1. the
QM of the
watch is a
member of the duty
watch. The duty
watch has a 24 hour
officer on the deck. The
QM must know who is his
Officer of the Deck and must call him for any
emergency. The
QM of the
watch alongside a
dock is responsible for the mooring
lines which tighten and loosen with the
tide's
rise and
fall. At
anchor the
QM is responsible for the
security of the
anchor and must take bearings to make sure the
anchor is not dragging and that as tidal currents
change, the
ship does not
swing into other ships anchored near. The
QM is also responsible for the proper
signals at
anchor, a black
ball by
day and
anchor light at night and for the raising and lowering of proper flags at 8:00 a.m. or sunset, and
flying crews meal pennant and
Captains,
Commodore's and
native or
courtesy flag. These flags are also flown alongside the
dock. The
QM at the gangway guards the
ship. He keeps the
log, entering everything. He has
charge of the safe mooring of the
ship and must adjust mooring
lines whenever necessary.
(FO 304) 2. keeps the
quartermaster's notebook,
notes all changes of
course, speed,
wind,
sea, etc., in it and all occurrences in the
ship and signs it at the
watch end. He tends to getting the
wheel and
lookout relieved. When something is to be done within the
ship he takes the two stand-bys and does it. He handles the men for the
OOW, routes out the next
watch,
signals any call to
emergency stations for the
crew, etc. (
FO 80) .
3. (
Condition III)
hat purpose: handles
crew and
ship's
company while
watch is in progress.
(FO RS 32) 4. the
QM is also the
Org Officer for the
watch and works directly with the cons in
training up their watches and correcting
goofing watch members.
(FSO 546) Abbr. QM.