Shiphandling is fun, exciting, and challenging. It is the heart of surface warfare and our naval culture. The sense of accomplishment gained from driving ships and smartly executing maneuvers is a positive motivator among junior officers. Because it is both art and science, the skills involved in shiphandling can be learned, refined, and rehearsed.
In recent years, the Navy has made significant improvements in shiphandling training. Maritime Safety International (MSI) training for prospective department heads, executive officers, and commanding officers is outstanding. (MSI simulators are available in Newport, Rhode Island, and Norfolk, Virginia, and San Diego, California.) Recent enhancements to shiphandling training include the bridge resource management training offered through MSI and interactive lessons on CD-ROMs from the Naval Safety Center. Throughout the fleet, the Navy is leveraging simulation technology aggressively to improve the quality and quantity of shiphandling training.
Although these developments are welcomed, nothing beats the real thing. The best training remains hands-on ship driving at sea—and the responsibility for it rests with commanding officers (COs) and their command teams, who must search constantly for better ways to train. In our "search for excellence" on board the Stethem (DDG-63), we decided to ask the junior officers (JOs) how we could improve shiphandling training and how they liked the training program being conducted already.
What They Would Improve
- Provide more time at the conn. The main complaint was, "just when we feel like we know how to drive, we must move on to some other qualification like engineering officer of the watch or combat information center watch officer." The JOs suggested we rotate the warfare-qualified officers back to conning officer duty as much as possible.
- Challenge them with more interesting watches. Nighttime steaming in the Southern California operating area or during transit to and from deployment can be extremely boring. Reviewing knowledge requirements while on watch is fine, but JOs want action. For example: conduct basic maneuvering training, allow the helmsman to take the conn, and use the laser range finder to shoot distances to objects in the water to enable bridge teams to validate turning diameters, stopping distances, and other shiphandling rules of thumb.
- Reduce micromanagement. The JOs wanted to conduct maneuvers by themselves and they wanted to be trusted. The trick was to develop trust and reduce the level of micromanagement without compromising safety and standards. We tried more thorough pre-evolution chalk talks, including one-on-one sessions with the CO and officers of the deck (OODs). We encouraged JOs to think out loud in advance of maneuvers to ensure we understood what they intended.
- Do more pier work. Getting under way, mooring, and anchoring are professionally rewarding evolutions of which JOs never tire. Unfortunately, tight schedules dictated by the training cycle do not afford much time to work on this skill set. We looked hard at the schedule to find more time for follow-on pilot and tug commitments that would allow multiple approaches. Requesting time at piers—such as Bravo in San Diego or Ford Island in Pearl Harbor—is great for JO and skipper confidence building. We tried simulated pier work at sea using a line of smoke floats (cardboard boxes). It was a useful substitute, but not nearly the same as the pier.
- Provide better references. There was no comprehensive reference list or library of shiphandling material—our seamanship library was in dire need of upgrading. In addition, the JOs recommended developing a shiphandling reference list that included electronic and paper copies of applicable articles.
- Offer more division tactics. The training cycle did not offer enough opportunities for multiship maneuvering. When we finally got together with other ships, we tried to maximize the opportunity for JO training and set up an elaborate rotation scheme—in our JOs' minds this merely minimized the time they had to be good at any task. And we mistakenly put too much emphasis on competitiveness with the other U.S. and (especially) foreign ships, which took the fun out of it for the JOs. The JOs suggested setting up the MSI simulator for division tactics and seizing every opportunity to maneuver with other ships at sea. A common remark was, "Don't worry about rotating us all through every station. We understand. We would rather do one thing and gain some proficiency at it than be rushed through a number of watch functions during an infrequent maneuver and only get confused." This was a point well taken.
What They Liked
- Man-overboard drills. Frequent conduct of these drills, during which JOs were allowed to experiment with maneuvering combinations, were well received. After using up our allowance of smoke floats, we substituted cardboard boxes (painted orange) and added chemical lights for nighttime maneuvering. The all-rank-and-rates contests during these drills were quite popular—for a while, the top conn was a third-class petty officer.
- Wardroom seminars and training. The senior watch officer instituted lunchtime shiphandling seminars where selected officers presented case studies. Some of the sessions covered historical cases of collisions or near collisions; others were basic chalk talks about getting the ship away from the pier under various conditions.
- Keys to victory. We developed a "keys to victory in shiphandling" gouge sheet that gave conning officers and OODs a training aid to use as they analyzed techniques and critiqued maneuvers. The keys included:
- Be the pivot point: Visualize how the ship is turning around the pivot point and adjust rudder and speed or engine combinations accordingly. A common mistake is to give away rudder control too soon. Always know and discuss with other watch standers where the pivot point is in various situations.
- Listen to the voice: In most situations, it is better to take action sooner rather than later: think ahead and be fore handed. Our instincts often sense a developing situation, but we hesitate to act. In shiphandling you must anticipate the action. Waiting until you see an effect of a given command is often too late.
- Head on a swivel: An old pilot training technique, but it is equally effective for shiphandling. Conning officers should be checking things constantly: rudder position, rate of turn, looking astern. Measure, check, and correct.
- Nothing stays the same: Uncontrollable and controllable forces are at work in shiphandling always, and they are ever changing. Each maneuver can be different because of wind, current, waves, water depth, watch standers, and the presence of other ships. When maneuvering, remember that every maneuver is a little different.
- Bearing drift is life: Take visual bearings early and often. Maneuvering-board solutions are necessary, but trust your eye, watch for bearing drift, and always have an alternate plan.
- Rules of thumb. The JOs recommended that more emphasis be put on application of these practical rules= They saw the most useful ones as the three-minute rule, the surge rule, the radian rule, and the tactical turning diameter. These rules have a wide range of practical application and can be used on just about every watch. Although the tactical turning diameter is not often considered to be a thumb rule, everyone on the bridge team must know and understand it. We found the best way to do this was to keep it simple. For example, in turning the Stethem, 15° rudder at 15 knots = 1,000 yards. This translates to a rule of thumb of 15-15-1,000. From this basic concept, the key is understanding how more or less rudder and more or less speed affect a turn.
- Briefing and debriefing. We made shiphandling a key part of all navigation briefs. Conning officers explained how they would execute maneuvers during one-on-one conversations with the skipper before navigation briefs. Every seamanship evolution involving shiphandling ended with a popular hot-wash debrief on the bridge wing or in the classroom (wardroom).
- MSI training. These sessions were highly regarded by the JOs. Most of them never had used this kind of trainer and they were thrilled to get the opportunity to experiment and learn.
Conclusions
Shiphandling defines the surface warfare culture. The exhilaration and sense of accomplishment to be gained from it are positive motivators for junior officers. A well-executed maneuver or a smart, efficient sea detail is a source of pride and professional accomplishment for the entire command. On board the Stethem, we recognized that we did not hold the market share on sharp shiphandling. There were many other great ideas and better shiphandlers throughout the fleet. By seeking the junior officers' input, however, we ended up with better training—and far more enthusiastic trainees.
Commander Faller commanded the USS Stethem in 2000-2001. He currently is assigned to the staff of the Naval Personnel Command.