BML Revision: Bridge Watchkeeping & Navigation (Section 1)

Revision card 1 of 12 — Boatmaster's Licence, Tier 1 Level 1 Underpinning Knowledge, MSN 1853 Annex 9. Categories A, B and non-linked C.

Arrival & Departure

• Know the full pre-sailing check sequence, and the pre-arrival checks: passenger briefing, ropes/warps ready, gangplanks, crew briefing
• Assess wind and/or flow conditions before every arrival or departure — not just once at the start of the day

Bridge Watchkeeping

• Know your duties as watchkeeper, and the correct procedure for relief, maintenance, takeover and handover of a watch
• Avoid unnecessary distractions — dangerous situations can develop faster than you expect
• Single-letter code flags you must know: A, B, C, D, E, F, J, K, L, M, N, O, U, V, Y, Z
• Know the International Code distress signals and the phonetic alphabet

Navigation

• Know the content and application of the Collision Regulations (COLREGs) as they apply to inland waterways, harbours and coastal waters
• IALA Buoyage System A — direction of buoyage, and how to recognise marks by shape, colour, top mark and light
• Know the correct action for passing cardinal marks
• Understand a lookout's responsibilities and how to judge the relative movement of other vessels

Anchor Watch

• Know how to maintain an anchor watch, including the checks made to detect a dragging anchor

Quick Self-Check

• Which code flags are you required to know for the test?
• What's the correct action when passing a cardinal mark?
• What checks confirm an anchor is dragging?

Test yourself: Colregs · Navigation Knowledge Checks.

Related Reading

• Jabal Hafit / Nirali — a real COLREGs and watchkeeping collision, worth reading alongside this section