Civil Maritime Training & Bridge Operations Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers maritime careers, bridge operations, command protocols, and navigation rules of the road based on the CADET study guide.

MARAD

The Maritime Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, which promotes the US merchant marine, operates the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and maintains the Ready Reserve Fleet.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point)

The only federal maritime academy among the seven in the U.S., which requires an appointment for admission.

Strategic Sealift Officer (SSO)

A Navy Reserve officer who is also a licensed merchant mariner; they sail commercially but can be activated to crew Military Sealift Command ships during national emergencies.

Harbor Pilot

A licensed mariner with detailed local knowledge of a specific port's channels and currents who boards large ships to take the conn during arrival or departure.

Climbing the hawsepipe

The process of working one's way up from unlicensed crew to licensed officer without attending a maritime academy.

Ordinary Seaman (OS)

An entry-level position requiring no experience, responsible for maintenance and lookout duty.

Wiper

An entry-level engine department position responsible for cleaning machinery and assisting engineers.

Able Seaman (AB)

A deck rating held by a mariner who has passed additional USCG ratings exams.

RO/RO Ship

A Roll-On/Roll-Off ship equipped with ramps that allow vehicles to be driven directly onto the decks, which is critical for rapid military deployments.

Gumby Suit

The North Atlantic Immersion suit designed to extend survival time in cold water from minutes to hours by protecting against cold shock and hypothermia.

Con (Conning Officer)

The individual on the bridge responsible for safe navigation who controls all ship movement and issues all rudder and speed orders.

Helmsman

The person who physically operates the wheel and executes rudder orders issued by the Con.

Lee Helmsman

The person who operates the Engine Order Telegraph (EOT) to execute speed orders from the Con.

Five-Step Command Protocol

The mandatory communication sequence for helm orders: 1. ORDER, 2. ACKNOWLEDGE, 3. EXECUTE, 4. REPORT BACK, and 5. CONFIRM.

Rudder Amidships

A rudder command to set the angle to $0^{\circ}$ so the rudder is centered and the ship holds its current heading.

Standard Rudder

A rudder command typically involving an angle of $15^{\circ}$ in the commanded direction.

Full Rudder

A rudder command for an angle of $30-35^{\circ}$, which is the maximum practical angle for tight turns.

Hard Rudder

A command for maximum rudder deflection, used only for emergency avoidance.

Ease your rudder

A command to reduce the current rudder angle while keeping it in the same direction to slow the rate of turn.

Mind your helm

A professional reminder from the Con that the ship's heading is drifting off course and needs immediate correction.

Give-way vessel

The vessel that must maneuver to yield and avoid a collision with another vessel.

Stand-on vessel

The vessel that maintains its course and speed to remain predictable, though it must maneuver if a collision becomes unavoidable.

Not Under Command (NUC)

A vessel unable to maneuver due to exceptional circumstances like engine failure; it displays two vertical red lights at night or two vertical black balls by day.

Restricted in Ability to Maneuver (RAM)

A vessel limited in maneuverability by the nature of its work (e.g., dredging or cable laying), displaying a red-white-red vertical light sequence at night.

Constrained by Draft (CBD)

An international rules designation for a vessel so deep it cannot safely leave a channel; it is not officially recognized in U.S. Inland Rules.

Three short blasts

A sound signal indicating that a vessel is operating astern propulsion, or moving in reverse.

Five short blasts

The danger signal used when a mariner is uncertain of another vessel's intentions or doubts that they are taking sufficient action to avoid a collision.

Signal Flag Alpha (A)

A flag indicating divers in the water; other vessels must keep well clear at slow speed.

Signal Flag Foxtrot (F)

A flag indicating that flight operations are in progress.

Signal Flag Delta (D)

A flag indicating the vessel has difficulty maneuvering and requires extra room and caution from others.

Signal Flag Hotel (H)

A flag indicating that a pilot is on board or pilot operations are underway.