Yes, the other way around. To me it’s as useful as a PSA that says “don’t drink and drive”. As a standalone statement, it’s unlikely to change anyone’s behavior. The advice to ‘look out the window’ without a framework to support it carries no more weight than a PSA. To be effective, it has to be part of a loop. Something akin to @MAK’s ‘window timer’ inserts the advice into a practical sphere that will create a habit; muscle memory for the brain if you like.
edit:
A post was merged into an existing topic: Connections From Hammond’s “The Mind of War” - Col John Boyd
This all prompts the lessons learned by the crash of a PSA 727 in San Diego in the 80’s. SDO is where I got my civilian wings, so to speak and gave me the perspective at what happened. Boiled down to my opinion, the PSA crew was NOT looking out the window when they hit the Cessna 172 from behind. All the things available to keep aircraft from colliding were present but not being utilized. Looking out the window was at the top of the list.
Knowing what you are looking at was the main point in the destroyer Higbee grounding in the 70’s. The OOD saw white caps to the north and thought it was the tsunami he had read about so he turned the ship to face the wave and ran hard aground on Pratas Reef!
CB, just a little clarification about Pratas Reef, my friend.
Frank Knox is the can that beached herself.
Higbee is the can that lost her after gun mount to a mig-17
Yeah, yer right! Hey! I’m old! I get things out of sequence…!
Lots of different ways to navigate.
The IP is pretty much pilotage, I do occasionally look at the chart. Sometimes I even have the right one out on the table.
Probably because I’m of a certain age I prefer a paper chart. Even though we do have the new mod cons.
Different set of skills when, Finding my way though places I’ve never been before.
Sold my most excellent 25’ Grady a while back. Along with it came a rather old copy of Chapmans and nav tools. I really don’t want to see my longtime baby on the 6 o’clock news. It was named " 4 Da Boys"
Question is not how is it done but how is it learned? Or taught?
When I was mate running the IP I had to take a trip off to fly home to Maine. When I got back Capt Doug told me a funny story.
Said the ship was southbound towards Seymour Narrows. Mate calls him in the middle of the night - he’s lost. Turns out the mate had picked the wrong side of Separation Head and was in Deepwater Bay with the engines stopped.
Doug tells me he’s never been in Deepwater Bay and couldn’t figure out where they were. So he asks the mate: "The last time you knew where you were; where were you?
I recall that same stretch . My first time southbound there was at night with passing rain squalls. On radar the passage to stbd of Separation didn’t look open because of the radar return from rain. It took a few trips back and forth to the chart I before I figured out I could just follow the shore laying to stbd.
Got closer and the pass opened up on radar.
We had not seen sun nor stars for several days and nights returning to Subic Bay from Singapore. Palawans to starboard headed northeast we spotted gull-type birds sitting on a small patch of branches with green leaves. My comment to the Captain was recommend a turn to port of about 40 degrees! He agreed.
There is more to this sailor thing than technology. The Polynesians were featured highly in H.O. 1, Bowditch for their almost magical navigation capabilities.
Ok. Depends.
On what kind of experience someone brings with them. What kind of program, how they started out. Coastal, Deep Sea, Hawespipe, Marine School, Cadet Program or other such as Fishing, Navy. All of which vary with experience.
On one hand I can teach a “Hawspiper” the requirements, the good ones, who are likely to succeed will start asking me questions early on. Why am I doing what I do. I’m happy to answer. help them out with the various exams and courses.
With a “Hawsepiper” They have already learned how to look out the window. Particularly when on the wheel.
Probably frowned upon now, in the modern age of gadgets gizmos and BRM. I would often give the con to the QM. Personally I’ve always thought it was excellent experience for the QM who may one day be a OOW. And good good BRM. We are both tuned in to where we are and where we are going.
I do the same if I sail with a cadet. Except they are not on the wheel. Also they have a lot more to learn than simple navigation.
As a Cadet I started out cleaning the pump room bilges.
So where do I start with Navigation? Kind of depends where we are and what we are doing. And varies some with who.
Learn how to steer.
Learn how to keep a look out.
Learn some basic chart work. Show me you can plot our position.
Learn how to identify what’s on the chart. Explain to me where we are.
Explain to me where we are going.
Start learning some rules.
Tell me what you see, what it is, tell me what we should do, tell me why.
Start by asking.
When you start answering.
I will let you take the con.
The requirements vary.
Just recently loaded a couple of “apps” on this tablet that are ship maneuvering and mooring exercises. Stern even walks starboard with ahead bells and port with astern bells. You get graded down if you collide with stuff!
Seems to me that something like this could be beneficial to some degree to the new conning officers and “hawsepipers.” It may be detrimental in ways I may not see. What do you think? Don’t even reply until you successfully docked a single screw loaded tanker!
How about helping a single screw vessel/ship with a single screw tug? They all back to port. The current is your best and worst friend.The newer tugs today make a docking pilot look much better.