[esailor Team]

07/04/22 11:30 UK time
Examiner Jason Pateman
Time 1h20m
OOW Unlimited
Result Pass
I joined the room 20 mins prior to the exam and the examiner came on exactly at the exam time. Started by checking my ID and if I was familiar with MIN 653 and the usual introductions.
1. How do you go about launching a life raft by davit?
He wanted every single detail from the initial steps of raising alarm, straight to the end. Name of the line to lower the liferaft (called the brake) and every single detail. When to connect it, bawsing lines, if it can be released from inside without anyone on board, how it is released, everything.
2. How would you go about releasing a life boat using davit which is on ships side?
Once again, full details. Got into detail of on load/ off load and how to board, everything. Key words for him were to release the brake and that the on load is released by a secured lever only if off load release option is not available.
3. MOB on the stern?
He was pleased with this except he wanted my to go to starboard as the rescue boat is on starboard side. Single screw RH propellor turn is faster to port, however, allowing space for rescue boat launch takes priority
4. Where would you find these procedures?
SMS manual
5. Fire alarm panel alarm goes off in one area and then another alarm for an adjacent area?
This was standard procedure. He also wanted to know where I’d find more info and what I’d find. Told him SMS manual and all the contents it would have with respect to the dealing with the emergency.
I also told him we would send out a GMDSS message but it would not be Distress as we have not determined the nature of the fire or if it an actual fire.
He also asked If I would muster crew before sending someone to check to see if it was a false alarm. I told him that similar situations have happened on my vessel and that we always sounded the alarm and mustered no matter what. He was pleased with that, he said not all vessels do that but its good.
6. You mention GMDSS alert. You are at sea 120 miles from the coast, how would you send the alerts?
He was not interested on the contents of the message or the format. He wanted to know what priority would you do. Which alerts to send and by what means. The Channels and frequencies for both DSC and RT. How to know what channels to use (ALRS vol 5 and also on the GMDSS equipment itself has options to automatically switch over to the channels via a button or dial)
7. Passage planning from east coast US to Europe using ECDIS?
Went through appraisal and planning. He was pleased with this. Started answer, he got bored of hearing me go on about all the publication details and asked me about what else besides publications. Key words were Masters instructions, charterers instruction and Navtex info.
8. You mentioned safety parameters on ECDIS, how would you decide what to set those parameters and would they trigger alarms? (parameters were safety depth and safety contour)
Told him safety contours would trigger alarms but not safety depths (I wasn’t 100% sure about that but I said it with confidence and moved on). Told him the parameters are based on draft, ukc, squat and the H.O.T
He gave me some values to see if I knew what I was talking about or spouting nonsense but all good. He also wanted to hear that safety depth would be the exact value but the safety contour is a whole number that would jump to the next highest available value and I gave him an example of that value. He seemed to be pleased with the answer.
9. Asked me to quote rule 6 (safe speed)
Only interested in the very first part. He wanted it WORD FOR WORD
10. Actions in restricted visibility?
11. Asked about rule 8
He wanted every detail
12. How would you join a TSS?
Firstly, wanted to hear at the terminals. Then he asked how else and I told him at the sides or from separation zone at small angle
13. How would you cross a TSS?
14. ROR Situations
He stated I am on my last vessel, a bulk carrier. He didn’t want all info, just the info I would need in order to take action. He also wanted to know how risk of collision would be determined.
Pdv head on
Lights – Tug and tow <50m in length, length of tow more than 200m
Nothing on Joining a vessel, SEA, taking over or handing over the watch, buoyage.
He asked some other things but this is what I can remember as close to the order as possible. He is fair but strict. He will prompt you a lot because he knows he wants every single detail. All in all in good experience, be sure to know things on detail if you get him, surface knowledge won’t cut it. Definitely prepare for an unconventional but fair exam if you have him.
I’d like to thanks my ships and the companies who took me on as a cadet to train me, my university, my classmates in both university and GMA, Whitehorse Maritime for the oral reports (I didn’t read any for this particular examiner even though I read about 25 recent reports, but the knowledge still came in handy) and last but not least Vinil and Shayne of GMA who gave a very professional and thorough prep course for the exam.
All the best to everyone sitting the exams.

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