The complete chief officer 17 training

17 Training
Experience is training and all onboard are engaged in some form it, even the Captain. This is
because, regardless of what you know, every ship is different in construction, equipment or
even in the attitude it presents to the seas. So each day is a new experience in which nothing
is certain or to be taken for granted.

Trainees, like their background and education are all different.

The basic seamanship of trainees onboard, whether they are officer cadets or ratings, will
vary depending on the country that they come from. Hopefully you will have more than one
cadet because training just one is far more difficult than two. Two cadets can work together,
bounce ideas off each other and generally keep each other company, and therefore out from
under your feet. Also the problem if there is one cadet is that he tends to become the Chief
Officer's runner. It is normal for cadets to have a training schedule with a training record
book, which in theory ensures that cadets have completed training in a certain subject before
moving on to the next. Regrettably, this is often a 'tick the right box' situation, with not enough
time to ensure that the cadet has really understood and completed the subject matter. But for
his training to be completed the box has to be ticked, so it is.
As soon as you can, get the cadets' training record books and just ask a few questions
based on what they are supposed to know and you will soon have a good idea as to what

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has been going on. If the rating trainees do not have a training book then make one up for
them, so that both you and they have a record of what they have done.
The days of giving cadets the most dangerous jobs onboard, on the basis that they were the
cheapest and easiest to replace by opening another box, are long gone. No more selling
them in Casablanca either!
On a very busy ship, with low manning, it is very tempting to use cadets as cheap labour.
But you shouldn't. You must also be careful before you put them into hazardous situations.

As an example, should they drive the windlass on the foc'sle? If you are on a 160,000 dwt
vessel and have only 5 seafarers to moor the ship it is very tempting, but it must be a
question of experience. If they are new to the job, whether rating or cadet, then they cannot
be allowed near any such hazard, particularly in poor weather with heavy strains on the
lines.
If you have a number of trainees onboard, make the Third Officer the training officer. It will
help give him confidence in dealing with the crew and, as he is a Third Officer, his own
knowledge will be fresh to pass on and he can relate well to the trainees. However, having
put him in this position, you should have a weekly check on both his and the trainees'
progress.
With regard to the cadets, remember that they will only have one year's initial sea time and,
of that, 6 months are supposed to be for seamanship. You must do what you can to imbue
the cadet with the basics and what you consider important. On joining a ship they should
first go on the deck. If there is only one cadet he should be put with the Bosun, ensuring that
the Bosun has a list of the priorities.
If there are two cadets, they can be tasked together by the Bosun or worked with the crew.
Either way, they must start with the dirtiest hardest work on the ship. This brings them down
to earth and provides them with a taste of what it takes to keep the ship going.

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Rules of the road or if, you prefer, collision avoidance, is still the basic requirement for any
watchkeeping officer and part of the training for all deck cadets should be continuous instruction
in the rules. Sunday morning doing mock orals with either yourself or the Captain can be
invaluable instruction for the cadet, not only to learn the rules but also to prepare for his
forthcoming examinations.

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