NavList:

   

Reply

Stacy,
Do you know if U.S. Naval personnel who navigate or pilot naval ships are
also qualified by the Coast Guard for those duties or does the navy issue
its' own lisences for its' personnel?
As for your comments about the enlisted navigators going head to head with
merchant officers in a competition,no thanks pal!
As you state navigation is a quartermasters main duty and you get more daily
practice at it.From experiance I'll tell you that usually only 1 sight is
logged(per the master,not regulations)on a merchy vessel per day when
practical.Dr pos,gps pos,radar ranges and soundings etc. are logged far,far
more times each watch on a merchy vessel.On a merchy there is usually the
O.O.D.(3rd to 1st officer),helmsman(ABS)and 2 look outs(ABS)per nav. watch
period on duty.When not on duty the rated personnel can rest or work o.t.The
officers have crew training and vessel maintenance schedules/duties to
complete,paperwork(transit and port)to complete etc. while not on duty.
A case in point : I hold an unlimited tonnage 2nd officers ticket.I'm in
charge of each nav. watch and the safe passage of the vessel.That is my
primary responsability.But I have many other responsabilities layed out by
the master that run in parrallel with this main responsability.While
standing a nav. watch not only is it my responsibility to insure safe
passage but to take care of other matters that arise concerning the vessel
as the other crew members are  busy or resting.
I might not get to take as many sights as I would like or practice everday
but the bottom line is I must be doing something right because I've never
had an "incident".
We also don't usually travel in groups of vessels as you folks in the navy
do.Therefore we don't have to manuoveur as closely and  synchronise our
movements as you do for long periods.
Just my thoughts on the subject.

   

Reply