BASIC SEAMANSHIP - Seabee Online
CHAPTER 7BASIC SEAMANSHIPTo ensure safety at sea, the best that science can devise and that naval organization canprovide must be regarded only as an aid, and never as a substitute for good seamanship,self-reliance, and sense of ultimate responsibility which are the first requisites in a seaman —C.W. NimitzLetter to U.S. Pacific Fleet13 February 1945At this stage in your Navy career, you’re learningthousands of things entirely new to you. You’reprobably finding it hard to assign relative importance tothem. The importance of these skills and knowledgewill become more obvious the longer you’re in theNavy. This is true because the most important thingswill be emphasized in your day-to-day living. If you’renot assigned to the deck force, you may think thatseamanship is not important. Well, you’re wrong!h eav y wei g h t s an d carg o , u n d e r wa yreplenishment, towing, and a host of other skillsare considered deck seamanship. Boat seamanship, as the name implies, concernsthe handling of boats. Marlinespike seamanship concerns the use andcare of line and consists of forming knots,making splices, and fashioning useful anddecorative articles from small stuff and twine.Seamanship ties every member of the Navytogether. The uniform worn by Navy members, fromseaman to admiral, implies that the wearer has a certaindegree of proficiency in the art of seamanship. The factthat you may later become an Electronics Techniciandoesn’t change the fact that you’re first a seaman andthen a technician. Be as proud of your ability as aseaman as you are of your ability to perform your otherduties.DECK SEAMANSHIPLearning Objective: When you finish this chapter, youwill be able to— Identify deck equipment and recognize theirEven though you don’t work on deck everyday,there will be times, particularly on small ships, whenyou will be required to assist the deck force. You mayhave to carry stores, assist in replenishment-at-seaoperations, assist in mooring to or untying a ship fromthe pier, and so forth. When working as part of the deckforce, you’ll be expected to have a general idea of what’sgoing on, how and why a task is being accomplished,and be able to carry out orders intelligently. Therefore,take every opportunity to observe and learn as much asyou can about seamanship. This chapter provides onlybasic seamanship information.purpose.Deck equipment consists of all equipment used inthe application of deck seamanship, which is worknormally performed by the deck force. You need toknow shipboard equipment and terminology becauseyou may be called on to assist the deck force in variousseamanship evolutions. To help you, some of the morefamiliar items of deck equipment are discussed in thissection.GROUND TACKLEIn this chapter, seamanship is divided into thefollowing basic sections—deck, boat, and marlinespikeseamanship.Ground tackle is the equipment used in anchoringand mooring with anchors. It includes anchors, anchorcables and chains, and associated equipment, such aschain stoppers, bending shackles, outboard swivelshots, and detachable links. Figure 7-1 shows a typicalground tackle arrangement on a forecastle. Deck seamanship concerns the general work thatgoes on about the ship’s deck and the equipmentused. Anchoring, mooring, rigging and handling7-1
(90-foot) sections called standard shots. The number ofshots per chain depends on the size of the ship. Shots aresecured together by detachable links that can be readilydisassembled whenever it is desirable to break the chain.Figure 7-2.—Anchors.STOWING CHAINAs the chain comes aboard, it passes along the deckon metal flash plates, over the wildcat, and down into thechain locker. Each chain goes into a bin called a chainlocker, as shown in figure 7-1. Its bitter end is secured to aring bolt on the bulkhead of the chain locker.Figure 7-1.—Typical ground tackle and chain stowage.ANCHORSANCHOR WINDLASSESAnchors can be defined by their stowage locationsaboard ship or by their type of construction. Boweranchors are carried on the bow and are secured (housed)in the hawsepipes. Stern anchors are carried on the stern.On landing ships and craft, stern anchors are secured tothe stern and are used to help pull away from beaches.The Navy uses two types of anchor windlasses forlifting the ship’s anchor—the vertical shaft type and thehorizontal shaft type (fig. 7-3). The vertical shaft type isused on most combatant ships. The horizontal shaft typeis used on amphibious and auxiliary ships. Both typesare equipped with wildcats, which engage the links ofthe anchor chain. The wildcat may be disengaged whenit is desired to use the capstan (vertical type) or thegypsy heads (horizontal type) for handling lines or wire.The most common types of anchors used aboardship are the stockless and the lightweight (orstock-in-crown) anchors. The two anchors shown infigure 7-2 are of Navy design. The stockless types areused chiefly as bow anchors (bowers) on most Navyships. Originally, the lightweight types were used onlyon small boats and as stern anchors of landing ships andcraft. However, recently they are carried as bowers forseveral types of vessels.ANCHOR CHAINModern Navy anchor chain consists of studded linksof high strength steel. (Studs are crosspieces of metalforged or welded in the center of the links to prevent thechain from kinking.) Chains are made up of 15-fathomFigure 7-3.—Horizontal shaft anchor windlass.Student Notes:7-2
ACCOMMODATION LADDERthe line. You will learn about the procedure for faking aline and a description of deck fittings later in thischapter.Frequently, the accommodation ladder is mistakenlycalled the gangway. However, gangway actually meansthe opening in a bulwark or life rail that gives access to abrow or an accommodation ladder. An accommodationladder (fig. 7-4) consists essentially of an upper and alower platform connected by a ladder. The lower end issupported, raised, and lowered by a block and tackle(called falls) and is usually suspended from a davit.Figure 7-5.—Ship’s mooring lines.Rat guards are hinged conical metal shields securedaround mooring lines. They are used to prevent ratsfrom coming aboard ship.The bowline and forward spring lines prevent theship from drifting astern. The stern line and after springlines prevent the ship from drifting forward. Look atfigure 7-5. Here, lines 1, 3, and 5 are called forwardlines; lines 2, 4, and 6 are called after lines. Whensecured, these lines tend to breast the ship in. Theforward and after spring lines are used to prevent theship from drifting forward or aft.NOTEFigure 7-4.—A rigged accommodation ladder.The various types of line and wire rope arediscussed in the “Marlinespike Seamanship”section of this chapter.Brow is the Navy term for gangplank. Brows areramps used between ships and between a ship and pier.They may be simply two or three wooden planks fastenedtogether, or they may be elaborate affairs with handrailsand wheels at one or both ends to prevent a ship’s motionfrom unduly affecting the positioning of the brow.Teamwork is essential in carrying out themooring operation. Lines must not be kinked orfouled. Keep control of the lines and avoid dipping theminto the water. Remember, observe all safetyprecautions!If the ship is to remain moored for a long period,lines are doubled up and bound together with marlinehitches, and rat guards are placed on each line. Look atfigure 7-6. To provide protection to the side of the shipwhile it is alongside a pier, camels (large wooden logs orrectangular structures) (views B and C) are often placedbetween the pier and the ship. Fenders (large cylindricalobjects of rubber or fibrous material) (views A and D)are swung over the side of the ship to give bumpersupport against damage whenever a ship lies alongsideanother ship or a pier.MOORING LINESA ship is moored when it’s made fast to a buoy,when it’s between two buoys, when it’s between twoanchors, or when it’s secured by lines alongside a pier oranother ship.The lines used in mooring a ship alongside a pier areshown in figure 7-5. Well in advance of mooring, thelines should be faked down, fore and aft, each near thechock through which it passes in preparation for passingStudent Notes:7-3
DAVITSBoats carried aboard ships usually are handled bypowerful cranes and booms. These cranes and boomshook onto slings attached to hoisting points built intothe strong parts of the boat’s structure. Boats stowed atdavits are lowered and hoisted by the davit machinery.Basically, a set of davits is nothing more than a specialcrane that is designed specifically for handling boats ina safe and timely manner.BOAT BOOMSShips that are at anchor or moored to a buoy rig outtheir boat booms for the purpose of mooring their boatswell clear of the side. This method of securing is knownas hauling out to the boom. Forward booms are calledlower booms; after booms are called quarter booms.The boat boom shown in figure 7-8 is a spar that issecured to a gooseneck by a pin on the side of the ship.This arrangement allows free motion fore and aft. Theoutboard end of the boom hangs from a wire vang andtackle combination called the topping lift. Fore-and-aftmotion is controlled by lines called forward and afterguys.Figure 7-6.—Protection for the side of a ship.DECK FITTINGSDeck fittings are used aboard ships and boatsmainly for the securing of mooring lines. All fittingsshown in figure 7-7 are found aboard ship except thebollard, which is a pier fitting. The pad eye shown in thefigure is not used for mooring but for towing othervessels. Different variations of the pad eye are used forsecuring heavy objects and equipment.Figure 7-8.—Parts of a boat boom.A strong line called a guess-warp runs from wellforward on the ship out through a block or blocks on theboom and ends in a metal thimble through which boatscan reeve (pass) their bowlines. A small piece of woodFigure 7-7.—Deck fittings.Student Notes:7-4
Q5. While anchored, what deck equipment is used tomoor the ship’s boat?called a toggle is seized between strands of theguess-warp above the thimble to keep it from running upout of reach when a boat lets go. One or more Jacob’sladders (a rope ladder) from the boom permit boatcrews to come aboard.REVIEW 1 QUESTIONSBOAT SEAMANSHIPQ1. List six types of ground tackle used aboard ships.Learning Objectives: When you finish this chapter,you will be able to—a. Identify various types of boats, service craft, andb.combatant craft to include boat terms andnomenclature.c. Identify safety practices for boat passengers.d.Boat seamanship is much more than a knowledge ofthe kinds of boats in operation in the Navy. Boat crewsare responsible for the safe operation and upkeep oftheir craft and must receive training in a number ofareas. Some of the techniques to be mastered requiremuch practice and experience before a boat crew canbecome accomplished in their assigned duties. If youare assigned to duties as a member of a boat crew, youshould study the Seaman and Boatswain’s Mate 3 & 2training manuals and complete the required personnelqualification standards (PQS).e.f.Q2. Where are bower anchors located?Boats used by the Navy are of three generalgroups—support craft, combatant craft, and boats ingeneral. Each group may be determined by its assignedmission and by its type, design, and construction.Chapter 8 has detailed information about these craft.Q3. List the standard parts of the mooring line used tosecure a normal sized ship at a pier.a.b.BOATSc.The term boat refers to a noncommissionedwaterborne vessel that is not designated as a servicecraft. A boat is capable of limited independentoperation. Officer/personnel boats, motor whaleboats,and utility boats fit into this group. Boats carried aboardship that can be hoisted from and lowered into the waterare known as ship’s boats.d.e.f.SERVICE CRAFTQ4. Aboard ship, deck fittings are used for—The term service craft (figs. 7-9 and 7-10) is appliedto waterborne craft that are designed for special use.Harbor tugs, ferryboats, various nonself-propelledbarges, and floating dry docks are designated servicecraft.7-5
COMBATANT CRAFTCombatant craft are craft or boats specificallydesigned for combat roles. Figures 7-11 and 7-12 showa variety of patrol, riverine, amphibious warfare, andspecial combatant craft.Figure 7-9.—Boats and service craft of the U.S. Navy.Figure 7-11.—Combatant craft of the U.S. Navy.Figure 7-12.—Combatant craft of the U.S. Navy(Continued).Figure 7-10.—Boats and service craft of the U.S. Navy(Continued).Student Notes:7-6
BOAT SAFETYunderstanding and correct response to such terms couldsave valuable time.Because the majority of Navy personnel are concerned with small boats only in the role of passengers,this section is written from the standpoint ofpassengers, rather than crew members. Every Sailorshould be familiar with the following boat safetyprecautions:Abaft. Any part of the boat aft of amidships.After end (aft). The after end (aft) of a boat is the stern.Amidships. Amidships is a point about halfway betweenthe bow and stern and the sides of the boat.Athwartships. When something is said to beathwartships, it’s across the boat from side to side. Obey all orders from the coxswain and boatofficer.Forward end (fore). The forward end (fore) of the boat isthe bow. Embark in a quiet, orderly manner and move asfar forward as possible. Once embarked, stay inplace. Keep all parts of your body in the boat; donot perch on the gunwales.Inboard. Inboard usually describes the area inside theboat or an object nearer the centerline of the boat. Don’t engage in horseplay.Outboard. Outboard describes the area furthermost fromthe boat’s centerline or beyond the side of a boat. Never needlessly distract the attention of crewStarboard. When facing forward of the boat, yourright-hand side is the starboard.members from their duties. Don’t sit on life jackets—to do so mats the fillerPort. When you are facing forward of the boat, yourleft-hand side is the port.and reduces buoyancy. When told to do so, don your life jacketFigure 7-13 shows a 26-foot personnel boat withfeatures that are similar to most Navy boats.immediately. Don’t smoke in a boat.By studying the nomenclature shown infigure 7-13, you will become familiar with much of thedeck and hull equipment used on Navy boats. Theglossary in appendix I of this training material will helpyou identify some of the terms. During heavy weather, boat loads must bereduced. If told not to embark or requested to disembark,do so without argument If a boat swamps or capsizes, don’t panic. Fear istransmitted easily from person to person, and aterrified individual drowns easily. Never strikeout alone. Never strike out alone. Stay with the boat orhuddle with other passengers because a largegroup can be found much more easily thanindividual swimmers.BOAT TERMS AND NOMENCLATUREBoat crew members often develop the habit ofcalling objects and the activities around them by theirproper names. In times of emergency, yourFigure 7-13.—Boat nomenclature.Student Notes:7-7
REVIEW 2 QUESTIONSthey actually shrouded the tops of the masts from theview of an observer on deck, hence, the name shroud.Stays, the fore and aft supports, were not so numerous,but there were several on each ship. Running rigging,tackles used to hoist and trim (adjust) the sails andhandle cargo and other heavy weights, spanned theareas between sails, yards and decks, and yards andbulwarks. Lines secured the guns to the ship’s sides andprevented them from rolling or recoiling across the gundecks. Gun tackles were used to haul the guns back intobattery (firing position) after the guns were fired. Eventhe anchor cable was made of line. Obviously, lineplayed a vital role in those ships.Q1. List two types of combatant craft .a.b.Q2. As a boat passenger, you should obey the ordersof what person(s)?Q3. If a boat capsizes while you’re a passenger, youshouldn’t panic for what reason?In today’s Navy, line isn’t used as much as on sailingships; however, it’s still an important and expensive item.Therefore, every Sailor needs to learn the proper use andcare of all kinds of line and wire rope. Today’s Navy usesline made of fiber (natural and artificial); wire rope madeof steel, phosphor bronze, and other metal; and acombination of wire and fiber (spring-lay).Q4. What does the term athwartships mean?Lines made from a variety of natural fibers haveseen service in the Navy, but most have been replaced bylines made of synthetic fibers. The two most commonlyused lines made of natural fibers are marline (tarredhemp fibers) and manila (abaca plant fibers). Manilaline was formerly authorized for use only where greatstrength was required, such as mooring lines, towinglines, personnel transfers at sea and boatfalls. Fiberropes made of tarred hemp are used in seizing,worming, serving ropes, and lashing. For mostapplications, nylon line (synthetic fiber) has replacedmanila. Nylon line is about 2 1/2 times as strong asmanila of the same size, has a greater strength andelasticity, and has a higher resistance to weather.MARLINESPIKE SEAMANSHIPLearning Objectives: When you finish this chapter,you will be able to— Identify the purpose of various types of line andrope. Recognize the procedures used to tie knots,bends and hitches, and to make splices. Identify the procedures for securing at sea.Marlinespike seamanship is the art of handling andworking all kinds of fiber and wire rope. Rope is ageneral term and can include both fiber and wire rope. Inthe Navy, Sailors generally refer to fiber rope as line,and wire rope is referred to as rope, wire rope, or wire. Abetter definition of a line is as follows: A line is a lengthof rope, either fiber or wire, that is in use or has been cutfor a specific purpose, such as a lifeline, heaving line, orlead line. A few such lines have the word rope in theirnames, such as wheel rope, foot rope, and bell rope.Wire rope usually is substituted for line where theline is subjected to a great deal of wear, weathering, orheat, and where greater strength is required. Spring lay isused for mooring lines, particularly at the bow and stern.FIBER LINEAny rope that is not wire is fiber rope. Except in afew instances where it has special uses, fiber rope isnever called anything but line aboard ship.In sailing ships, the fiber ropes that gaveathwartship support for the masts were so numerous thatStudent Notes:7-8
Lines are classified by both theirconstruction and their material. Nearly allline used in the Navy is three-strand line.Line is made by twisting fibers intothreads (or yarns), threads into strands, andstrands into rope. Taking the process further,ropes twisted together form a cable—an itemseldom seen nowadays. Most of our lines arethree-strand and right-laid; that is, as youlook along a line, the twist is to the right.During construction of natural fiber line, alubricant is added that also serves as apreservative.Large line is measured by circumference. Line 1 3/4 inchesand under in circumference, called small stuff, is identified by thenumber of threads in the line. A line with twenty-four thread is 11/2 inches in circumference. Inasmuch as the numbers of threadsper strand are equal, thread numbers in a three-strand line aredivisible by 3—24, 21, 18, and so on, down to thesmallest—6 thread (3/4 inch). Line from 1 3/4 inches to about 4inches is manufactured in 1/4-inch graduations. The length of allline and wire rope is usually measured in feet.The chart shown below lists tips on the care of natural fiberline. You should be thoroughly familiar with them and observethem at all times.NEVERALWAYSStow wet or damp line in an unventilatedDry line before stowing it.compartment or cover it so that it cannot dry. Mildewwill form and weaken the fibers.Subject line to intense heat nor unnecessarily allow it Protect line from weather when possible.to lie in the hot sun. The lubricant (natural oils) willdry out, thus shortening the
the strong parts of the boat’s structure. Boats stowed at davits are lowered and hoisted by the davit machinery. Basically, a set of davits is nothing more thanaspecial crane that is designed specifically for handling boats in a safe and timely manner. BOAT BOOMS Ships that are at anchor or moored toabuoy rig out
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(TCM), COMDTINST M2000.3 (series). Boat Crew Seamanship Manual 11-2 Section A. Radio Signal Characteristics Introduction Types of modulation and frequencies are the two basic characteristics shared by radio signals. To understand radio communications, it is fundamental for all crewmembers who
Annapolis Book of Seamanship: 67 Week 4 USCG Requirements, safety, and watch standing United States Coast Guard “Piloting Rules of the Sea ways”, basic admiralty law. Required safety gear and vessel equipment and their application Annapolis Book of Seamanship: 189-230 Blackboard Anapolis Videos 2 and 3 Navigation Lights Midterm during
SEAMANSHIP MANUAL For 1st-Time Charterers . The US Coast Guard monitors 16 for distress calls, and also to broadcast storm warnings and other crucial marine information or warnings. . o Give a burst forward to the boat and have the
· 32nd Naval Construction Regiment · CBMU-301 and CBMU- 302, and · ACB-1 &ACB-2. Seabee details, of various sizes but normally 50 men or less, were working in many places away from the parent unit throughout Vietnam. Seabee Teams were normally about 15 men with a CEC offi
(Building Glencoe’s Republic RC-3 Seabee continued) side is open to the front of the aircraft as the passenger cabin is a three-door design, one car door on each side and a third on the front starboard side of the aircraft. I started by cutting and fitting a plastic card cabin floor and rear bulkhead.
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possibility of a leak from a storage tank? MANAGING RISK This starts with the design and build of the storage tank. International codes are available, for example API 650, which give guidance on the matter. The following is an extract from that standard: 1.1.1 This standard covers material, design, fabrication, erection, and testing
