Where candidates go wrong
Asked how they take over a watch, most candidates start walking the engine room reading gauges aloud. The examiner wants the structure first: whose orders apply, what work is in progress, what is in the tanks and bilges, what state the plant is in, and only then the rounds. The second trap on yachts is UMS. Candidates talk as though nobody is on watch at night. Somebody is: you, on call.
The legal frame
STCW Code A-VIII/2 Part 4-2 makes the officer in charge of the engineering watch the chief engineer's representative, primarily responsible for the safe and efficient operation and upkeep of machinery affecting the safety of the ship (para 53). The watch may mean a period of responsibility during which you need not be physically in the machinery spaces (para 52), which is how UMS fits in.
Taking over: what you must satisfy yourself on (para 58)
| Group | What you establish |
|---|---|
| Orders | Chief's standing orders and special instructions |
| Work in progress | What is being worked on, by whom, the hazards; open permits and isolations |
| Tanks and bilges | Bilges, ballast, reserve, fresh water and sewage tanks; any disposal restrictions |
| Fuel | Reserve, settling and day tank levels and condition |
| Plant state | Main and auxiliary systems, including electrical distribution; which equipment is in manual |
| Conditions | Weather, shallow or contaminated water; special modes after a failure |
| People and kit | Ratings' reports, availability of fire-fighting appliances |
| Records | The engine room log up to date |
The examiner will accept your own order if every group is covered.
During the watch
- Bridge orders are executed promptly; changes of speed and direction are recorded (para 65).
- Rounds of machinery and steering gear spaces at adequate intervals (para 69).
- Any work: you isolate, bypass and adjust the plant, and record it (para 67).
- Tell the bridge immediately of fire, and before any action that reduces speed, affects steering, stops propulsion or alters power generation, where possible (para 76).
- Call the chief without delay for damage, malfunction that may cause breakdown, or any doubt (para 77), but do not hesitate to act first for the safety of ship and crew (para 78).
- Before going off duty, record all events (para 73).
UMS and bridge control on a yacht
In periodic unmanned condition the duty engineer is immediately available and on call (para 64). COSWP 20.4 adds the practical rules: nobody enters an unmanned machinery space alone without the engineer in charge's permission; whoever goes down reports to the duty deck officer before entry, at intervals, and on leaving, unless a personnel (dead-man) alarm is in use. Tell the bridge before changing anything under bridge control and when control moves back to the engine room.
TIP — Alarm tour Before accepting UMS for the night, walk through the alarm extension: cabin panel, bridge repeat, duty mobile. An alarm nobody hears is not a watch.
Handing over
Do not hand over to a relief who is obviously not capable; tell the chief (para 56). In port, an important operation in progress is finished by the officer being relieved unless the chief or master orders otherwise (para 97). Watch your own rest too: at least 10 hours in any 24 and 77 in any 7 days (A-VIII/1).
What the examiner wants to hear
A structured handover covering orders, work, tanks, plant state and fire-fighting readiness; clear notification rules to the bridge and the chief; and an understanding that UMS is a watch kept from your cabin, with reporting when you go below alone. MSN 1904 counts watchkeeping service as at least 4 hours in 24, and the examiner may look at your TRB to see where you actually did it.