STCW and Training
STCW and Training
Report No.
200156
I am 50 years of age and getting old. In a similar way, 30 years ago, I found that Captains of 40 very old and very old fashioned. Nowadays there are a few points of modern navigation which I do not understand. The certification of Officers under STCW makes me confused. There seems to be a large variety of issues and different certificates on ships which I have sailed on.
En route from Cape Finisterre to Liverpool, setting a course of 018 will take you in the direction of the Skerries and you will hit the Smalls hard if you do not divert in time. In order to get into the TSS off Bishop Rock, depending on current and wind, corrective action is to be expected. It also means that, north of Finisterre, you will meet a lot of ships coming from Ushant heading southwards. These will invariably be encountered at small angles on the starboard bow as they are presumably heading for the TSS off Finisterre. My understanding of the COLREGS is that both vessels should alter course to starboard when meeting at small angles off the bow.
Out of the 20 ships I have met recently in these circumstances, three of them altered their course to port. This happened within close range, when I had already altered my course to starboard. This caused me to alter even further to starboard. Twice it took 10 minutes or more for the offending vessels to correct their mistake and change their heading to starboard. This poses the following questions:
- What is the sense in changing course to port?
- Are they looking out of the window? It would appear that they plot only on the radar and never look at the outside world with the naked eye!! Time consuming plotting is more dangerous than just looking out of the window to assess the situation and observe their adversary.
- Is there anything wrong with the present training?
In the old days, I was taught to look through the window and to be outside on the bridge wing in order to see what is happening. How can we stress to all parties that looking out of the window is a MUST?? What is wrong with the well elaborated STCW?