One of the reasons for the creation of the ANI was to provide an institute to advance Australia’s naval profession. To that end some of the more senior ANI members put pen to paper for the benefit of the more junior members of the Service. One notable example was the article ‘So you want to drive a Grey Ferrari’ by the then Captain David Shackleton. It appeared in the May 1992 edition of the Journal of the Australian Naval Institute. As the title suggests, it is advice to junior officers seeking, or having just gained their Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate. Many of the tips are timeless, but those currently serving on bridges at sea, will be equally interested in what has changed from the RAN of thirty-three years ago.
So You Want To Drive A Grey Ferrari
In The Beginning
So you are aspiring to command an Anzac class frigate, or, if you are really lucky, a Perth class DDG. You need a bridge watchkeeping certificate (BWC) and you are looking for some advice on how to speed up the process, commensurate of course with the need to remain a Phase 4 officer long enough to fully exploit the party circuit and the XO’s sense of humour whilst you are ‘under training’. You figure that if you can afford the Saab or BMW, and drive it around at incredible speeds, it really can’t be that difficult to drive a warship – the other guys and girls make it look so straight forward – it’s a snack. But why does the Navigator keep whingeing at you – is he from the northern hemisphere – have you noticed that all Navigators seem to have peptic ulcers that explode at the sight of Phase 4’s, it must be something they learn on the long secret handshake course.
For those of you readers to whom this circumstance is apropos your current predicament, I have penned these few words in the hope that it will save you some angst with the ‘old man’, and help life assume a more meaningful posture. If you have passed the point where comparison of your experiences with herein is useful, perhaps you can reminisce.
Of course the real premise behind becoming a qualified OOW is to impress the ‘rellies’, but another is to have fun at great speed and feel one’s pile is in one’s sock. A BWC, endorsed for a destroyer, is the ticket you need, for they are the ships in which being an OOW requires you to have the skills to drive a battleship grey Ferrari. For those who continue to demonstrate their abilities to excel, it is the fundamental qualification of a seaman officer to future career challenges, and potentially their own command.
A destroyer BWC is a license to kill. I would expect submariners and aviators to argue that their skills are harder to obtain and hone, have you ever met any that don’t argue, but driving a destroyer into station on another from ahead with a relative closing speed of about 60 knots and combined mass of over 9,000 tons, with only the pelorus and distance meter to help get you in the slot, requires talent, nerves of steel and courage. Acquisition of a watchkeeping certificate shows that an officer has reached a significant milestone in their career as a professional seaman. One definition of a professional is:
‘…one belonging to one of the learned or skilled professions…’ (Macquarie National Dictionary}
and that of your own choosing by being a member of the RAN, you want to be a professional officer in a professional Service which applies that learning. This means being a good OOW.
Welcome Aboard
So Dave and Davina, you have just joined HMAS Incomparable, the most professional destroyer in the RAN, you are here to gain the certificate which qualifies you to join the select group of officers authorised to exercise sea command. What should you do?
First, after meeting the Captain and Executive Officer, you find out the names of the other officers and at least the senior sailors. You will need to know more as time goes on but these are essential. Next, read Captain’s Standing Orders and find out, at least, how the Captain has directed the OOW to perform his task, including when he is to be called, and the relationship between the OOW, the Executive and Navigating Officers. After this you need to find out about the ship’s handling characteristics and any special rules about use of the propulsion system – what are the maximum and minimum speeds or revolutions to meet particular configuration arrangements, what are the machinery detects which will produce different results and limiting speeds.
Read the Bridge File, cover to cover. You need to be at least able to find the information you need if it is not memorised. Find out where the navigation light switches are, how to dim them and how to turn them on and off; find out where the emergency switches are; find out where the upper deck lights are and how to get them turned on and off. When they don t work – who are you going to call? – you need to know. Make sure you know about the darken ship arrangements and how to make them happen.
Spend a couple of hours learning what every switch, knob and dial docs on the bridge, find the dimmer switches, work out the communications units – where does the headset plug in, how does Open Line work, how does the main broadcast operate and how do the various general alarms function – what do you do when any of the magazine alarms go off, what effect do the Action etc alarms have on the SRF system. Go through changing over steering, memorise the procedure, find out where the steering motors are operated from and what are the likely symptoms of various types of steering failure. Know the Rule of the Road. You will not be permitted to keep solo watches until you do, and that will leave you feeling embarrassed as a professional.
Last but not least, memorise the revolutions per knot in those ships where this is still done. Prepare a card for your pocket which has the table copied onto it, as well as any useful formulae you use for station keeping. Bring it to the bridge – with your sense of humour – every watch. Remember the red torch at night time, or how will you see it.
Authority of the OOW
Your authority is derived from the traditional and legally enforceable concept that the OOW is the Captain’s representative. Only he can relieve you of the responsibilities of being the OOW, but the Executive Officer can also relieve you if the Captain has so authorised in his standing orders – you need to check this point.
This means that Heads of Departments cannot give you orders so far as your personal responsibilities are concerned, and neither can PWOs closed up in the bat cave. But you would be wise to listen carefully to their counsel because they may be aware of things you are not. By extension, as an Acting Sub Lieutenant, or of not much more seniority, you have the responsibility and accountability for the ship and her people on your shoulders. You would do well to lose some sleep contemplating this, and coming to grips with what it means.
Your authority means that you must look at life through a serious pair of glasses. All that you do reflects on your reputation as a professional seaman officer, and your reputation is everything in a professional Service. By definition this means that you will want to be one of the best. If not, then you have the wrong address.
Taking Over The Watch
The best way to start is at the beginning. You should always start the watch by a visit to the operations room so that you can find out what is going to happen operations-wise during the time you have the keys to the Ferrari. There is merit in finding out which problems you are going to be presented with and those solutions which might work in the next four hours or so. Take the time to be briefed by the PWO on the setting signals and instructions relevant to the practice serials you will be involved in. This is not only for the Wombles to do – you are part of the team, not a liability. If you are in more serious circumstances, read those parts of the operation order and implementing instructions as are available to you, remember that the OOW is part of the command team as well and ignorance of operational matters will make your life more difficult (you may need to do this in your own time as part of your own preparation to be effective). It also helps if you are on speaking terms with the PWO, and are able to help him bring off the most brilliant tactical coup while also scoring points with the Captain – you will have rights to some of the kudos and maybe champagne later in the Wardroom bar if it goes well.
A visit to the operations room also has the benefit of letting you know how much shipping is around, and allows you to build up an early mental picture of the avoiding action you may have to take, particularly if sea room is tight and you are constrained to a limited number of alternatives. Arrive in a positive frame of mind, committed to spending your watch only thinking about your responsibilities.
Leave other matters behind to be worked on later. If it is quiet, spend some time considering the ‘what if’ aspects of your responsibilities.
You will already have a good idea of what to check with the off-going OOW, but most importantly, do not accept the watch unless you are perfectly happy with all which has been bequeathed you. It is foolish to think the Captain will thank you for accepting a bag of nails. Apart from finding out how many propellers have been lost in the preceding couple of hours, put a fix on the chart. The Captain will have little happiness, and neither will you, if you get the ship lost, or worse, have her stand into danger. When you have done this, check to see that the track for the remainder of the watch is on the chart and, if necessary, has been correctly transferred to the next sequential chart (don’t forget your relief in this respect either). Find out if the Navigator has left instructions when to be called. Remember, the OOW does not have the authority to arbitrarily decide which port to visit.
Next, find out which ship is the Guide and which others are in the formation, and who is leaving and joining during the watch, also if any ship is expected to operate aircraft or conduct replenishment. Have a look at Daily Orders, sometimes they are accurate in their forecast of events. Find out what the hands are doing, whether any RADHAZ conditions exist and if any weather deck restrictions are in force – it is your option to put the upper deck out of bounds if weather conditions make it unsafe. Make sure you know how to contact the watch on deck, and who the swimmer is – and don’t forget reliefs for lookouts. Last, but not least, make sure you know what your own station is and any likely changes that will happen during the watch, including any that may be precipitated by another ship operating aircraft etc. You must think ahead.
If applicable, read and sign the Captain’s Night Orders, sometimes they will be written for day time activities as well. Read them carefully and ask the off-going OOW to explain any points. You should remember that the Captain cannot put all his thoughts into Night Orders and they must necessarily be brief. If you have any doubts at all, you must call the Captain.
When, and only when, you are completely happy that you have fully taken in the advice and details necessary for a professional watch, you may use the words ‘I HAVE THE SHIP’. This simple phrase of acceptance totally transfers the onus to you for all things which happen from then on, the buck stops fair and square with you. IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY HAPPY. DO NOT ACCEPT THE SHIP, YOU MUST CALL THE CAPTAIN IMMEDIATELY. You have no discretion in this. It is better to do this and perhaps feel slightly embarrassed than be responsible for a disaster.
The Captain will not be critical of you for this course of action, and will make other OOW understand you will not accept a pig in a poke for a handover.
Now She Is Yours
Having accepted the watch, what should you do, how should you behave, what do others expect? First you have to establish yourself as the controller of the bridge. You must act as if you are in command; always answer the intercom or telephone “OFFICER OF THE WATCH’. This does not mean that Adolf Hitler can be reincarnated, but it does mean that others on the bridge and those that deal with your bridge staff understand that they are dealing with a professional officer who sets the example and expects only the best from all who are present. You must ensure that an atmosphere of formality sensibly tempered to foster team commitment exists on the bridge. This is not the place for staff to read paperbacks or generally take no interest, they all work for you so you must ensure that they understand what is expected of them. Does the Bosun’s Mate have his Bosun’s Call and a cap, do you have your own cap in case saluting needs to be done.
You have a badge of office, not your headset – your binoculars, and they should be worn for the whole watch. The key word in OOW is ‘watch’. Not only does it relate to a time span of responsibility, it refers to being alert and seeing all manner of things with a trained eye. You must look out, predominantly forward of the beam, but frequently scan the entire horizon for the unexpected ship, aircraft or other object you were not aware of before. Once in five minutes all round is not too frequent, but develop the habit of walking from wing to wing just for the purpose of looking out. This does not reduce the responsibility of lookouts, to do their job, but if they know they are on watch with an officer who prides himself in being first to see things, it can act as a challenge to their own prowess. If you are constantly seeing contacts first then the lookout needs to be censured and encouraged to do better. Make sure they are briefed of anything particular to watch for and that they are formally directed which sector to look at. Cooks and Stewards sometimes make the best lookouts because to them to be on the bridge is a novelty.
Everybody on the bridge is a lookout. This includes the Quartermaster, Bosun’s Mate and Signalmen when not involved in their jobs. The leading Signalman does not have the option of spending the watch in a chair and taking no interest — sometimes he will be the next most experienced man on the bridge – use his talents, and those of the QM, for your own purposes, and you will probably find they really are as good as they (usually) modestly suggest. The lifebuoy sentry is also a lookout, make sure you brief him as such.
Being an OOW is busy work if you are doing your job, having an assistant is a luxury. You have to be able to cope on your own, in company, in the Malacca Straits at night at 20 knots. Work at being able to take a fix, plot and DR/EP and write up the OOW note book and log in 3 minutes or less. While you are doing this, make sure the remainder of the bridge team are watching out for you. Let one of them answer the operations room intercom or other stations which call up such as the engine room. They will develop a greater sense of involvement if you let them do some of those things normally reserved for officers, and they will look forward to being on watch with you because they know they contribute to the overall solution by being part of a professional team.
Conning the ship is one of the joys of being an OOW. There is nothing like a starboard 35-ish at high speed to give one a sense of power and satisfaction when you can roll out exactly in station, (make sure the ship’s company knows that a Grand Prix performance is about to happen – they enjoy it too, but they don’t appreciate the spoiled meals and cleaning up caused by inconsiderate Ferrari drivers). But it is unprofessional to go past the new course and leave a zig zag for the fellow astern to follow. The same is true of getting the ship to about 10o off the new heading with rudder still on and telling the helmsman to steer the new course you are effectively abrogating your responsibility to make the ship point in the right direction. Don’t let the ship meander by not giving the helmsman a course to steer. Don’t let him decide how much wheel to get you on course when in close company. Do get the ship to within 2o before giving him a ‘steer’, and if in close company, try to get the ship precisely on course. If the course alteration is however, less than 10o and you are not in close company, then it is acceptable to give the helmsman a wheel order followed by the course to steer. But never forget, it is your responsibility to have the ship pointing in the right direction all of the time.
Fudging fixes and not being willing to admit that a problem might exist, however, means you are not really entitled to hold your license to drive the Ferrari. There is therefore every chance it will be taken away, meaning you shall certainly be relegated to shameful disgrace as the man who betrayed the trust of his shipmates — gloom!!
You are now happy you have got it weighed off, but how accurate should station keeping be. As accurate as possible is the answer. This means one degree for bearing and up to 50 yards for range in reasonable sea conditions. In line ahead you should be able to achieve station keeping to within one degree.
Relative velocity is a tricky thing. But once you have the principles it is not difficult. Read the instructions (especially when all else fails) on how to use the Battenberg, but most importantly try to develop in your mind where you are going to be when in station and then work backwards to calculate how you will get there. The reciprocal club is easy to join, put yourself in the middle of the plotting circle and work it out that way.
The operations room has a large impact on how effectively you can perform your own task, as well as the overall performance of the ship. Bridge and operations room teams must work together as a combined team, or else everybody will have to unnecessarily work that much harder. You should expect assistance from the surface plot in helping you stay alert to the shipping in your area, and the RP’s (radar plotters = combat system operators) ought to provide you with details of courses, speeds and closest points of approach for ships which will close. But the sailors manning the plot need your instructions as to what you want. As you are taking over the watch, and having already been to the operations room on the way to the bridge, you should have formed an idea of the shipping density and how much assistance you need. For instance, in a busy shipping area it would be appropriate to tell the operations room to only report contacts which will pass within say, three miles, when those contacts are at eight miles; this gives you time to handle the reduced number of reports and work from one problem to another without becoming overloaded. Don’t be afraid to change the instructions when it becomes apparent that you are not getting the information you need when it is needed; don’t forget to order a watch to be kept for a high coastal point on any of the ships search radars available when making a land fall or if fixing is becoming difficult.
There are control words for giving the surface plot your instructions in terms of how the plot should report contacts. Learn them all. Don’t simply tell the sailors to ‘watch’ a contact unless it is entirely inconsequential to your concerns; there is merit in ordering the contact to be reported again at a shorter range – that way you don’t forget about it. If the CPA is some distance off you can order the contact to be reported at that point, again you are then reminded of its presence and reassured that it presents no problem. Computerised operations rooms do not always result in an improved standard of service to the OOW – computers are demanding little beasts and can become an end in themselves – you must be positive and persistent in your statement of requirements.
Use of the operations room does not relieve you of calculating your own CPA’s; use the plotter on the bridge PPI or calculate it yourself, but compare it with the operations room and in a subtle way let them know that you will check their results – there is no harm in a competition for accuracy. The PWO and OOW must work as a team but, like any good professional personal relationship, you need to know your obligations to each other; do not make assumptions about who is doing what – for that is the way to confusion, certain disaster, and perhaps a ‘friendly chat’ about life in general by both of you and the Captain. Both of you have clear responsibilities, and you need to be fully aware of them.
Open Line can be awkward until you are used to it; don’t forget your prime responsibility is safety, but you have to be able to achieve that at 28 knots in company, in rain, at night and with no radar. If you find the headset is constraining your ability to do your job, don’t think twice, take the headset off, tell the PWO and call the Captain.
Emergencies
As the OOW you are always going to be the first to react to an emergency, this also means you will need the support of the team that is your bridge staff. Not only does it mean that you need to be capable of recognising when a crisis exists, it means that you (meaning you) will be primarily responsible for solving it until others are able to grasp the problem and take over. For instance, other people may be injured or access to the bridge cut off – so who is going to take charge – YOU ARE, that’s who. Make sure your bridge team know what to do in any of the circumstances you could find yourself in. There is no future in having to operate the Main Broadcast as well as conning the ship because no one else knows the pipes and routines for Emergency Stations etc. See to it that the QM instructs the Bosuns Mate, he can be very useful when trained.
You owe it to yourself to think about these things – it could pay off one day – and then you will really be famous. For instance, recovery of a man overboard is something I hope you will never have to do, but you must always be prepared. Decide early whether you will use a swimmer or the boat, and adjust your pick up arrangements to suit. Spare a thought for what it must be like to be in the water watching your ship steam off. Seeing the lifebuoy sentry spinning salty dits with a mate, and the cooks ditching bio-degradable gash (but not plastics) as she goes; only to then feel real terror at the prospect of being recovered in one piece as she turns around and comes charging directly at him at the speed of watery light and attempting to stop terrifyingly close amidst a great swirling of water as the fast astern rotating propellers sweep many tons of water toward the ship’s boat – which loses steerage and turns over in the turbulence. Gloom!! Remember, the boat is more manoeuvrable and faster than the ship if you have RHIB; so get the boat in the water as quickly as possible.
Swimmers don’t like 15 knot currents or being sucked into the propeller blades either. Speed of recovery is of the essence, but the word is recovery, not butchery.
Ensure that the operations room help is used, if necessary having someone repeat their information to you while you are on the bridge wing – but don’t ignore it – the man is one of their shipmates. Personally make sure that an individual is nominated to watch and point at the man in the water while constantly calling the relative bearing to you. Ideally you should also watch the man, rather than being glued to the pelorus and not able to see where you really want to go. Don’t forget either to stop the ditching of gash, attracting white pointers is only acceptable at the beach, and then with some discretion. If the Captain takes the con, make sure he knows where the man is and that you continue to provide him with the maximum assistance you can in running everything else.
Night Time Tips
Night vision is important, so plan to start night watches about 10 minutes earlier than those during daylight hours. At night insist that the chart table light is dimmed and that extraneous light is cut off; make sure that all other dials, strip repeats, signal desks, bosun’s mates positions etc only have the minimum light necessary for the job; if nothing is going on – turn them off. A great way to see a ship at long range at night is the flash up of cigarettes pipes and cigars, make sure that precautions are taken to prevent the use of portable flame throwers on the bridge and upper deck.
Night time also has the effect of changing your perception of distance. Take the trouble to look at other ships through the binoculars and develop a feel for how much of the field of view is being taken up, take notice of the size of the wake and bow wave. When there is radar silence, make sure that you know the distance between steaming lights and side lights and various combinations, because that will be the only way you can set the scale on the distance meter.
Night time station keeping without radar and with navigation lights switched off can be exhilarating, not to mention making you wish it was somebody else’s watch. You need to develop your seaman’s eye to judge distance and the aspect of those ships you can see so that you can gauge whether an opening or closing range rate is happening. Have you worked out what you are going to do ‘if’, and as importantly, have you decided what the triggers will be to make you react instantly rather than believe it isn’t happening to you.
The OOW is responsible for calculating sunrise and sunset and this is a good time to test your abilities of working to an accurate standard. There should be no reason that each cannot be worked out to within 30 seconds, a competition between the OOW and his assistant is always beneficial if circumstances permit, and for one good with numbers, champagne can become cheaper this way. Don’t forget to work out moonrise and moonset. While quiet night watches are opportunities for those not yet in the wheelchair brigade to contemplate on the probabilities for meeting celestial objects ashore in exotic places, and for those so afflicted to reminisce, there is also the more immediate and practical benefit to all OOW of checking the gyro against the celestial objects obvious in the night sky.
Calling The Captain
Captains of ships are posted to the billet at least, in part, because they don’t like to have an all night-in; they have also learned the art of suppressing ecstasy associated with this privilege. There is the truism, however, that they will certainly not thank you for not calling them because you felt he was tired and needed sleep. Orders will invariably contain standard occasions for calling the Captain, but remember, those occasions are not just for the night time, they are standing requirements to call him for the myriad of occasions he has deemed it necessary to do so irrespective of the time of day and night. And don’t assume that they will be the same for every ship, you must read and memorise them, and additionally apply common sense by calling him when you think that things just do not feel right.
Even though it appears the Captain is awesomely knowledgeable, he still wants to know more – there will, and this might come as a surprise to you, be circumstances he has not been able to foresee, and it is here you must use your judgement.
There are two simple tests over and above the standard occasions on which you should call the Captain.
The first is: ‘will it only take one or two things to happen to cause a close quarters situation which will require me to take action.’
This should be self evident but it requires a conscious and constant appraisal of the situation you find yourself in, it is vital when such circumstances exist that you do not let yourself become distracted by other matters. The second and more important is: ‘would I want to know if I were the Captain.’
This latter rule of thumb is fundamental, you are the Captain’s representative for his responsibilities and he can either be courts martial led or promoted on your judgment — but so too can you, and it is that serious; and that is why it takes so long to get a ticket, and that is why a qualified watchkeeper is a somebody.
Handing Over The Watch
Having managed to get through the watch it becomes time to prepare to hand it on the next OOW. Double check the Guide’s course and speed and your own station, find out if any signals are pending. Put your own fix on the chart so that you feel comfortable in asking your relief to do the same.
Get the Bosun’s Mate to get rid of the empty coffee cups and empty the ash trays, tidy up the chart table and make it look as if a professional has been in charge of the bridge. Update the machinery and radar states and manpower disposition if applicable, as well as any routine state board matters.
The most effective way to prepare to handover the watch is to go through it in your mind as if you were coming on watch yourself, ask yourself all the questions you would want answers to if the person climbing the ladder to the bridge was yourself. In the morning watch, and certainly before the Captain arrives to survey the scene, make sure the litter is removed, bright work is done and the windows cleaned both sides. Don’t forget to have the bridge ladder and its runner cleaned as well as ensuring that the deck is swept and scrubbed out if possible. Who can keep a professional watch in a slum. If you are on the ball early in the morning, many brownie points can be gained by making sure that ‘Father’ is not left out of the bacon and egg sandwich order given to the breakfast galley team.
The Paperwork
The job is not finished until the paperwork is done, remember what your mother said. Make sure the Log and all other administrative items are completed before you start the handover to your relief. OOW are not to leave the bridge until this has occurred. Remember to check the Assistant’s entries during the watch. Those who are inexperienced sometimes lack the ability to recognise that they should be asking for help. It is your signature in the Log and OOW Note Book, and you are accountable for their contents; make sure you can live with what they portray.
Summary
You are commended to inwardly digest the sentiments of the preceding comments and advice. Your Captain will be looking for its application during your watch on the bridge of the ship for which he has ultimate responsibility.
From this missive you should have a clear understanding of needing to adopt a very personal commitment about being a top class OOW; because, very simply, your reputation is the same as that of the ship, and vice versa. Your aim is to be one of the best.
And then you can borrow the keys to the grey Ferrari.
About the Author
Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO RAN was born in Leeds, UK in 1948 and his family emigrated to Australia when he was a young boy. He joined the RAN from Adelaide in 1966 as Supplementary List seaman officer. He gained his bridge watchkeeping certificate in the destroyer HMAS Perth’s during her second Vietnam deployment in 1968/69. He became an air intercept controller and then specialised as a Direction Officer. His sea commands were the destroyer escort HMAS Derwent (1988-89) and the destroyer HMAS Brisbane (1991-92).
David Shackleton’s senior shore appointments included Director General Naval Policy and Warfare, Director General Information Management, Director General Command and Support Systems and Head Capability Development. In 1999 he was promoted to vice admiral and became Chief of Navy in July 1999. He retired in 2002, completing 36 years’ service.
Following his naval service David Shackleton has had several senior appointments in Defence industry and served on the Defence SA Advisory Board. He also earned a PhD in 2017 with a study on the impact of the acquisition of the US built Charles F Adams class DDGs on the RAN.
