the traffic conditions or the movements of other vessels are causing concern.

3. If difficulty is experienced in maintaining course.

4. On failure to sight land or navigation mark, or to obtain soundings by the expected time.

5. If land or navigation mark is sighted or a change of soundings occurs unexpectedly.

6. On the breakdown of the engines, steering gear or any essential navigational equipment.

7. In heavy weather, or if in any doubt about the possibility of weather damage.

8. In any other emergency or situation in which he is in any doubt.

The requirement for the OOW to call the Master in the above situations does not relieve him of taking any immediate action necessary for the safety of the vessel.

Duties of the lookout

The principal duty of the lookout is to maintain a continuous watch for all hazards that may impair the safe navigation of the vessel. He is obliged to give his full uninterrupted attention to this duty, reporting any of the following to the officer of the watch:

1. All ships irrespective of size or position in relation to the vessel on which he is sailing.

2. All navigation marks or lights.

3. All floating objects.

4. Any sightings of ice, no matter in what form.

5. Sandbanks or prominent navigational features.

6. Derelicts and any other hazard considered dangerous to navigation.

7. The malfunction of the ship’s lights, and their correct functioning at hourly intervals.

The lookout is also obliged to remain at his position until correctly relieved of his duties. On being relieved, he should acquaint his relief with relevant information concerning the items he has reported.

The lookout has a very responsible job. Rule 5 of the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea states, “Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.”

Duties of the helmsman

The function of the “helmsman” is to steer the vessel when it is not engaged on automatic pilot. The duty can be tedious and tiring and regular reliefs are employed to maintain efficiency, since the responsibility for the safe passage of vessel lies in the hands of the man steering.

At the change-over the course being steered should always be repeated out loud, from one man to another, in order to allow all personnel on the bridge to be aware of the course being steered. Once the wheel has been relieved, the helmsman whose duty has finished should report the course to the officer of the watch, who will repeat it in acknowledgment.

When a vessel is navigating in coastal waters, a pilot is often employed and manual steering is used. The helmsman should take orders for the wheel movements from the pilot and repeat each order, word for word, back to the pilot before executing the movement. The man at the wheel should bear in mind that the pilot is an adviser to the Master and his representative (OOW), and at any time the Master or the officer of the watch may countermand the orders of the pilot.