DWO Log Keeping 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Bell Book (Movement Book) is primarily used to record:
- Crew disciplinary actions
- All engine telegraph orders and responses during maneuvering (Correct answer)
- Weather observations at sea
- Cargo loading operations
Correct answer: All engine telegraph orders and responses during maneuvering
The Bell Book records every engine telegraph order and the engine room's response, providing a complete maneuvering history.
Question 2: When a vessel is in pilotage waters, who is ultimately responsible for ensuring the deck log is properly maintained?
- The pilot
- The harbor master
- The master (Correct answer)
- The officer of the watch
Correct answer: The master
Regardless of the presence of a pilot, the master retains ultimate responsibility for the vessel and all official records, including the deck log.
Question 3: What information must be entered in the log when visibility drops below the threshold requiring restricted-visibility procedures?
- Only the time fog signals began
- Time, visibility estimate, speed reduction, and fog signal type in use (Correct answer)
- Visibility estimate and master notification only
- Speed and heading changes only
Correct answer: Time, visibility estimate, speed reduction, and fog signal type in use
Restricted-visibility entries must capture the time, estimated visibility, speed adjustment, and type of fog signals being sounded to document COLREGS compliance.
Question 4: A 'smooth log' differs from a 'rough log' in that:
- The smooth log is kept in pencil and the rough log in ink
- The smooth log is the official document while the rough log is a working draft (Correct answer)
- The smooth log is kept by the pilot and the rough log by the officer of the watch
- The smooth log omits weather data
Correct answer: The smooth log is the official document while the rough log is a working draft
The rough log is a working draft used during the watch, while the smooth log is the official, permanent record transcribed from it.
Question 5: If a crew member is injured during a watch, the log entry should include:
- Name, nature of injury, time, and location of incident (Correct answer)
- Name only to protect privacy
- Time and a reference to the accident report number only
- Nature of injury and medical treatment given
Correct answer: Name, nature of injury, time, and location of incident
Injury log entries must include the crew member's name, a description of the injury, the time, and the exact location aboard the vessel where the injury occurred.
Question 6: Why is it critical that the deck log record the exact time of a grounding event?
- To calculate overtime pay for the crew
- To establish the state of the tide at the time of grounding for investigation purposes (Correct answer)
- To determine watch rotation responsibility
- To comply with cargo manifest requirements
Correct answer: To establish the state of the tide at the time of grounding for investigation purposes
Tidal state at the time of grounding is essential for salvage planning and determining how the vessel came to be grounded, making exact time critical.
Question 7: What is the purpose of recording gyro compass error in the deck log at regular intervals?
- To satisfy insurance underwriters only
- To track equipment wear and schedule maintenance
- To provide a correction factor for all recorded courses and bearings, verifying navigation accuracy (Correct answer)
- To comply with port state customs requirements
Correct answer: To provide a correction factor for all recorded courses and bearings, verifying navigation accuracy
Regularly recorded gyro error provides the correction needed to validate the accuracy of all logged courses and bearings, which is fundamental to navigation record integrity.
DWO Log Keeping 3
The Bell Book (Movement Book) is primarily used to record: