Responsibilities of command
- Statutory duties: keeping the certificates valid, meeting safe manning and hours of rest, log-keeping and the required reports.
- Casualty and near-miss reporting to the flag State and the MAIB, and cooperation with any investigation.
- The duty to render assistance to those in distress at sea.
- Professional conduct, the care of crew and passengers, and environmental responsibility under MARPOL.
The rank brings authority, but with it comes personal accountability. The Master is answerable in law for the seaworthiness and lawful operation of the yacht and for the welfare of everyone aboard, and must exercise the overriding authority the ISM Code confers when safety demands it. Good command is the daily practice of keeping the ship safe, legal and well found, and of acting honestly and decisively when things go wrong — the qualities the Yacht Unlimited CoC is meant to certify.
NOTE — Command is accountability Authority and accountability go together. The Master answers in law for the safe and lawful operation of the yacht and the welfare of all aboard, which is why the certificate is not given lightly.
WARNING — Report honestly and render assistance Two duties are absolute: report reportable casualties honestly to the flag State and MAIB, and render assistance to those in distress at sea. Failing either is both a legal and a professional failure of command.