QM7 Quartermaster Boat Handling Instructors George Crowl Course

QM-7 Quartermaster Boat Handling Instructors: George Crowl

Course Outline a. Take charge of the craft used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for picking up a mooring buoy and properly mooring the vessel in several wind and current situations. b. Demonstrate and teach the principles of springing into and out from a dock, from both bow and stern, using an engine depending on the type of vessel used by your ship.

QM-7 a a. Take charge of the craft used by your ship and give all commands to the crew for picking up a mooring buoy and properly mooring the vessel in several wind and current situations.

Mooring Buoys Balls, cans, spars – white with blue band Often have identification of some kind Usually a fee, must be sized to your vessel Usually better than anchoring, but beware! Don't use private moorings without permission

Typical Mooring Layout Block or mushroom anchor Heavy chain to be lifted by movement Light chain to attach Buoy to float chain Pennant from ball bottom or top Line from vessel

Picking Up a Mooring Planning Preparation Practice

Planning Mooring position Wind and current Which two people on the bow? Hand signals or radios for speed, distance, direction to the mooring Is the anchor in the way? Near pass the check it out?

Preparation Don life jackets Boat hook at bow Gloves on (barnacles) Short line handy

Practice - Motoring Approach very slowly Approach from dead downwind / current Shift to neutral to come to a dead stop with bow over the mooring buoy Pick up the pennant with boat hook Attach line as required Most common mistake – approach too fast Danger – fouling prop and rudder in mooring

Practice - Sailing Gotta know your boat! Come on a slow broad reach downwind of mooring Release all sails, turn upwind into mooring, coast to a stop at mooring Requires good crew coordination

After Attaching Drift back and verify clear of all other vessels If mooring buoy is dragged under, lengthen the attaching line Check possible chafing To depart – release bridle OR Pull up to pennant and release

QM-7 b b. Demonstrate and teach the principles of springing into and out from a dock, from both bow and stern, using an engine depending on the type of vessel used by your ship. (*You can demonstrate while teaching!)

Spring Forward Out of Dock Lay a spring line from bow well aft Motor forward, rudder toward the dock Boat pivots Rudder amidships, motor reverse out of dock

Spring Aft Out of Dock Lay spring line from aft forward Protect stern quarter with fender Turn rudder to dock, reverse, bow goes out Center or right rudder, motor forward

Springing Into a Dock Space Approach parallel to boat behind the space Turn in 45° Dock crew take spring line to cleat well aft of bow (boat crew can do) Boat crew pay out thru forward cleat When positioned, turn rudder away from dock

Springing Aft into Dock Space Similar to forward Harder to control because of rudder ineffectiveness May need a bow line to shore to bring bow in

QM-7 c c. Teach Ordinary and Able boat handling requirements to a crew.

Ordinary 7 a/b/c You may use the Ordinary 7 lesson plan and PPT to give shore instructions Take the Scouts to a marina, walk the piers, show them the various kinds of boats and rigging, quiz them on the types and on the vessel parts.

Ordinary 7 d - Rowing The PPT can serve as an introduction, but it is all in the actual on-water practice.

Able 7 a – Motorboating Again, you can use the PPT to introduce the topic, but the meat of the topic must be done hands-on

Able 7 b – Docking Lines, etc. You should not have to do any specific teaching for this lesson if you have been teaching this topic each time you have sailed. Determine if the Scout knows what is needed, then if not, fill in any gaps and see if it is retained when next sailing.

Background Teach set of requirements separately If you taught these topics as an Ordinary, you may be able to count that. You don't have to be Able to pass any part or all of this requirement You don't have to do it over a short time, you can spread it out over months or years

Equipment Needed Lesson plans for ORD-7, ABL-7 (as desired) A marina is a good teaching aid A rowboat, oars, life jackets, etc. A power boat, motor, life jackets, etc.

Teaching EDGE Lacks two things – objectives, motivation You have to supply both Objectives – simply put – the requirements Motivation – why should a Sea Scout want to pass an advancement requirement? YOU have to provide the motivation – how it will be used, it may be fun to do,

Teaching EDGE (2) Four main steps Explain Demonstrate Guide Enable

Explain Need a rowboat to get from the dock to a mooring Rowboats are very stable, have large capacity Need to look over your shoulder, OR line up on a point behind you Oars are operated in pairs Stages are catch, pull, feather, recovery Maneuver by differential pull

Demonstrate Instructor shows how to row Straight rowing Break the stroke down, show catch, pull, feather, recovery Show keeping a straight line Turning Backwatering Explain what you are doing as you do everything

Guide Change seats the proper way Scout rows Coach the Scout Concentrate on one or two items at a time, more than that will just overload the Scout As one skill is mastered, move on to another one that is not yet up to standard

Enable Have the Scout row the crew out to the moored vessel If possible, have the Scout do another real task in the rowboat

When do You Pass the Scout? Policies vary between ships Author's opinion: if the Scout can meet the requirements, s/he has practiced enough to pass the test again. This is a psychomotor skill that will come back quickly if needed. Other skills, perhaps knot tying, should be demonstrated several times by the Scout before passing.

Questions?