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Reeds Marine Deck 3: Deck Officers’ Guide to Bridge Procedures

  • Textbook
Reeds Marine Deck 3: Deck Officers’ Guide to Bridge Procedures cover

Reeds Marine Deck 3: Deck Officers’ Guide to Bridge Procedures

  • Textbook
Quantity
Available on Sep 10 2026
$46.80

Available for purchase via Bloomsbury etextbooks on publication date

This title is available for exam copy requests

Description

The essential guide to safe and effective bridge procedures for yacht officers and deck students.

Well-defined bridge procedures and strong teamwork are the foundation of safe navigation at sea, helping prevent errors and ensuring clear communication during critical operations. This comprehensive manual is a vital resource for Officer of the Watch, Chief Mate, and Master candidates, offering expert guidance on modern navigational practices, bridge resource management and passage planning. It clearly outlines the correct protocols for maintaining a safe navigational watch in line with STCW-95 standards, regardless of a yacht's flag state. With detailed explanations of bridge organisation, equipment operation, and role-specific responsibilities, it supports both training and onboard practice. The book also aligns with the syllabi of major training bodies including the RYA, MCA, and International Yachtmaster Training.

Fully revised to reflect technological advancements and evolving training standards, this edition includes practical tools such as flowcharts, checklists, and photographs to help prevent common navigational errors. It offers tailored safety advice for each bridge role and is compliant with ISM procedures and the MCA's Large Yacht Code.

Whether you're a student or a seasoned professional, this manual is an indispensable reference for maintaining safety and efficiency on the bridge of any large yacht.

Table of Contents

The new material will include:

1. The duties and responsibilities of the OOW
-Not looking to repeat the ICS Bridge Procedures Guide but to clarify to an OOW why their job isn't always about saying yes to guests
-Helping provide guidance and clarification on what their principal duties are and how to balance those against demands from owners
-Help to those wishing to become an OOW from within the industry or who are completely new to it.
-Painting the picture in reality of what the job entails
-Pre and post joining aspects to consider.
-Contracts, working hours (regulated)
-Vessel familiarisation
-Equipment familiarisation

2. Why the navigation outfit must be maintained
-Overview of the regulations
-Products in use including official and unofficial charts.
-How to do updates (specifics included within the annexes from electronic chart display) manufacturers on their weekly procedures and most common errors
-Dos and Don'ts
-Aspects to be monitored by the Captain and auditors
-Tricks of the trade

3. Electronic charts
-Official charts
-Risk assessments
-Data gathering / surveys and how to contribute to this (Crowdsource Bathymetry (CSB))
-Reality and understanding not just the difference between both chart types but how to work with and incorporate both into safe navigation.
-Education to OOWs, management and auditors

4. Preparing for audits
-From the OOW yacht perspective including common pick-ups
-Equipment familiarity on the bridge and around the yacht associated with the bridge (steering and propulsion)
-From the auditor perspective
-Guidance to management companies on expectations and audits

5. Passage planning
-Taking the theory and what's cover in the publications and putting it into reality
-Taking the reality and refining it to learn the safest way to navigate
-CATZOCs
-XTD
-Sanitised areas versus a navtrack
-Clarity of the safety contour and safety depth
-Using the tools of the trade (charts, electronic licences, equipment familiarity) to your advantage
-Navigating on either paper or ECDIS including generic and type familiarisation
-A checklist of points to consider and why, including an explanation of what goes wrong if you don't
-Polar and remote area operations – considerations to take into account
- Aspects for the Captain to consider when reviewing the passage plan
-Passage planning from the management company perspective

6. Maintaining the bridge watch
-How to work with your team
-How to work alone (when appropriate)
-Dos and Don'ts when on watch (any why)
-Getting the most out of the equipment
-Rules of the Road and the common pick-ups (from tests)
-Handing over the watch (NOCWISS)
-Fixing methods and what happens if you don't follow up appropriately

7. Emergencies
-Preparing for them and the initial reactions by the OOW
- Man overboard
- Collision and grounding
- Search and Rescue
- Helicopter operations
- Casualty Extraction
- Guest operations
- Fire / Flood
-Information to be captured. Building your case for mitigation and working with accident investigators

8. The deck officer career path
-Responsibilities and aspects relevant to the OOW, Chief Officer and Captain
-Crew welfare or points specific to the bridge
-Drafting your first Standing Orders – taking ownership
- Working with the owner / guests, hints, tips and guidance
-Authority and delegation to the OOW
-Mentoring and strength in depth
-ISM and SPS – working with management for documentary coverage
-Confidentiality agreements and learning from mistakes
-CHIRP – accident reporting for lessons learnt

Product details

Published Sep 10 2026
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 2nd
Extent 240
ISBN 9781399421195
Imprint Reeds
Illustrations Colour diagrams and illustrations throughout
Series Reeds Marine Deck
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Michael Howorth

Michael Howorth is a seasoned author and sailor. H…

Author

Frances Howorth

Frances Howorth is a seasoned author and sailor. S…

Author

Stephen Monk

Stephen Monk had a 22-year career in the Royal Nav…

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