[esailor Team]

OOW Unlimited Orals Examiner Michelle Moro – Online
17/02/2021 0930 Pass
Estimated 40-minute exam (entire call was 46 minutes including non-orals questions and connectivity issues). I joined 15 minutes before the call. Michelle joined shortly after to tell me what someone else would be watching the exam taking place to monitor him.

Started the exam by telling me I was standing on the berth, what would my actions be and how would I join? – visually inspect gangway, mooring lines & draught/load line markings
I also told him about documents I’d give to the Captain upon joining
I mentioned Letter of Employment, so he asked me about its contents
Asked me how I’d familiarise myself with my duties – I said SMS
Asked me about the SMS – I told him it came from the ISM and what I’d contain (SOCREM)
Told me I’m being sent to Fwd mooring station for departure, actions? – Risk assessment was key
Asked me If I’d be using a previous risk assessment or using a new one – mentioned a new one using old ones as guidance
At mooring I’m told to single up, what are my actions? – Confirm which line to keep on and which to let go first
Spring line is getting very tight. Actions? – Contact bridge to inform them & clear deck team from around the mooring line
Moving through a narrow channel, vibrations, what is it? – Squat
What is squat, how does it come into effect? – Interaction between keel/hull and sea/river bed
How to get rid of squat? – Slow down and find deeper water
Captain wants me to lower anchor, actions? – Risk assessment, anchor
In open waters. Pilot disembarked, Captain off bridge. I have the con, duties? – Mentioned duties during watchkeeping.
When would I call the Captain?
What’s the difference between X-band and S-band radars?
What’s the benefit of using X-band on coastal passages?
When would S-band be beneficial?
During passage planning, during the appraisal stage. What other information would you need aside from publications required to make the route? – This was a bit of a tricky question, I mentioned a few things we’d need, was a bit confused about what he meant so mentioned a load of Appraisal stage publications
I asked if he wanted info on weather, he confirmed – I mentioned Synoptic charts & Naxtext as well as tide tables and co-tidal & co-range
Prompted me about MARPOL Annex 6 during the Appraisal stage – This threw me off, was not expecting a MARPOL question, but narrowed it down to him wanting me to mention I’d mark the borders of the air pollution control zones to notify the engineers when they could switch to different sulphur grade fuels.
I mentioned DGs wanted to know what documents we’d be carrying – DG DOC, Declaration, Manifest, MSDS & IMDG Codes
Crew came into contact with DG, needs medical attention – Check IMDG Supplements MFAG & MSDS
He asked me how I’d take a position fix by celestial means – Lucky prepared for this, jus make sure to mention take twilight fix evenly spaced around vsl, what info to take from instruments & DR pos, work out celestial position lines and mark the intercept lines, from there he seemed pleased.
What is Amplitude? – angle between horizon and celestial body
How to work out compass error with amplitude – sun sitting on horizon method.
Get a fire alarm in the paint locker, actions? – mentioned all the actions, including fixed systems but not to touch Co2 without captain & chief engineer permission
We had connection issues so I don’t think he heard me mentioned fixed systems so pressed for this again, I just repeated previous answer.
Gyro failure, actions?
Approaching Restricted Visibility, actions?
Asked me what I thought the crew composition on the bridge during restricted visibility would be – I mentioned Master, Me, Helmsman & additional Lookout.

Started to share his screen from here till the end of the exam; showed me a tidal diamond, asked me about how I’d use it
Showed me a compass rose on a chart and how I’d use it.
Showed me Preferred channel to port region B
Showed me preferred channel to port region A asked for lights here
Showed me West Cardinal Mark, no top mark. I told him lights, meaning & top mark
Moved onto TSS images. I’m following TSS and someone is crossing on my STBD, action?
Now swapped, I’m crossing with collision risk with someone following it on my PORT, action?
I’m now crossing from other side (in separation zone), action?
I’m entering from STBD side of channel (at shallow angle), someone is following properly, my action?
I’m now following channel but want to cross it, how would I do that? I mentioned leaving on STBD side to them turn around and cross the channel at a right angle to the direction of traffic.
Now identifying lights, showed me a CBD port aspect under 50m
VSL Aground – I very nearly fucked up here, I said vsl at anchor then immediately corrected myself in the same sentence, I consider myself very lucky here.
Pilot vsl seen from ahead, identify & actions?
We then moved onto the last question, radar plotting. He showed me a radar plot with one target on my STBD shoulder, I continued and completed the plot. He then asked for my action. I said A/C port. He asked me why and I said because I’d avoid altering towards a vsl past my beam. He was pushing for something more and I was getting stuck until I mentioned that I knew they were overtaking me.
He asked how I knew they were overtaking me? I told him aspect.

He then stopped sharing his screen and told me that he was confident I’d be able to carry out my Officer of the Watch duties & that I had passed me OOW Unlimited exam. Suffice to say I’m pleased. He then went over the current method of obtaining my OOW COC, congratulated me and we ended the call.
I thought I’d fucked up at some point during the rules, buoyage and radar plotting but I passed. I think it’s a common feeling just before receiving the results. Don’t give up, keep doing past papers and you’ll ace it.

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