Watch system

As a guard on the one hand refers to ships and boats of the part of the crew that ensures the ongoing ship operation at a certain time (eg 4-8 clock ) in shifts. On the other hand, this period is referred to as a " guard ".

On ships was first a shift operation in terms of work organization ( division of labor). When ships for commercial vessels used around the clock, the ship's crew divided firmly into the guards and the duration guards. Each station consists of a deck officer and possibly a plurality of team levels. In the recreational boating though should always be a responsible Firstwatch be used, the different degrees of team eliminated but usually.

The guards are gone after a security system. The most common is the three- guard system, that is, there are three alternating guards on the ship. On smaller ships, which have only two board officers or only a captain and a first officer, a two - guard system is driven. Is on very small units no detachment of the team possible, so it is also called " Einwachenbooten ", although here no more guards are present in the strict sense. Other boats every night calling at a port or anchorage, usually drive in such a one -watch system.

In labor-intensive maneuvers shortly the ship's crew all guards can be used, which from the English all hands called ( " All Hands" ), and especially on sailing ships for labor-intensive sailing or docking maneuvers - then referred to as all-hands - or all -man maneuver - is used.

Three wax system

For the three- guard system, a guard goes for 4 hours, then have eight hours off duty. The 24- hour day is therefore divided into 3 guards:

• 0-to -4- guard (also: 0-4 guard ): 00:00 to 04:00 and 12:00-16:00 clock, so-called middle watch (also dog-watch ), usually assigned to the 2nd officer
• Assigned to 4- to -8 guard 4:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 16:00-20:00 clock, usually the first officer
• 8- to -12 Guard 08:00 to 12:00 and 20:00-24:00 clock, usually assigned to the third officer, as often times enough higher-ranking officers are awake to the waking hours to make this the most inexperienced of all officers to oversee and guide.

In this system, each member of the crew has constant waking hours, which has advantages and disadvantages. There is therefore another three watch system with seven waking hours, so that everyone is involved equally in the unpleasant waking hours. To this end, the guard 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., for example, is divided into two two-hour wake times (first and second flat feet).

Boaters make the watch officers ( Abbr: WOS) that get assigned to their permanent station. The captain is not assigned to guard on large ships.

Two security system

In the two- guard system, a guard goes for 6 hours, then is 6 hours off watch. The 24- hour day is therefore divided into two guards:

• 0-6 guard 00:00 to 06:00 and 12:00-18:00 clock, Central Station (also dog-watch ), usually assigned to the first officer.
• 6 to 12 watch 06:00 to 12:00 and 18:00-24:00 clock, also called cat guard, mostly assigned to the captain.

This system is common in small vessels, such as on coasters, the drive only with a captain and a first officer ( helmsman ), and in earlier times often drove with a Bestmann.

Organization

Each station consists of the watch officer (WO ) and a number of deck and engine personnel. Previously guard was also in the machine went on modern ships the machine from the bridge from the WO is remote and the machinists are permanent guardians.

The security officer is responsible for the management of the ship, namely, in particular for navigation, the safety of the ship and, if the charge control. He determined at regular intervals the position and enters them in the chart, determined or corrected course and speed and is responsible for ensuring that the vessel complies with the Collision Regulations. He also granted on traditional ships the command to guard.

The captain may at any time take over the command of the ship. If serious disturbances, bad weather or ambiguous traffic situations, WO is obliged to inform the captain. In the commercial vessels are on station and ride in difficult situations usually several officers on the bridge, possibly also a pilot.

To guard include the helmsman for the rudder guard or anchor watch; at sea runs in the commercial shipping and on long-haul trips in the recreational marine environment, however, most of the autopilot. Furthermore, the guard occupied the lookout. In the commercial shipping are wax members that perform patrols, also called runners. These control programs include the fire patrol, when searching for sources of fire from dusk until dawn inserting regularly throughout the ship.

Meals are usually so carried on larger ships that -winding watch can eat after the changing of the guard in front of the changing of the guard and the rest of the crew. In a continuous three - guard system so often found at 8 clock breakfast, lunch and by 12 clock 20 clock dinner instead.

Tasks

The guard is responsible for the entire ship operation, therefore for navigation, security, possibly charge control, rudder walking, lookout, etc.

So the guard takes on a visual and auditory control of the events around the vessel. Warns the crew from danger (eg Wahrschau ), which provides listening watch on marine radio ( with very large ships, the ship's radio ), under surveillance acoustic warning signals (internal and external). In addition, she is responsible for safety on board (eg, response to fire alarm). In addition, the guard should the skipper / commanders communicate when exceptional events occur, such as piracy, fire, fire alarm, Sinking, mutiny, personal injury or death, Mayday radio transmissions with significant meaning, etc. From the guard will possibly also geglast.

The station is located in the commercial shipping on the deck usually on the bridge.

Share guards

During the day the watch below is mostly used for a while for odd jobs on the ship, the duration guards are traditionally the cook ( chef) and possibly the boatswain, electrician and usually a number of deck and engine department personnel. The machine operator shall not pass to today extremely streamlined ships usually guard.

Special features for sailing ships

On sailing ships sail handling is an important and maneuvers of the most labor-intensive part of the surveillance duties, since a sailing vessel can be maneuvered only in the interaction between the proper feathering and rudder.

On sailing ships of the watch captain is responsible for the sails, if necessary in consultation with the captain and / or races sometimes assisted by a person responsible for operating the sails and the instigation of sailing maneuvers. On larger sailing ships he usually stays at the helm and there are the appropriate commands to the helmsman. On sailing vessels using Topp sailors, one of the sailors of the Topp sailor of the guard; it sets the commands of the wax leader into commands for the guard and controls the sailing maneuvers on deck.

Depending on the need, the guards will be free for labor-intensive maneuvers used, so-called all-hands - or all -man maneuver, or you drive maneuver shortly before or after the changing of the guard with the Gathering and the retreating guard.

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