Basic Seamanship Course

Lesson 1 • Personal Protective Equipment for Deck Work

Covers selection, fitting, and maintenance of PPE used in deck operations. Correct PPE use underpins every practical skill taught in the course.

Lesson 2 • Basic Maritime Communication

Teaches standard verbal commands, hand signals, and radio protocols used on deck. Clear communication prevents accidents during mooring and cargo operations.

Lesson 3 • Emergency Procedures and Man-Overboard Response

Covers immediate actions for common deck emergencies, with emphasis on man-overboard drills. Students gain confidence to act decisively before professional help arrives.

Lesson 1 • Rope Inspection and Maintenance

Teaches systematic inspection for wear, UV damage, and chemical degradation. Proper maintenance prevents catastrophic line failure during mooring and towing.

Lesson 2 • Whipping and Seizing Rope Ends

Covers common whipping and seizing methods to prevent rope ends from fraying. These finishing skills protect line integrity and are required before knot tying practice.

Lesson 3 • Coiling, Flaking, and Handling Lines

Develops correct techniques for managing line on deck without kinks or tangles. Efficient line handling is prerequisite to fast, safe mooring and anchoring operations.

Lesson 1 • Stopper and Loop Knots

Covers figure-eight, overhand, and bowline as foundational stopper and loop knots. These knots appear in mooring, rigging, and rescue scenarios throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Knot Anatomy and Tying Principles

Introduces the working end, standing part, bight, and loop as universal knot vocabulary. Mastery of these concepts accelerates learning of every subsequent knot.

Lesson 3 • Bends for Joining Lines

Teaches sheet bend, double sheet bend, and carrick bend for joining lines of equal or unequal diameter. Correct bend selection prevents slippage under dynamic mooring loads.

Lesson 4 • Hitches for Securing to Fittings

Develops cleat hitch, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, and rolling hitch skills. Hitches are the primary means of securing lines to cleats, bollards, and spars.

Lesson 1 • Splicing Tools and Preparation

Covers marlinspikes, fids, Swedish fids, and tape for splice preparation. Correct tool use and strand preparation determine splice quality and holding strength.

Lesson 2 • Braided Line Splicing Techniques

Introduces eye splice methods for double-braid and single-braid lines using hollow fids. Braided lines are standard on modern vessels, making this skill commercially essential.

Lesson 3 • Back Splice and Short Splice

Teaches back splice as a permanent rope-end finish and short splice for joining two lines. Both splices eliminate the need for knots where maximum strength is required.

Lesson 1 • Chafing Gear and Line Protection

Covers selection and application of chafing gear to protect lines at high-wear contact points. Adequate chafe protection is mandatory for extended alongside or anchorage stays.

Lesson 2 • Deck Fittings: Cleats, Bitts, and Bollards

Covers identification, load ratings, and correct line-securing methods for all common deck fittings. Improper use of fittings is a leading cause of mooring failures.

Lesson 3 • Fairleads, Chocks, and Rollers

Explains how fairleads and chocks guide lines to reduce chafe and maintain correct lead angles. Correct lead angle preserves line life and fitting integrity under load.

Lesson 4 • Mooring Line Nomenclature and Function

Defines breast lines, springs, headlines, and sternlines and their roles in holding a vessel. Understanding line function is prerequisite to planning and executing any mooring.

Lesson 1 • Unmooring and Slipping Procedures

Covers the safe sequence for letting go lines and slipping from a berth or anchorage. Controlled unmooring prevents line snap-back and vessel contact with the berth.

Lesson 2 • Heaving Lines and Messenger Lines

Teaches accurate heaving line throws and the use of messenger lines to pass heavy mooring lines ashore. This skill bridges the vessel and shore during every berthing evolution.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Mooring Planning and Briefing

Covers berth assessment, tidal and wind analysis, and crew task assignment before arrival. Thorough pre-mooring planning reduces errors and improves team coordination.

Lesson 4 • Securing Lines Alongside

Covers the sequence for making fast breast lines, springs, and headlines during alongside berthing. Correct sequence prevents vessel movement that endangers crew and infrastructure.

Lesson 1 • Crane and Derrick Deck Signals

Develops proficiency in standard hand signals used to direct crane and derrick operators. Accurate signalling is the primary safety control during all lifting operations on deck.

Lesson 2 • Securing Deck Cargo and Lashing

Covers lashing patterns, tensioning devices, and securing points for deck cargo. Inadequate cargo securing is a primary cause of cargo loss and vessel stability incidents.

Lesson 3 • Cargo Slings, Nets, and Strops

Teaches selection and rigging of wire and rope slings, cargo nets, and synthetic strops. Correct sling angle and load distribution prevent cargo drops and equipment damage.

Lesson 4 • Rigging Temporary Lifelines and Jackstays

Covers tensioning and securing temporary lifelines and jackstays for working over the side. Properly rigged lifelines are a regulatory requirement during overside work.

Lesson 1 • Operational Risk Assessment on Deck

Applies structured risk assessment to novel and high-risk deck tasks before execution. Students produce written risk assessments and identify critical control measures.

Lesson 2 • Mooring in Adverse Weather Conditions

Applies mooring techniques to high-wind, strong-current, and heavy-swell scenarios. Students develop contingency plans and adapt line arrangements to dynamic environmental forces.

Lesson 3 • Towing Operations: Deck Crew Role

Covers the deck crew's responsibilities during towing, including towline management and fairlead use. Safe towing requires precise coordination between bridge and deck teams.

Lesson 4 • Supervising and Mentoring Deck Crew

Develops skills for briefing, monitoring, and correcting junior crew during deck operations. Effective supervision multiplies safety outcomes across the entire deck team.