Colreg.net

Candidate: Iain Lamont

Examiner: Vinod Ranganathan

Place: Fort Matilda

Experience: Box boats then Product Tankers (Maersk)

Result: Pass

Duration: 45mins

He started off by asking about what ships I had sailed on and what trades they were engaged in, he then told me I would be examined under MGN 69 and that if he gave acknowledgement to an answer it would only mean he had heard it not that I was right.

Instruments

Pick up the sextant

It is 10.00 in the morning demonstrate how you would take a sight (corrections using horizon not stars)

Ok you have finished all corrections go to the window and demonstrate how you would actually take the sight. (I think this was to see if I had taken a sight before or just read about it)

Could the sextant be used in coastal nav? How?

What is that? (Compass)

What checks would you make to it on coming up in the morning?

What is the Lubberline? (I never mentioned it, he just asked)

Take the Pressure using the PAB

would you log that pressure?

Why do you add the height correction?

General

You have joined as 2nd mate what will you want to know/check during the handover?

How do you know charts and publications are up to date?

You are planning the passage from New York to Santos how would you go about it?

What information would you find in OPFTW?

What information would you find in ALLFS?

You are on an Ecdis only ship how would you monitor/fix your position near the coast?

What checks would you make while navigating with Ecdis?

What are the advantages of an ENC?

You are on watch deep sea at night you see a flare go up then a short time later another one, Actions?

You are deep sea and have a collision, OOW actions?

What fire fighting equipment did you have on the deck of a container ship?

How long does a fire hose have to be?

What did the specialist container fire fighting equipment consist of?

How would you use it?

What fire fighting equipment did you have in the holds?

How would you release Co2 into a hold?

What is the pilot bottle for?

Does it put out the fire?

What information would you find in the Solas training manual?

You receive a weather forecast showing Heavy weather ahead, Actions

Define a vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre

Bouyage

He just gave me a channel asked which region it was and told me to navigate through with the boaty. No definitions or lights.

Preferred channel to port

Port hand

Conical special mark

Safe water mark

East cardinal

At first he told me I was steering 270 outbound- this would mean i would have to stop for the cardinal mark. I think that is the reason he then said i was steering 180 instead.

Situations

I am a PDV we are deep sea.

Head on situation with v/l passing clear by a few cables to starboard, would i go to port? Would I buggery!

PDV crossing from port side.

PDV crossing from stbd side.

Vessel engaged in fishing crossing from Port

Vessel engaged in fishing overtaking but not giving way

Tug and Tow less than 200m RAM from port side

Narrow channel

V/l crossing from stbd

Vessel engaged in fishing i am overtaking.

What if he doesn’t reply to my overtaking request?

Restricted visibility

V/l crossing from stbd

V/l on my stbd bow i am overtaking, Action? Can i go to Port?

Complete the plot for a vessel on reciprocal course same speed

Smarty board

Non displacement craft

NUC making way

Trawler underway making way no additional signals.

Much to my surprise he then told me i had passed. He seemed to be interested if i was capable of doing the job and that i had actually done stuff and had hands on experience before not that i could just remember lists and procedures. Vinod was very fair and would always make situations clear to me- no secret squirrel day shapes or any of that carry on. I know it’s been said a million times before but take your time before you answer especially if it involves a list of things- i was running out of steam after half a dozen things leading to awkward silences while i tried to think of more.

Most importantly get your rules and buoys bulletproof ; practise with models as that is how the exam will be done.

If i have missed out anything from the exam it is not major.

IainLamont@hotmail.co.uk I’ll be happy to answer any questions whether i know you or not.

Thanks to all lecturers who helped me especially Vinil Gupta and Richard Varley

Good luck to all future candidates