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Mastering the art of Seamanship: The power of Situational Awareness at sea

Richard Van der Veen

 

For most sailors, “being safe” is, and should be, their primary objective. Many invest in safety equipment and practice drills like man overboard recoveries, but accidents like running aground or collisions often result from insufficient situational awareness.

 

Situational Awareness (SA) can be defined as “the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their future status.” In simpler terms: LOOK – THINK – ACT. This is what sailors often refer to as seamanship.

 

Not surprisingly, the concept of SA originates in the military. Sun Tzu’s ancient text The Art of War was one of the first references to it, but SA became widely applicable thanks to aviation training and the work of Endsley, who developed his SA model in 2005. This model now applies across many fields, including sailing, where it is key to safe and successful voyages.

 

Endsley’s model breaks down Situational Awareness into three levels:

 

1. Observation: Extracting Information from the Environment

 

The first step is to perceive the elements around you. As a skipper, you need to be aware of:

 

            •          Your position and heading: Know your position, course over ground (COG), and speed over ground (SOG).

            •          The environment: Be aware of nearby hazards, other vessels, weather conditions, and tidal changes.

            •          The vessel: Monitor mechanical and electronic systems, fuel levels, food and water supplies, bilges for water ingress, and the condition of the vessel. Also, ensure proper sail selection and trim.

            •          The crew: Are safety protocols being followed? Monitor the crew’s fitness and well-being, as well as your own as the skipper.

 

2. Comprehension: Understanding the Current Situation

 

Once you’ve gathered the necessary information, you need to make sense of it. This involves synthesizing various elements to create a clear understanding of the situation. For example, a fuel gauge reading only has meaning if you understand how much fuel you’ll need. An approaching vessel becomes relevant when you assess the potential for collision.

 

You can use the following to help achieve comprehension:

 

            •          Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standing orders

            •          Passage planning

            •          Training and experience

            •          Common sense

            •          Your frame of reference

 

Several factors can weaken your comprehension and lead to dangerous situations, including:

 

            •          Lack of training or experience, leading to incomplete observations or wrong interpretations

            •          Selective attention focused on set goals, ignoring other vital information

            •          Information overload

            •          Preconceptions or expectations

            •          Stress and high workload

            •          Physical and mental fatigue

            •          Poor planning

 

3. Projection: Anticipating Future Events

 

The final step is to project the future status of your surroundings—anticipating what will happen next so you can make informed decisions. Based on your observations and understanding, you’ll need to determine one of the following courses of action:

a. Everything is okay.

b. Everything is okay for now, but action may be required soon.

c. Action is needed immediately.

 

The ability to make the right call can be hindered by the same factors that affect comprehension. Proper training, experience, and careful observation are critical to ensure that you make sound decisions at sea.

 

In short, maintaining strong situational awareness is at the heart of seamanship. It’s not just about being reactive; it’s about being proactive—understanding your environment, staying alert, and making decisions that keep everyone safe.

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