Principles of the watch
- Maintain a proper lookout at all times by sight and hearing, supported by radar and AIS, so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and the risk of collision (STCW A-VIII, IRPCS Rule 5).
- Be properly rested and fit for duty; take over the watch only when your vision is adjusted and you are satisfied with the situation, and hand over only when the relief is equally ready.
- Navigate by all appropriate means, fix position regularly and cross-check it, and never rely on a single aid.
- Comply fully with the collision regulations, and use the bridge equipment, standing and night orders and the passage plan as intended.
- Keep the deck log up to date with courses, positions, weather and events.
Calling the Master
The single most important judgement of the watch is knowing when to call the Master. Calling early is never a failure; failing to call when in doubt is the failure the examiner probes hardest. The Master's night orders will list the circumstances, but the OOW must call in any case of doubt about the safety of the vessel and always in the defined situations below.
| Call the Master when... | Because... |
|---|---|
| Restricted visibility is met or expected | Margins shrink; the Master should be informed and available |
| Traffic or another vessel's movements cause concern | A close-quarters situation may need command decisions |
| The vessel cannot be kept on course, or fails to make good the passage | Steering, engine or unexpected set |
| Land, a mark or a sounding is not sighted when expected | The position may be wrong |
| Any equipment, machinery or communications failure occurs | A navigational means has been lost |
| Heavy weather, ice, or any doubt whatsoever arises | When in doubt, call |
| Standing circumstances for calling the Master. |
WARNING — Handover in doubt is no handover Do not hand over the watch in the middle of a manoeuvre, a developing close-quarters situation, or any doubt. Complete the action, steady the situation, then brief and hand over.
NOTE — The lookout may be the OOW by day By day the OOW may be sole lookout when conditions allow, but only after a documented assessment; at night, or whenever conditions demand, a dedicated lookout must be posted. Fatigue and distraction are the enemies of a proper lookout.