BCM BASICS - MAINTAINING LOOKOUT Flashcards
Purpose of a Lookout
Maintain all-around situational awareness and reports
Lookout Assignments
Lookouts SHALL be designated and assigned prior to navigation or transiting. A lookout can not leave station or their duty until properly relieved.
What Rule is Lookout and what does it say?
RULE 5 - LOOKOUT
Every vessel shall at all times maintain proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as all available means necessary to determine if risk of collision exists.
What are objects a Lookout can detect but not radar?
Seas, Visibility, Small objects or wooden. Visual aids or geographic references. Unknown Odors, Sound Signals, Etc.
Explain Dark Adaptation when it comes to maintaining a Lookout.
Human eye will contract to reduce white light in during day, at night a persons eye will take approximately take 30 mins til they achieve effective “night vision” sight. Any introduction of white light can cause the eye to have to recycle and adjust. This can be filtered by blue/red lighting.
Caffeine has been shown to prolong the 30 minutes it takes for adaption.
Explain Off-Center Vision
During extreme periods of night where there may be a lot of backlighting, you can reduce light exposure using your off-side of your vision to help see a contact that may not be seen directly.
True Vs. Relative Bearing
True is based on the direction/bearing of an object or vessel by reference of navigational bearing.
Relative bearing is based on the reference of your own vessel, i.e. our bow is 000° so a vessel at my STBD beam would be 090° relative.
If we are on a course of 185°T and we spot vessel off our starboard bow, what could the True Bearing be?
A: 020T
B. 040T
C. 170T
D. 205T
D. 205°T
If we are steering a course of 080°T and a contact is matching our course and speed off our Starboard Beam, What Relative Bearing is this? A. 270° B. 170° C. 090° D. 080°
C. 090°
Since we are 080°T, this is irrelevant in that in “relative” bearing our bow is always 000° so a vessel that lies directly on our Starboard Beam would be at 090° out of 360°
A Lookout out should always give a report in ______ bearing.
Relative
What is Target Angle?
with a Target Angle, the report is given as if you were referencing our vessels aspect from the contacts bridge.
Position Angle
Used with reference of your arm extended in a fist and fingers for angle to determine air contacts or flares.
What is Zenith?
Reference to when an air-contact is directly overhead.
What are the Responsibilities of a Lookout during MOB?
The lookout is the “Designated Lookout/Pointer” in a man-overboard and is to NOT take eyes off the contact. They are responsible to ulitize relative aspects/bearings to help the Coxswain gain visual. As a pointer this is your only duty until Coxswain has visual. It is best practice to make yourself openly visible to the coxswain and use your arm to guide that bearing.
What are the (03) Vessel Situations to be on the Lookout for?
Overtaking (Rule 13)
Head-On (Rule 14)
Crossing (Rule 15)
Explain Identifying a Overtaking Situation
Any 2 Vessels, In-Sight
Exceeds 22.5° Abaft the Beam. At night would see a white sternlight.
Explain Identifying a Crossing Situation
Two Power Driven Vessels (Only) and In-sight. Contact will have constant bearing and decreasing range (CBDR).
Explain Identifying a Head-On (Meeting)
Only two power-driven vessels, in sight. On or near reciprocal courses. At night you would see both navigational running lights.
Can you have a Crossing Situation during Restricted Visibility?
No. situations are only Vessels in-sight.
Can two power-driven vessels be in a head-on situation?
Yes.
Can a Sailboat be in an Overtaking Situation with a Power-Driven vessel?
Yes. any two vessels can be in an overtaking, where head-on or crossing is only power-driven.
Can a vessel engaged in fishing be in a head-on situation with a power-driven vessel?
No. Only Two-Power Driven Vessels can be in a crossing or head-on situation. Fishing vessel shall not be impeded per Rule 18.
How is a proper Lookout report made?
(minimum) Contact-Bearing-Range (then) aspect-bearing drift Example: I have a 20' Cabin Cruiser bearing 040 Relative at 400 yds. Port Bow aspect. Left-Bearing Drift.
What is a vessel’s aspect?
The physical structural characteristic in regards to the side of the vessel you are visually seeing. If you see the left-side of the vessel an aspect would be their “port beam”
What is a vessel’s Bearing Drift?
the direction in which the vessel is tending relative to you. If a vessel is off your starboard bow and is crossing your bow this would be a “left bearing drift”
Easy tool: Looking at the contact, what side your head is turning while watching them is usually the bearing drift side.
