Comprehensive Guide to Ship Fundamentals, Watchstations, and Navigation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards detailing watchstations, bridge equipment, CIC sensors, engineering roles, and internal communication systems based on NS101-3 notes.

Officer of the Deck (OOD)

The watchstander in-charge of the Bridge who reports directly to the Commanding Officer for safe navigation and general operation, to the Executive Officer for carrying out the ship's routine, and to the Navigator on sighting navigational landmarks.

Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD)

An OOD under instruction who serves as the principal assistant to the OOD, becoming familiar with OOD duties and performing tasks as directed.

Conning Officer (Conn)

The watchstander responsible for the safe navigation of the ship who issues rudder and engine commands to the Helmsman and Lee Helmsman to maneuver the ship.

Quartermaster of the Watch (QMOW)

The watchstander who maintains the navigational picture for the OOD and acts as the Navigator's representative when the Navigator is not on the Bridge.

Boatswain's Mate of the Watch (BMOW)

The enlisted assistant to the OOD for carrying out the ship's routine (Plan of the Day), passing word throughout the ship, and overseeing the watch routine, instruction, behavior, and appearance of enlisted watchstanders.

Helmsman

The watchstander who executes the rudder orders issued by the Conning Officer.

Lee Helmsman

The watchstander who executes the engine orders issued by the Conning Officer.

Lookouts

Watchstanders who assist the OOD in maintaining 360 degrees of situational awareness while underway.

Azimuth Circle

Bridge equipment used to measure bearing (direction) to objects, normally located in the pilot house on the centerline pelorus.

Telescopic Alidade

Bridge equipment located on the bridge wings that measures bearing to objects using a magnifying telescopic lens for a clearer image.

Barometer

Bridge equipment that measures atmospheric pressure, where higher pressure corresponds to good weather and low pressure corresponds to adverse weather.

Voyage Management System (VMS)

An electronic chart system primarily used by the OOD and QMOW to ensure the ship is in safe water and to plan routes and geographic boundaries.

RADAR (Distance Measurement)

Equipment that determines distance by transmitting a radio wave into the air and calculating range based on the time interval required for the echo to return.

Stadimeter

An instrument using two logarithmic scales to determine distance to objects of known height, which is very accurate under 2000 yards but less accurate at longer ranges.

Laser Rangefinder

A device that measures short distances using a laser pulse traveling at 186,000 miles/second, useful for calculating distance between two ships alongside during UNREP.

Sextant

An instrument used to ascertain distance from an object of known height through trigonometric calculations or conversion tables.

Fathometer

Equipment that uses SONAR to measure the depth of water from the keel of the ship to the ocean floor to ensure operation in safe water.

Tactical Action Officer (TAO)

The senior watchstander in the CIC and direct representative of the Commanding Officer for employing weapons systems, directing CIC team actions, and taking charge of tactical employment and defense.

Combat Information Center Watch Officer (CICWO)

The watchstander who supervises CIC personnel, ensures functional setup of combat systems and communication circuits, and provides recommendations to the OOD for station keeping and navigation.

RADAR Navigation Team

A team in CIC reporting to the CICWO that uses RADAR and VMS consoles to act as a back-up plot to the QMOW or Piloting Team for contact management and course maintenance.

Surface Warfare Coordinator (SUWC)

A combat coordinator who oversees the surface tactical picture and the employment of surface weapons.

Anti-Air Warfare Coordinator (AAWC)

A combat coordinator who oversees the air tactical picture and the employment of surface-to-air weapons.

Anti-Submarine Warfare Coordinator (ASWC)

A combat coordinator who oversees the subsurface tactical picture and the employment of subsurface weapons.

SPY Radar

An air and missile defense radar used by the AAWC team to detect, identify, and possibly engage aircraft.

SPQ-9B Radar

A sensor that scans out to the horizon and performs simultaneous and automatic air and surface target detection.

Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW)

The watchstander in-charge of engineering plant operations underway, reporting directly to the Chief Engineer for safe system operation and to the OOD for plant status and casualties.

Propulsion and Auxiliaries Control Console Operator (PACC)

An engineering watchstander reporting to the EOOW who remotely controls the propulsion plant and all major engineering equipment.

Electrical Plant Control Console Operator (EPCC)

An engineering watchstander reporting to the EOOW who oversees the ship's electrical plant, electrical load, and freshwater usage.

Equipment Monitors

Roving engineering watchstanders who monitor equipment, fuels, and oils, report directly to the EOOW, and serve as the first line of defense for Damage Control.

Repair Lockers

Spaces located throughout the ship containing vital damage control equipment, staffed by a locker officer to plot casualties on DC Plots and communicate with responding teams.

Aft Steering

The local operating space containing the machinery that actively moves the rudders, allowing steering control to be taken locally during a bridge steering casualty.

NET 15

The common internal speaking and listening circuit maintained between the Bridge, CIC, and CCS to communicate pertinent information.

1MC

The primary and most closely controlled internal communication circuit on the ship, owned by the bridge and used to pass official business and pertinent information to the crew.

Latitude (Parallels)

Angular distance measured North or South of the Equator from $0^\text{o}$ to $90^\text{o}$.

Longitude (Meridians)

Angular distance measured East or West of the Prime Meridian, always expressed in a 3-digit format.

Variation

The angular difference between True North and Magnetic North at any given location on the Earth's surface.

Deviation

The magnetic compass error induced by local magnetic fields on the ship.

Gyro Compass

A navigation compass that aligns to True North ($^\text{o}\text{T}$) independent of geographic location, but requires electricity to operate.

Uncontrollable Forces

Shiphandling forces that cannot be controlled by the shiphandler, including wind, sea state, current, and shallow water effect/squat.

Controllable Forces

Shiphandling forces that can be directly controlled by the shiphandler, consisting of lines, anchors, tugs, engines (propellers), and rudders.

Side Force

A force generated by propeller rotation that causes the stern of the ship to move sideways in the direction of the rotation.

Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP)

A propeller mechanism that rotates its blades to reverse pitch for astern propulsion without reversing shaft rotation direction.

Pivot Point

The point on a vessel around which it rotates during a turn, which shifts position as the ship moves ahead, moves astern, or remains dead in the water.

Twist

A turn executed while maintaining position by operating engines in opposite directions in conjunction with full rudder.

Heading (HDG)

The direction in which the ship's bow is pointed at any given moment.

Course Over Ground (COG)

The actual direction and path of travel of the ship relative to the Earth's surface after accounting for environmental forces.

Speed Over Ground (SOG)

The actual speed of the ship relative to the Earth's surface, calculated via GPS or Doppler Speed Log.

Speed Through Water (STW)

The speed of the ship relative to the surrounding water, measured using devices such as the pit sword or impeller log.

Officer of the Deck (OOD)

The watchstander in charge of the Bridge, reporting directly to the Commanding Officer for safe navigation and general operation of the ship.

Conning Officer (Conn)

The watchstander responsible for safe navigation who issues directly ordered rudder and engine commands to the Helmsman and Lee Helmsman.

Quartermaster of the Watch (QMOW)

The watchstander who maintains the navigational picture on the Bridge and acts as the Navigator's representative when the Navigator is absent.

Tactical Action Officer (TAO)

The senior CIC watchstander and direct representative of the Commanding Officer for the defense of the ship and tactical employment of weapons systems.

Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW)

The watchstander in charge of the engineering plant underway, reporting to the Chief Engineer for safe operations and the OOD for plant status.

Azimuth Circle

A navigational instrument mounted on the centerline pelorus in the pilothouse used to measure bearings to objects.

Stadimeter

An optical rangefinding instrument that uses logarithmic scales to determine distance to objects of known height, accurate under $2000\text{ yards}$.

Fathometer

A depth-measuring instrument that uses SONAR to measure the distance from the ship's keel to the ocean floor.

Aft Steering

The local operating space containing steering machinery that actively moves the rudders, serving as a emergency control space during steering casualties.

1MC

The primary general internal communications circuit on the ship used to announce official business to the entire crew.

Keel

The principal longitudinal structural backbone of a ship, running along the bottom from bow to stern.

Freeboard

The vertical distance measured in feet from the waterline to the main deck.

Draft

The vertical distance measured in feet from the waterline down to the keel, indicating the depth of water needed for the ship to float.

Trim

The longitudinal displacement or balance relationship between the forward and aft draft of the ship.

List

The transverse balance or inclination of the ship leaning to port or starboard.

Masthead Light

A white navigation light on the centerline showing an unbroken arc of $225^\text{o}$ from dead ahead to $22.5^\text{o}$ abaft the beam on both sides.

Port Sidelight

A red navigation light displaying across an unbroken arc of $112.5^\text{o}$ from dead ahead to $22.5^\text{o}$ abaft the beam on the port side.

Starboard Sidelight

A green navigation light displaying across an unbroken arc of $112.5^\text{o}$ from dead ahead to $22.5^\text{o}$ abaft the beam on the starboard side.

Bullseye

An alphanumeric compartment label mounted at shipboard entrances detailing deck level, frame range, centerline position, and compartment purpose.

Line

Fiber or wire rope that has been cut, sized, spliced, or assigned a specific function aboard a ship, measured by its circumference.

Tattletale

A small piece of natural line spliced into a synthetic mooring line to indicate the degree of tension and working load placed on the line.

Hawser

A heavy line measuring greater than $5\text{ inches}$ in circumference used primarily for towing or mooring operations.

Bitts

Pairs of heavy vertical cylinders mounted on deck used to secure mooring lines led through chocks.

Accommodation Ladder

A rigid, inclined ladder rigged over the side of a ship to allow personnel to board when the ship is moored or anchored.

EPIRB

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon; a device that transmits a continuous emergency signal to assist search and rescue teams in locating personnel or a vessel.