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D141 — Watchkeeping, Lookout & Watch Relief — Bridge Discipline, Relative Bearings, Mooring Watch, Autopilot, Manning & Whale Avoidance
Frozen parent: DECK.SAFETY.WATCHKEEPING · 13 selected source families · 31 source occurrences · 13 verified teaching facts
A good watch is a disciplined information-and-control loop: observe, report, understand, act, and transfer responsibility positively.
✓ W1 Every vessel must maintain a proper lookout at all times by sight, hearing, and all available means appropriate to the circumstances so the watch can fully appraise the situation and collision risk.
Lookout information loop
✓ W2 A lookout reports promptly and clearly. Relative bearing is a fast ship-relative way to report a sighting; the report should also identify what was seen and any change in bearing or aspect.
Positive watch relief
✓ W3 A lookout does not abandon the station merely because the watch period is ending; remain on station until properly relieved.
In-port deck-watch priorities
✓ W4 Watch relief is a positive transfer of responsibility. If the vessel is in the middle of a course alteration or other maneuver, complete or stabilize the maneuver and ensure the relieving officer fully understands the situation before transfer.
Autopilot changeover discipline
✓ W5 Before taking an in-port deck watch, confirm the moorings are adequate for the expected tide, wind, current and berth conditions and understand the readiness or limitations of propulsion, steering and other safety-critical machinery.
North Atlantic right-whale avoidance
✓ W6 The Master must ensure appropriate watchkeeping arrangements and observance of applicable STCW watchkeeping principles; the watch organization must match the vessel, voyage and hazards.
✓ W7 For vessels to which the Able Seafarer manning rule applies, at least 65% of the non-officer deck crew are generally required to be Able Seafarers; for a vessel permitted to keep a two-watch system, that percentage may be reduced to 50%.
✓ W8 When autopilot is used, manual steering must be immediately available, a competent person must be ready to take control, and changeover between automatic and manual steering must be made by or under the supervision of the responsible watch officer.
✓ W9 North Atlantic right whales require a 500-yard exclusion distance. If a vessel finds itself within 500 yards, it must depart immediately at a safe, slow speed while maintaining a sharp lookout.
✓ W10 The current North Atlantic right-whale calving area is the southeastern U.S. coastal region; mariners should check current NOAA whale advisories, speed zones and detections rather than rely on an old fixed geographic answer.
✓ W11 A float/sail plan should give a responsible person ashore the vessel identity, itinerary, expected return and persons aboard so overdue action can begin quickly.
✓ W12 A proper lookout reports more than other vessels: floating objects, discolored water, breakers, shoals, lights, sound signals, marine mammals and any other condition affecting safe navigation.
✓ W13 Authorized visitors or officials on the bridge do not displace the Master’s command responsibility or the officer of the watch’s duty to navigate safely.
Currentness gate: watchkeeping and regulatory statements in this lesson were checked against current USCG Navigation Rules, current 33/46 CFR provisions and current NOAA right-whale guidance. Context-dependent or outdated source wording remains held outside the student lesson.
MEMORY: WATCH = LOOK OUT + KNOW THE SHIP + POSITIVE RELIEF. SAFETY = FIND THE ENERGY + STAY OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE + PROVE READINESS BEFORE DEPARTURE.
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