Navigation and Seamanship

1.1.4. Seamanship

           Seamanship is an art of handling a ship under all condition of weather, tide or other influences affecting its movement or safety of a ship .The variety of skills needed to enable the safe and efficient operation of any boat, even under stressful weather conditions are called seamanship.

           Seamanship skills include safety at sea, maintenance, knot typing, hitching, splicing, ropes and wires, mending of nets, cargo handling. operation of deck equipment, anchors and cables; rope work and line handling; communications; sailing; engines; towing; dealing with emergencies; survival at sea and search and rescue; fire fighting. The degree of knowledge needed within these areas is dependent upon the nature of the work and the type of vessel employed by a mariner. However, the practice of good seamanship should be the goal of all. A fundamental skill of professional seamanship is being able to maneuver a vessel with accuracy and precision. Ship handling is about arriving and departing a berth and in proximity to other ships, whilst at all times navigating safety. A key ability for a ship handler is an innate understanding of how the wind, tide & swell, the passage of other vessel, as well as the shape of seabed, will effect a vessel’s movement, which together with an understanding of a specific vessels performance, should allow that vessel a safe passage.