Watchkeeping
What the exam tests
Watchkeeping tests bridge organisation, STCW rest and watch requirements, position monitoring, handover, log keeping and fatigue management. The exam looks for the master's and OOW's legal responsibilities.
Core rules and concepts
- STCW: minimum 10 h rest in any 24 h and 77 h in any 7 days; rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one at least 6 h.
- Keep a proper lookout by sight and hearing and by all available means; radar and ECDIS are aids, not substitutes.
- The passage plan must be berth to berth, checked, and monitored with parallel indexing or cross-bearings.
- Handover must include position, course, speed, traffic, weather, machinery and standing orders.
- Master's standing orders and night orders must be clear and signed.
- Record bridge activities, course changes, alarms and incidents in the log; do not backdate.
Worked example
An OOW has 9 h rest in the last 24 h and 76 h in the last 7 days. This breaches both STCW minimums. The master must adjust the watch bill before the next watch. If rest is split, one period must be at least 6 h; 4 h + 4 h + 2 h does not satisfy the 6 h block.
Traps
Assuming pilotage transfers command; counting standby hours as rest; using ECDIS alone for position; signing a handover without traffic information; and treating fatigue as a personal issue rather than a safety risk.
Key points: 10 h/24 h and 77 h/7 days; proper lookout; berth-to-berth plan; handover content; log integrity; fatigue management.