Duties of Seamen in Ship's Deck Department

Officers, Bosn, Able Seamen and Ordinary Seamen run this department
The many and varied duties of the deck department are probably the most
important and interesting aboard a merchant ship. Upon those who spend
their working hours topside falls a burden that ranges from chipping and
scaling paint to the actual navigation of the vessel.
Merchant ships differ in size and complement, but the average ship that sails
the seven seas today, bringing war material to our armies and those of our
allies, generally conforms to a single pattern of manpower. The duties of those
men also run true to form, more or less, but as the saying goes among
seamen -- different ship, different long splice. All of which is translated as
meaning that different ships and masters have their own way of doing things.
Generally, however, they are similar.
Starting at the bottom is the Ordinary Seaman (OS) whose duties actually
are to assist the able seaman. In reality, however, he is the deck utility man
and may be called upon to do any one of many tasks.
The ordinary may be called upon to stand a lookout, to scale and chip paint, to
paint, handle lines in the mooring of the ship, and to assist in the actual tying
up and letting go of the vessel. The ordinary also assists in the handling and
operation of all deck gear such as topping, cradling and housing of booms and
he may also be asked to aid the carpenter in repair work.
It is likely that the ordinary may be allowed to act as helmsman, to read the
draft markings or to act as cargo watch in the loading and discharging of
cargo.
Calling the watch (the awakening of men, including officers, who are slated to
go on watch, or to so remind them if they are awake) is another of the
important duties of the ordinary. He also assists in emergency drills (lifeboat,
abandon ship and fire) and keeps the passageways and heads in shipshape
condition on the 4 to 8 watch. He may also work aloft or over the side.
The Able Seaman (AB), by law, must be able to perform any deck duties
aside from the actual navigation of the vessel. In general his duties include the
ability to splice wire or fibre line, to work aloft and over the side of the ship, to
operate the deck machinery such as the windlass or winches, to paint and mix
paint, to know the principles of cargo stowage, to be a good wheelsman and

competent lookout, to overhaul and install any running or standing rigging on

the ship, and to be able to sew, repair and mend canvas.
The AB must be a competent and certified lifeboatman, able to handle a
lifeboat under oars or sail. He must know lifeboat equipment and be able to
assume the duties of the coxn or man in charge of the lifeboat. It will also be
the duty of the AB to maintain the bridge in a clean and shipshape condition.
Next on the way up the deck department ladder is the Bosn (Boatswain),
senior unlicensed man on the ship. He is the direct contact between the crew
and the chief mate and he may be likened to a foreman in any industrial plant.
The Bosn must be an experienced seaman and is held responsible for
anything and everything in the maintenance, care and protection of deck
equipment and deck cargo. He also supervises the securing of the ship for
sea and the loading and discharging of cargo. In addition, the Bosn assists
the chief mate in ordering the deck stores.
The duties of the ship's Carpenter (Chips) are numerous. He is likely to be
called upon to perform work which, in many cases, is beyond that which the
term carpenter implies ashore. In short, he is both a seaman and a mechanic.
In addition to doing temporary or permanent wood construction aboard ship
with hand tools, he is responsible for the operation of the anchor windlass,
seeing that hatch wedges are driven properly, that the deck cargo is properly
lashed and that the hatch battens are in place and secure.
The carpenter also repairs blocks, keeps the lifeboat davits in good order,
builds temporary or permanent partitions, shores or braces weakened or
damaged bulkheads, rigs a collision mat, builds a soft patch in the event of
bulging or collision, replaces broken rivets and he will assume command of an
emergency crew to repair damage in event of a collision.
A Quartermaster is not a fixture on all vessels. On the larger ships, he is
primarily a wheelsman and maintains the bridge and its equipment in
shipshape order. He is conversant with signaling procedure, stands a
gangway watch in port (responsible for the safety and security of the ship as
well as escorting persons aboard who have business) and he is able to
perform the duties of an able seaman (splicing line, reaving a halyard, etc.).
Day men, those who work with the Bosn, are usually picked for outstanding
ability. They work from 0800 to 1700 and stand no night watches. Their duties

are the maintenance of the ship, which includes operating the anchor
windlass, winches and other deck machinery.

Perched upon the

"ready box," the Bo's'n,
who directs the daily
activities of seamen in
the deck department
performs one of his
duties aboard ship -that of sewing and
mending the canvas.

Splicing rope and wire

are among the specific
duties of the able
seaman aboard a vessel.
Here a seaman performs
one of his specialties
splicing rope -- in the
well-stocked Bosns
locker.

Painting is definitely on
the list of duties which
fell to the lot of the
ordinary seaman
aboard ship. Two
ordinaries are painting
the fiddley, the
housing built around
the smokestack.

The Third Mate is the junior deck officer and normally stands the 8 to 12
watch. He is responsible for all life-saving equipment. In addition, the third
mate keeps the ships log, follows the captains orders, and assists in the
navigation of the vessel. In port, he will assist or supervise in the loading and
discharging of cargo. His place is on the bridge with the captain while docking.
The Second Mate, usually the navigation officer, plots courses and takes
celestial and terrestrial fixes. In peacetime he is the communications officer
but the Naval officer in charge of the armed guard crew is rapidly assuming
those duties because many of the messages now received are in secret code.
The second mate also handles the after deck when tying up. He stands the 12
to 4 watch.
The First or Chief Mate is responsible for the maintenance of the ship and
proper stowage of cargo. He handles the fore deck in tying up, is a good

navigator, a thorough seaman, possesses the necessary qualities of

leadership and will assume command of the vessel in the event of the
masters death or inability to command the ship. He stands the 4 to 8 watch.

Second Mate, the

navigation officer,
takes a bearing on an
object with the Pelorus.
He is also the
communications officer
but the Naval officer in
charge of the gun crew
assumes that duty
now.

Officer on watch may be

the first, second or third
mate. His station is up
on the bridge and he
commands the ship in
the captains absence.
Here he sounds the
ships whistle during a
fog.

Radio Operator sends

very few messages in
wartime unless an
emergency arises.
Mostly he monitors the
radio direction finder
and stands a watch.

Which brings us to the Captain who is lord and master of all he surveys.
Actually his title is Master. He is in charge of everything and everyone
aboard ship. He must be as closely acquainted with the stewards department
and the engine department as he is with the bridge and he must know the
reason for every job performed aboard his vessel.
It should be remembered that the Master is the agent of the company which
owns the ship and is not a member of the crew. He represents the company in
every operation of the ship under his command. His is the full responsibility of
the ship. Although he stands no watches he will always be found, in the event
of foul weather or fog, on the weather side of the bridge until the danger is
over, even though such foul weather lasts for 24, 48 or even 72 hours at a
stretch.

In any emergency the captain will be up on the bridge conning his ship,
despite the fact that he may have sunk exhausted on his bunk after a long
vigil just three hours ago.
The captain also may act in the Shipping Commissioners capacity in signing
off a crew after a coastwise trip. It is required of a master, as well as all his
mates, that he have a first aid certificate and be capable of administering, if
necessary, to the medical needs of the crew.
Any one of the deck officers from the Third Mate up will be in charge of any
one of the lifeboats in abandoning ship.
When a ship is at sea, the watches are usually four hours on and eight hours
off, but the crew may be broken out at any time in the event of an emergency.
While in port, watches are usually broken. The crew works from 0800 to 1700
with an hour for chow. The ordinary or able seamen agree among themselves,
as a general rule, as to which will stand the gangway watch at night.
It is important to remember that although every man in the deck department
has specific duties, he must be absolutely familiar with the duties of the men
who rank above him.

Source:
MAST, June 1944

Duties of Seamen in Ship's Engine Department

Duties of Seamen in Stewards Department
Typical Liberty Ship Crew
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