Seamanship
Encyclopedia
Seamanship is the art of operating a ship or boat.
It involves a knowledge of a variety of topics and development of specialised skills including: navigation
and international maritime law
; weather
, meteorology
and forecasting; watchstanding
; ship-handling and small boat handling; operation of deck equipment, anchors and cables; ropework
and line handling; communication
s; sailing
; engines; execution of evolutions such as towing; cargo handling equipment, dangerous cargoes and cargo storage; dealing with emergencies; survival at sea and search and rescue
; fire fighting
.
The degree of knowledge needed within these areas is dependent upon the nature of the work and the type of vessel employed by a mariner. However, the practice of good seamanship should be the goal of all.
Ship-handling is about arriving and departing a berth or buoy
, maneuvering in confined channels and harbours and in proximity to other ships, whilst at all times navigating safely. Two other types of operations, berthing alongside another ship and replenishment at sea, are occasionally included. A key ability for a ship-handler is an innate understanding of how the wind, tide and swell, the passage of other vessels, as well as the shape of the seabed, will affect a vessel's movement, which, together with an understanding of a specific vessels performance, should allow that vessel a safe passage.
Fundamental to low speed maneuvering is an understanding of the configuration and handedness of the propeller
(s). An effect known as propeller walk
will kick the stern of the vessel to port or starboard depending on the configuration and the type of propeller when large variations on propeller rotation speed or changes of propeller rotation direction take place. (In single screw vessels where the rotation of the propeller is reversed on an astern bell, a standard was established that the propeller would turn clockwise when viewed from astern. This would mean that the propeller would turn counterclockwise when going astern and the stern would walk to port. This aided in docking operations, where "port side to" was the preferred situation and the vessel would be brought to the dock with a small bow-in angle and backing would flatten the angle, slow or stop the vessel and walk it alongside. An exception to this was the U.S. Sealift class tankers which used a controllable pitch propeller, where the pitch and not the direction of rotation was reversed to go astern. These propellers rotated counterclockwise at all times and so the "walk" was "normal".) In addition to being fully conversant with the principles of seamanship and ship-handling a good pilot will have developed his or her sense of 'situational awareness' to a point well beyond that of a member of a ships crew, his reactions will appear to be instinctive, positive and at all times safe.
Most commercial vessels in excess of size limits determined by local authorities are handled in confined areas by a Marine (or maritime) pilot. Marine pilots are seafarers with extensive seafaring experience and are usually qualified Master mariners who have been trained as expert ship-handlers. These pilots are conversant with all types of vessel and propulsion systems, as well as handling ships of all sizes in all weather and tidal conditions. They are also experts in the geographical areas they work.
In most countries the pilot takes over the 'conduct' of the navigation from the ship master. This means that the master & crew should adhere to the pilot's orders in respect of the safe navigation of the vessel when in a compulsory pilotage area. The master may with good cause resume 'conduct' of the vessel's navigation. However this should never be done lightly. In situations where the Pilot is an "advisor" even though he has the con, the Pilot or his "Association" have no responsibility or liability in the case of an accident. The Master, upon realizing there is a dangerous situation developing, must take such action as to avoid an accident or at least to minimize the damage from one that can't be avoided.
In some countries and areas (e.g. Scandinavia and the U.S.A.) the Pilot's role is an advisor. However, in practice, they are likely to have the conduct of the vessel, especially on larger ships using tug boats to assist. The general Rule of Thumb is that a Pilot assumes command of a vessel and is not classed as "an advisor" in the Panama Canal, crossing the sill of a drydock, or in any port in Russia (or, perhaps, all the old Soviet States). This distinction is important because when a Pilot is in command, the Master can not take any action, but is limited to advising the Pilot on any circumstance that creates what he considers a dangerous situation.
The crew of a large ship will typically be organised into "divisions" or "departments", each with its own specialty. For example, the deck division would be responsible for boat handling and general maintenance, while the engineering division would be responsible for propulsion and other mechanical systems. Crew start on the most basic duties and as they gain experience and expertise advance within their area. Crew who have gained proficiency become "able-bodied seamen", "petty officers", "rated", or "mates" depending on the organisation to which they belong.
On smaller commercial craft, there is little or no specialisation. Deck crew perform all boat handling functions. The officers of the ship are responsible for navigation, communication, and watch supervision.
Captains must pass formal examinations to demonstrate their knowledge. These examinations have a progression based on the size and complexity of the craft. In the U.S., the progression begins with what is known as "the six pack", a license that allows fishing guides to operate with up to six passengers.
It involves a knowledge of a variety of topics and development of specialised skills including: navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
and international maritime law
Admiralty law
Admiralty law is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. It is a body of both domestic law governing maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between private entities which operate vessels on the oceans...
; weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
, meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and forecasting; watchstanding
Watchstanding
Watchstanding, or watchkeeping, in nautical terms concerns the division of qualified personnel to operate a ship continuously around the clock. On a typical sea going vessel, be it naval or merchant, personnel keep watch on the bridge and over the running machinery...
; ship-handling and small boat handling; operation of deck equipment, anchors and cables; ropework
Ropework
Ropework or Marlinespike Seamanship is the set of processes and skills used to make, repair, and use rope. This includes tying knots, splicing, making lashings, and proper use and storage of rope...
and line handling; communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s; sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
; engines; execution of evolutions such as towing; cargo handling equipment, dangerous cargoes and cargo storage; dealing with emergencies; survival at sea and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
; fire fighting
Fire fighting
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing fires. A firefighter fights fires to prevent loss of life, and/or destruction of property and the environment...
.
The degree of knowledge needed within these areas is dependent upon the nature of the work and the type of vessel employed by a mariner. However, the practice of good seamanship should be the goal of all.
Navigation
More than just finding a vessel's present location, safe navigation includes predicting future location, route planning and collision avoidance. Nautical navigation in western nations, like air navigation, is based on the nautical mileNautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
Ship-handling
A fundamental skill of professional seamanship is being able to maneuver a vessel with accuracy and precision. Unlike vehicles on land, a ship afloat is subject to the movements of the air around it and the water in which it floats. Another complicating factor is the mass of a ship that has to be accounted for when stopping and starting.Ship-handling is about arriving and departing a berth or buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
, maneuvering in confined channels and harbours and in proximity to other ships, whilst at all times navigating safely. Two other types of operations, berthing alongside another ship and replenishment at sea, are occasionally included. A key ability for a ship-handler is an innate understanding of how the wind, tide and swell, the passage of other vessels, as well as the shape of the seabed, will affect a vessel's movement, which, together with an understanding of a specific vessels performance, should allow that vessel a safe passage.
Fundamental to low speed maneuvering is an understanding of the configuration and handedness of the propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
(s). An effect known as propeller walk
Propeller walk
Propeller walk is the term for a propeller's tendency to rotate a boat as well as accelerating it forwards or backwards.A right-handed propeller will tend to push the stern of the boat to starboard.When in reverse gear, the effect will be much greater and opposite...
will kick the stern of the vessel to port or starboard depending on the configuration and the type of propeller when large variations on propeller rotation speed or changes of propeller rotation direction take place. (In single screw vessels where the rotation of the propeller is reversed on an astern bell, a standard was established that the propeller would turn clockwise when viewed from astern. This would mean that the propeller would turn counterclockwise when going astern and the stern would walk to port. This aided in docking operations, where "port side to" was the preferred situation and the vessel would be brought to the dock with a small bow-in angle and backing would flatten the angle, slow or stop the vessel and walk it alongside. An exception to this was the U.S. Sealift class tankers which used a controllable pitch propeller, where the pitch and not the direction of rotation was reversed to go astern. These propellers rotated counterclockwise at all times and so the "walk" was "normal".) In addition to being fully conversant with the principles of seamanship and ship-handling a good pilot will have developed his or her sense of 'situational awareness' to a point well beyond that of a member of a ships crew, his reactions will appear to be instinctive, positive and at all times safe.
Most commercial vessels in excess of size limits determined by local authorities are handled in confined areas by a Marine (or maritime) pilot. Marine pilots are seafarers with extensive seafaring experience and are usually qualified Master mariners who have been trained as expert ship-handlers. These pilots are conversant with all types of vessel and propulsion systems, as well as handling ships of all sizes in all weather and tidal conditions. They are also experts in the geographical areas they work.
In most countries the pilot takes over the 'conduct' of the navigation from the ship master. This means that the master & crew should adhere to the pilot's orders in respect of the safe navigation of the vessel when in a compulsory pilotage area. The master may with good cause resume 'conduct' of the vessel's navigation. However this should never be done lightly. In situations where the Pilot is an "advisor" even though he has the con, the Pilot or his "Association" have no responsibility or liability in the case of an accident. The Master, upon realizing there is a dangerous situation developing, must take such action as to avoid an accident or at least to minimize the damage from one that can't be avoided.
In some countries and areas (e.g. Scandinavia and the U.S.A.) the Pilot's role is an advisor. However, in practice, they are likely to have the conduct of the vessel, especially on larger ships using tug boats to assist. The general Rule of Thumb is that a Pilot assumes command of a vessel and is not classed as "an advisor" in the Panama Canal, crossing the sill of a drydock, or in any port in Russia (or, perhaps, all the old Soviet States). This distinction is important because when a Pilot is in command, the Master can not take any action, but is limited to advising the Pilot on any circumstance that creates what he considers a dangerous situation.
Progression in seamanship
In the days before mechanical propulsion, an ordinary sailor was expected to be able to "hand, and reef, and steer." Training is more formal in modern merchant marines and navies, but still covers the basics.The crew of a large ship will typically be organised into "divisions" or "departments", each with its own specialty. For example, the deck division would be responsible for boat handling and general maintenance, while the engineering division would be responsible for propulsion and other mechanical systems. Crew start on the most basic duties and as they gain experience and expertise advance within their area. Crew who have gained proficiency become "able-bodied seamen", "petty officers", "rated", or "mates" depending on the organisation to which they belong.
On smaller commercial craft, there is little or no specialisation. Deck crew perform all boat handling functions. The officers of the ship are responsible for navigation, communication, and watch supervision.
Captains must pass formal examinations to demonstrate their knowledge. These examinations have a progression based on the size and complexity of the craft. In the U.S., the progression begins with what is known as "the six pack", a license that allows fishing guides to operate with up to six passengers.
Sources
- Admiralty Manual of Seamanship, ISBN 0-11-772696-6.
- Seamanship: A Guide for Divers / Kris Pedder, BSAC, ISBN 0-9538919-7-6.
- Naval Shiphandler's Guide / James Alden Barber — Naval Institute Press, 2005 — ISBN 1557504350.
- Pussers Issue BR67 ;). (Seamanship Bible)
See also
- Anderson turnAnderson turnA man overboard rescue turn is a sailing maneuver usually implemented immediately when it is learned that there is a man overboard. To maneuver closer to the person's location, implementations of the principles described are: the quick turn , the Anderson turn, the Williamson turn, and the Scharnow...
- CatharpinCatharpinCatharpin is a nautical term, which is often pronounced cat-harping. It describes one of the short ropes or iron clamps used to brace in the shrouds toward the masts so as to give a freer sweep to the yards. It is also the name of a small, few-store settlement in Virginia, north of Manassas...
- Scharnow turn
- Williamson turn