VESSEL HANDLING GUIDE

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[AriesDW]

To the Admiral of the fleet.

I am glad you weren't the flag of FOCAS when I served.

Comment inappropriate . . . You have been warned.

[ibheba]

Radio/Comm
This teaching program might prove usefull, it even has a small dictionary including some maritime terms.
http://mareng.utu.fi/index.html (http://mareng.utu.fi/index.html)

These publications(hardcopy) deals with some of the legal/technical matter but include giudelines for the use of radio:

• ITU Radio Regulation, ISBN 9261106870 http://www.itu.int/publications/default.aspx (http://www.itu.int/publications/default.aspx)
• GMDSS Handbook, 2007 Edition, ISBN 9789280142334
• Handbook for Marine Radio Communication, ISBN 9781843113683

Standard Marine Communication Phrases, ISBN  9280151371, standardizes the language in communication for navigation at sea and on board vessels.

Ship handling
This book is perhaps be a little old but the basics still applies.
The Theory and Practice of Seamanship, ISBN 0415142008
A preview can be found here
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fo5Cd9FsqucC&printsec=titlepage&dq=practical+ship+handling&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1#PPP1,M1 (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fo5Cd9FsqucC&printsec=titlepage&dq=practical+ship+handling&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1#PPP1,M1)

Some other recomended books(hardcopy) that covers ship handling are:

• The Nautical Institute
  
  • Tug Use Offshore - in Bays and Rivers, ISBN 1870077741
  • Handling of Offshore Supply Vessels
  • Pilotage and Shiphandling, ISBN 1870077075
  • Manoeuvr.Single Screw Vessels Fitted w.Cont.Pitch, ISBN 1870077210
  • Bow Tug Operations, ISBN 1870077733
  • Handling Ships in Ice, ISBN 1870077849
• Cornell Maritime Press Inc.
  
  • Shiphandling for the Mariner, ISBN 0870334646
• Brown, Son & Ferguson, Ltd.
  
  • Practical Ship Handling, ISBN 081746225

I know they are not cheap but someone out there might provide you with some kind of extract of relevant paragraphs/chapters. I might be able to provide an extract of some of my books but they are all in danish, translating into english could be a lengthy process.

Rgds.

[BrianG]

Radio/Comm
.............................
, translating into English could be a lengthy process.

Rgds. Ariesdw

A rough translation of text can be obtained using one of the many free translators available on the Internet. To find these do a web search using the  word 'translation'. Basically you paste in the original and get back the translation.BrianG
Edit:Typo corrected BrianG

[BrianG]

The original topic lists the main things to be covered and asks for any other suggestions. As a novice with regard to ships I do not know what the limitations are of the various controls for each ship. For example some ships cannot reverse I think. The Hovercraft air pressure has to be considered when operating other controls but how. When a control is a lever directing the vessel to left or right I cannot see which way to move the lever to suit the direction required. Where there is one thruster it is not clear if it is front or rear or just where it is.

Is this information already available on the site? If not perhaps it could be included in this guide. BriabG

[Cobrattack]

As it has been a while I was just wondering if there was a status on the guide?  Any idea when it will become available?  I know it is a long and very intensive project that needs to be done with great care so in no way complaining or want it done fast,, just wondering.

[AriesDW]

Thank you very much for your interest and the continued support. While prepping for finals and recovering from a sinus infection (EWWWWWW) which has had me in the hospital, progress has been slow but it has been in development. As I get further along I will see if VStep will allow me to release samples of the guide.

[BrianG]

Thank you very much for your interest and the continued support. While prepping for finals and recovering from a sinus infection (EWWWWWW) which has had me in the hospital, progress has been slow but it has been in development. As I get further along I will see if VStep will allow me to release samples of the guide.

Hi Aries,

Reading through the thread the information wanted already falls into the categories:-

- all vessels in real life

- particular vessels in real life

- Location (This might mean country. It might mean location within a country if the rules change within a particular country. In SS2008 program terms it might mean 'Environment'.)

If separate collections of data were made it would be hard to keep them consistent. The information would seem best collected in spreadsheet or database form so that the data need be entered only once. The data to include fields for Yes/no as to whether it felt into each category. From this database the information could be obtained in any one category. If say the info on the Aries Rescue Vessel was required a sort of the spreadsheet on Vessel type would bring it all together.

To start off I suggest that this forum be used to collect the data. Members submit the data to this topic then it is edited and included in a spreadsheet or database to which a link is provided in a sticky entry at the top of this topic. Form of entry top be:-

- Real Life (Y/N)

- SS2006 (Y/N)

- SS2008 (Y/N)

- All vessels Y/N

- Vessel Type (Selected from a 'dropdown' list if it is an SS2006/8 vessel to ensure consistency.)

- All locations (Y/N)

- Particular country name selected from a 'dropdown' list (if not 'All locations)

- Particular location/SS environment (If varies within classifications already made. SS environments to be selected from a 'dropdown'  list.)

- Source: It is important to state the source as if there are conflicts this makes it easier to resolve them.

- Text.

The information already provided in this topic could be used to test the idea. Hopefully 'Cut and Paste' will reduce the work if you adopt any of these ideas. An advantage is that you can start with a little data to pilot your system. Another is that you do not have to be personally responsible for all the data, an impossible task.  BrianG

[AriesDW]

I am still here . . . Working on this project while attending to real life jobs . . .  So do not loose hope! I am very excited and cannot wait to present this soon!

[Cobrattack]

Never lost hope, just figured you were busy and this is an important project that needs time and care to complete    Thanks again for doing it!

[Kapn Jonah]

horn signals that are very relevant:
7 short blasts and 1 long blast-abandon ship
3 long blasts-man overboard
3 short blasts-engines being reversed
3 long 1 short -leaving or arriving at a port
5 long and 1 short blast-dangerous activity, do not interfere!
2 long 3 short blasts-a way of signaling to another vessel when passing

[LucAtC]

Hello Kapn Jonah,
Some of the signals you mention (except for man overboard and reverse) seem to be not too common. Are they specific to Canadian inland waterways or Great Lakes perhaps?
Regards,
Luc

[Kapn Jonah]

well actually they are used by most ferry lines i know of such as BC ferries (pacific ocean) and Marine Atlantic (atlantic ocean). I have also seen them used by Cunard Line a few times.

[Kapn Jonah]

i know that the abandon ship signal is quite common. I have heard it during life boat drills on Carnival ships, disney ships, and princess ships.
 I may be weong in saying 2 long 3 short blasts for passing another vessel, i don't know if you've ever heard of "the 2 toot salute" used by QM2 very often, which is 2 long blasts fcrom each vessel.
the one about dangerous activity i heard about in another topic
see it here:
http://www.shipsim.com/ShipSimForum/index.php/topic,6174.new.html#new

[Kapn Jonah]

there is also some signals used by bc ferries at this link:
http://www.bcferries.com/about/corporate/safety_first/safety_coastal_class.html
just scrol down to the "EMERGENCY SIGNALS" section and read

[LucAtC]

Hello Kapn Jonah,

You can find the sound signals, for inland US and international waterways (COLREGS) in this nice pdf of the USCG (http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/mwv_files/NR_Files/navrules.pdf), from p. 115 on, and I can imagine the rules are the same in Canada.
The sound signals for the inland European waterways can be found in the pdf CEVNI code (http://www.unece.org/trans/doc/finaldocs/sc3/TRANS-SC3-115r2e.pdf) and are quite similar, perhaps somewhat more numerous.
Surely, the cruise ships can send whatever signal they wish, as long as they understand each other and follow the rules, but the sound signals you mention are particular and not related to seamanship.

Two prolonged blasts (M) mean: "My vessel is stopped and making no way through the water", as well as three mean "Man overboard" indeed. Also the one-letter signal (C) of the International Code of Signals (http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Information_Management/Information_Reference_Databases/Interco___International_Code_of_Signals.html) INTERCO may be used if needed (means Yes).

Regards,
Luc

[Kapn Jonah]

did you have a look at any of my links that where posted?
those are the signals that we are familiar with in canada, and i use them in the ship sim multiplayer, most people know what i'm getting at with these signals

[LucAtC]

Indeed, and I knew the topic "horn signals". I posted while you sent the other reference, to BC Ferries, and also searched the Ministry of Transport Database for the signals without references.

horn signals that are very relevant:
7 short blasts and 1 long blast-abandon ship
3 long blasts-man overboard
3 short blasts-engines being reversed
3 long 1 short -leaving or arriving at a port
5 long and 1 short blast-dangerous activity, do not interfere!
2 long 3 short blasts-a way of signaling to another vessel when passing

- The "abandon ship" sound signal is surely specific to some Canadian companies -and probably other too- but is no part of IMO or other official regulations I could refer to.
- "O" man overboard is indeed an INTERCO signal,
- the three short blasts indeed are part of the COLREGS
- 3 prolonged, 1 short is surely also specific
- 5 long 1 short is specific
- 2 long 3 short as well

Regards,
Luc

[ibheba]

- The "abandon ship" sound signal is surely specific to some Canadian companies -and probably other too- but is no part of IMO or other official regulations I could refer to.

According to SOLAS chapter III, regulation 6.4.2 all SOLAS ships, that is in this context all passenger ships and cargo ships over 300GT, shall have "...a general emergency alarm system complying with the requirements of paragraph 7.2.1 of" the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee of IMO by resolution MSC.48(66) that again state that "the general emergency alarm system shall be capable of sounding the general emergency alarm signal consisting of seven or more short blasts followed by one long blast on the ship's whistle or siren and additionally on an electrically operated bell or klaxon or other equivalent warning system".

Rgds,
Ib