NS101-4 Standard Commands

Four parts of a standard command

CRRA Command, Reply, Report, Acknowledgment

Command

the order given

Reply

repeat back the order

Report

action taken

Acknowledgement

acknowledge the proper repeat back and action taken

correcting an incorrect order

correct an incorrect command by issuing the proper order, NOT belay my last

Rudder order

given to the helmsman. 1. direction 2. amount of rudder in degrees 3. course to steer (optional)

Direction

right left or amidships

Amounts of rudder in degrees

standard = 15

full = 30 (25 on YP)

hard = 35 (30 on YP)

specific amount

Course change greater than 10 (ship is on a course of 125)

left/right full rudder

rudder is left/right 30 degrees coming to course

steady on course

Course change less than 10 degrees (ship is on course 125)

Come right/left steer course

can use up to 10 degrees of rudder

steady on course

Hard rudder

hard left rudder steady on course 225 (only when ordering a hard rudder does the format change)

my rudder is left 35 degrees, coming to course 225

steady on course 225

Increase your rudder right/left ___ degrees

move rudder to the higher amount

Ease your rudder to right/left ___ degrees

move the rudder to the lower amount

Rudder amidships

place the rudder at 0 degrees

Shift your rudder

Move rudder to the opposite direction at the same time

Orders to “the helm”

to indicate they did not hear/understand the order or the order was NOT a standard command

Steady as she goes

Steer the heading of the ship when the command was given

Mind your helm

Pay attention!

Steer nothing to the right/left of

Do not allow the ship’s corse to drift past the indicated corse

How’s your rudder

Helmsman responds with whatever degrees his rudder is at the time of order

Mark your head

Helmsman reports the ship’s corse at the time of the order

Engine orders

given to the lee helmaman

1. engine desired port or starboard

2. direction desired ahead, back, stop

3. bell desired 1/3, 2/3, Standard, Full, Flank

4. exact speed/ revolutions desired (optional)

General rules

going ahead to back you need to first stop the engine before moving the engine to its ordered position

even when only one engine is changed the lee helmsman must report the status of both engines during the report

Stand by your lines

man the lines and make them ready

Over line X or Over all lines

Pass the line(s) to the pier, place the eye over the appropriate bollard, but take no strain

Slack the X line, or Slack line X

take tension off the line and let it hang loosely

Hold Line X or Hold the X line

Do not allow anymore line to go out, EVEN AT THE RISK OF PARTING

Check line X or Check the X line

Hold heavy tension on the line but let it slip as necessary to prevent it from parting

Cast of all lines

Line handlers on the pier will cast off the lines

Take in the line X or Take in all lines

Cast the line off the pier and bring it aboard the ship