Question and Answers

The air in the bottle of the TEMSC is to allow the boat to clear the immediate area in a battened down condition so as to be free from toxics or harmful gases. Provided the boat is correctly battened down and sealed the air will last for a period of 10 minutes and will tend to pressurise the inside of the craft. This is expected to provide enough time for the boat to head upwind into a clean atmosphere.

• Rocket parachute flare throwing red star. • Volume of orange-coloured smoke (smoke float). • Red hand flares (six per survival craft). Raising and lowering of the arms. • Burning bucket of oily rags. • Whistle – continuous sounding (any fog signal apparatus). • Square flag having above or below it a ball (improvised shapes). • Explosive signal (improvised axe bang on metal bucket). • Activation of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) if carried in survival craft. • SART operation. • SOS transmitted by any means, use of flashing torch. • Spoken word ‘MAYDAY’ by means of walkie-talkie radios (carried under Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Regulations).

Following markings can be found on the liferaft container - (a) The manufacture’s name and/or logo. (b) The instructions for launching in diagram and text format. (c) The capacity (manning) that the raft is designed for. (d) Whether it is equipped with a survival pack and type of pack (A or B). (e) The length of painter fitted to the survival craft. (f) The date of last service. (g) The next date of service due. (h) The symbol ‘do not roll’ sign.

The Safety of Life at Sea (Convention) (SOLAS) Regulations require the liferaft painter to be 15 m in length. However, it should be noted that manufacturers supply liferafts with a standard painter length of 25 m.

Six hand flares, four rocket parachute flares and two orange smoke floats.

One for every person on board plus an additional 5% and enough child lifejackets equal to 10% of the total number of persons on board to ensure one lifejacket for every child on board.

OA represents the apparent motion of the target. WA represents the true course and speed of the target. OW represents own ship’s motion (course and speed).

Add the two readings together and divide by 4. The result should equal the sun’s semi-diameter of the day in question. This can subsequently be compared with the Nautical Almanac to see if correct.

When checking the errors of the sextant, the third adjustment for Index Error, using the sun is found by: • setting the arm of the sextant at approximately 32on the arc and bringing the true sun above the reflected sun. Adjust the two images until they are ‘limb upon limb’, then note the reading (say 28on the arc); • re-set the arm at approximately 32off the arc and bring the images again Limb upon Limb, and read the sextant again (say 37off the arc). Take the difference of the two readings and divide by ‘2’ to give the Index Error, and call it the higher of the two. Example - 37'-28' = 9' 9/2 = 4.5' off the arc (Index Error)

Non-adjustable (or non-correctable) errors of the sextant, include: (i) shade error, (ii) prismatic error, (iii) graduation error.

Collimation is an error on the sextant caused by the axis of the telescope not being parallel to the plane of the instrument. With modern sextants the collar holding the telescope is permanently fixed and no adjustment is possible.

It is common practice to display a diagram on a bulkhead, in close proximity to the radar, if its operation is hampered by Blind Sectors. Alternatively, the Radar Specification Manual could be consulted and any Blind Sectors would be indicated in the manual

Radar performance check can be carried out by using the "performance monitor" function on the radar (if fitted).

Place the engines on ‘stand-by’ and the situation may make it necessary to take all way off my own ship. Further actions would include: (a) Advising the Master of the situation of the vessel aground. (b) Carrying out a ‘chart assessment’ to include my own ship’s position and the position of the vessel aground. (c) Switch on the echo sounder and note the Under keel Clearance. (d) Position lookouts and turn from auto pilot to manual steering. (e) Communicate with the vessel aground, with station identification, obtaining the draught of the aground vessel and the time of grounding. (f) Carry out an assessment of the extent of the shoal that the vessel has run aground on.

The OOW remains the Master’s representative in the absence of the Master, despite the presence of a pilot (exception Panama Canal). During any pilotage period he would be expected to maintain an effective lookout at all times. In addition, he would continually monitor the ship’s position by primary and secondary means and ensure that the under keel clearance is adequate throughout. His duties will also include the management of the bridge personnel and he would ensure that the pilot’s instructions are executed in a correct manner by the members of the ‘bridge team’. He would further ensure that the pilot is made familiar with the bridge instrumentation and advised of compass errors and any defects which may affect the safe navigation of the vessel.

While taking over/keeping an Anchor watch, the OOW shall comply with the procedures laid down by the company's SMS through means of a checklist. Such checklist may contain following - 1. maintain an effective lookout, by all available means, including visual, audible and radar. 2. check the position at regular intervals to ensure that the ship is not ‘dragging her anchor’ 3. Position monitoring by primary and secondary position fixing methods, i.e. checking Visual Anchor Bearings, Radar Range and Bearings, Global Positioning System (GPS) etc. 4. Monitor the state of visibility, the state of the weather, especially wind and tide changes 5. Traffic movement in and out of the anchorage 6. Listening watch on VHF 7. Log books to be maintained 8. Access to the ship to be monitored and ISPS to be complied with

The OOW should call the Master in any of the following circumstances: (a) In the event of visibility dropping below 4 miles (company policy may be more or less than this figure). (b) If traffic was causing concern effecting the safe passage of the vessel. (c) In the event of failure of any of the ship’s navigational equipment. (d) If failing to sight a landfall when expecting to. (e) If sighting a landfall when it is unexpected. (f) If soundings are shelving when unexpected. (g) In the event that difficulty is experienced in maintaining the course. (h) If a scheduled position is unattainable or suspect. (i) In the event that the man management of watch keepers becomes untenable. (j) In the event of heavy weather or on receipt of a bad weather forecast. (k) On sighting ice, or receiving an ice warning of ice being reported on or near the vessels track. (l) If sighting oil on the surface. (m) On any issue of security or shipboard alert. (n) In any other emergency, such as fire or flooding, imminent contact or contact with a submerged object.

A stevedore damage report is a brief report regarding the damages to the vessel's outfitting and structure caused by the inappropriate actions of the stevedores during cargo work. Such report usually contains the date, time and location of the damage along with the brief description of the events that led to the damage. The report is supplemented by the photographs of the damage. This report is required to be sent by the master to all parties - agents, charters, owners as soon as the damage is discovered but not later than 24 hours in any case. This is done in order to reserve the rights of the owners and to clearly inform all parties that the damages shall be repaired on the account of the party which caused it in the first place. Master shall always refer to the Charter Party instructions on the Damages caused by the Stevedores. In all cases, the damages shall be repaired before the vessel sails out.

Following shall be done in case the restricted visibility is encountered - (a) Place the ship’s main engines on ‘stand-by’ and reduce the vessels speed. (b) Advise the Master of the change in visibility conditions. (c) Commence sounding fog signals. (d) Switch on the navigation lights. (e) Close all watertight doors in the vessel. (f) Commence systematic plotting of any targets on the radar. (g) Place a current position on the chart. (h) Post additional lookouts. (i) Stop all noisy work on deck. (j) Enter a statement of actions into the ship’s Deck Log Book.

Invert the compass bowl in the gimbal arrangement to bring the expansion chamber uppermost. Undo the screw cap of the chamber and top up the fluid in the bowl with distilled water. This action will fill the bowl, forcing out the air bubble.

Compass card (in liquid magnetic compass) is usually made of mica or melamine.

The ship would normally be swung after any of the following circumstances: (a) Following a collision or a grounding incident where major repairs are required to be made to the ship, which could affect the vessels permanent and induced magnetism. (b) In the event of a major fire on board the ship. (c) If engaged on a long charter trading in high latitudes, i.e. ‘Hudson Bay’. (d) After leaving the builders yard as a new ship. (e) If loading a high capacity metallic cargo, e.g. railway lines on deck. (f) In the event that compass errors became excessively large for no apparent reason or the compass becomes unreliable. (g) If electrical or magnetic equipment is added or removed to/from the proximity of the magnetic compass. (h) In the event that a period of 2 years has elapsed and the ship is without a record of deviations, or when the compass shows a physical defect when first installed.

The inclusion of alcohol in the mix is to prevent the liquid freezing when navigating in high cold latitudes, while the purpose of the distilled water is to prevent the alcohol evaporating in the warm middle latitudes.

The Master’s legal requirements in the event of collision are to: (a) stand-by to render all assistance to the other vessel, (b) exchange relevant information with the Master or Officer in charge of the other vessel, (c) report the collision incident to the MAIB, (d) cause an entry regarding the incident to be entered into the Official Log Book (OLB).

A distress signal must be acknowledged and entered into the log book. The Master is expected to respond to the distress and offer assistance if it is considered reasonable to do so.