[esailor Team]

Date: 15/11/2022 14:30 (GMT)
Examiner: Michael Judd (Hull)
Time: 1h 30m
Examination: OOW (Unlimited)
Result: PASS
I joined the Microsoft Teams meeting 15 minutes prior the start of the examination. Examiner logged in 10 minutes earlier to my utmost shock, whilst I was talking to myself; telling myself to calm down lmao. He was welcoming and very friendly; held a small discussion about examination rules and scanned the room.
Before we started, he assured me that during the examination, he will be taking notes and to not take that, or any gestures he may make negatively. He also left me with a bit of advice 1. To think deeply about my answers before I answer, and 2. If I believe that I messed up a question, not to let the disappointment of that affect the rest of examination. The questions are as follows (as best as I can remember):
• You’re a new 3rd Officer just signed onto the vessel, where would you find your duties?
• You are relieving 2nd Officer during Cargo Operations, what are your actions and what would you check for?
• What messages would you check for on the bridge whilst in port? (Answer – Weather)
• Describe Steering Gear checks?
• Walk me through Emergency Steering gear checks.
• At the manifold during Cargo Ops, (Chemical Tanker) what do you expect to see?
• How would you prepare the vessel for departure?
• How would you set up your ECDIS; what are the safety settings?
• What is Safety Contour and Safety Depth? What do they do to the screen?
• How would you know that your GPS is reading correctly?
• Tell me about NAVTEX
• You are in port, and Master instructs you to “see about” the garbage onboard. What are your actions? And where would you find procedures for dealing with garbage? Where would they be recorded? What would the shore give to you (a receipt)?
• How often do you launch the lifeboat?
• Master was granted permission to launch lifeboat (davit launch) by the port facility. He specified that it is NOT an emergency and hinted that I have all the time in the world to carry out this drill. What are your actions (Was keen on hearing about FPD and dry run)?
• Gyro failure actions?
• Vessel under Pilotage through narrow channel heading 000, and the Pilot issues an order to steer 180 and walks onto the bridge wings. Master left the bridge to take a call. Actions? (What are your actions if you believe the Pilot gave an unsafe order – see MGN 315)
• You hear Bosun shouting from the starboard side “Man Overboard!” Actions?
• What is deviation and variation? Where do you find deviation and variation?
• Identify chart symbols (Direction of Buoyage, pipelines and cables, CATZOC C)
• What is CATZOC?
• Buoyage
wanted topmark, light colour, rhythm and action:
– West Cardinal Buoy
– Emergency Wreck/New Danger Buoy
– Lateral Preferred Channel to Starboard IALA Region B
• Collision Regulations:
– Showed me a TSS, asked what it is, how would I get from A to B (how to cross a TSS)
– (Model boats) PDV head-on, opposing the direction of traffic flow – Actions?
– (Lights) CBD stbd side seen from Port Bow, who is give way? Actions?
– (Model Boats) Tug & Tow > 200m – Actions & Fog Signals?
– (Model Boats) RAM Tow > 200m – Actions & Fog Signals?
– (Lights) Pilot vsl at anchor – Describe, Actions & Fog Signals?
– (Model Boats) PDV stbd bow – Actions?
– You observe a fog bank approaching, actions?
• RADAR Plot:
– HDG 130
– 3 blips on stbd bow
– Where does O and A go?
– Does risk of collision exist? (yes)
– Where would W go
– Calculate the length of WO (info to calculate)
– What are your actions? The blips were pretty close , so I explained Rule 19 d(i), that ideally I’d like to A/C to STBD for a vsl fwd of my beam, but in doing so may worsen the situation and that I will slow down. He was very happy with this answer.
– What might be the heading of the other vessel? What action would she take?
– When can you alter port for a vessel forward of the beam?
End of Examination
After 90-minutes, he said end of examination, time for feedback. He then asked me how it went. At this point, I wasn’t really sure. During the examination, he prompted me for some answers, and simplified some questions. Sometimes even rephrased his question. I thought this wasn’t a very good look, but I took the advice he gave and didn’t let those instances affect the next question. In the COLREGS section, I began to dramatically overthink one of the situations (Pilot vsl, as it can be either underway and possibly making way seen from astern OR at anchor) – I knew this, I practiced this many times before but I got stuck there for a bit and eventually gave the right answer.
Capt. Judd remained patient with me and talked me through it, then laughingly said “See, you know it. You’re overthinking because its COLREGS!” and I said “You’re 200% right about that Cap” To circle back, I told him I think I had a good examination overall. He said “mmm” and shared his screen and confirmed with me if I can see his screen share. I said Yes, and it was my NOE. At this point, I held my breath! And he typed “PASS”. He said, without a doubt, it’s a PASS! I can’t begin to describe the relief!
My Advice
• Remain calm (or try your utmost best to) and think about your answers before you give them. Captain Judd was very patient and kind and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better, more fair examiner.
• Make sure to deeply understand everything you study. Repeating things you read in the notes and BPG means nothing to the examiner if you can’t explain or demonstrate an understanding of the material
• Capt Judd loves to hear about the Company SMS in your answers. If you forget a point, be sure to make reference to the SMS Checklist. Again, also be prepared to explain what an SMS is; he won’t let you off that easily
• Study with friends or your classmates; you learn so much from each other
• Equal parts prayer, hard work and hanging out occasionally is the key combination to pass your Orals!
Thanks
Many thanks to Capt. Gupta, Capt. Vishnu, Capt. Manish and the entire team at Glasgow Maritime Academy for the excellent Oral Prep Course and even better eSailor.net Online exercises; totally worth the subscription! Many thanks to Jonny, Liz, Laurence from the “Dream Team” who helped me along the way as the only OOW Candidate. Many thanks to my classmates Jacob and Akintunde who stuck with me throughout the entire journey as well. All the best in your Orals! You got this!

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