Taking over and handing over the lookout
1The lesson in plain words
Stay at your post until your relief, the person replacing you, has taken over. Hand over targets, reports made and special orders.
Be ready on time
Arrive early, awake, sober and dressed for the weather. At night, allow about 20–30 minutes for your eyes to adjust before taking over. If you are not fit for watch, tell the OOW.
What you hand over
The outgoing lookout tells the relief about every target in sight with its bearing, which ones were reported and acknowledged, anything not yet identified, the visibility, and any special orders from the OOW, such as ‘report every fishing vessel’. Point the targets out; do not just list them. Hand over the binoculars and radio and check they work.
When not to hand over
Do not hand over in the middle of a report, or while a target is close and the OOW is acting on it. Finish the report first, or stay until the situation is clear.
Report the change
The relief reports to the OOW, for example: ‘Lookout relieved, Able Seaman Ruiz on lookout.’ Only then does the outgoing lookout leave. If your relief does not arrive, stay at your post and tell the OOW: never leave the lookout empty.
2Step by step
Handing over the lookout
- 1
Relief arrives early, with eyes already adjusted to the dark.
Night vision takes 20–30 minutes; a relief who cannot see yet is no lookout.
- 2
Point out each target with its bearing.
Showing is clearer than telling: the relief finds every target before you go.
- 3
Say what was reported and what is still unidentified.
The relief knows which reports the OOW already has and what to watch.
- 4
Pass on the OOW’s special orders and the visibility.
Orders bind the new lookout too; visibility tells how far to trust the view.
- 5
Hand over the binoculars and radio, and check them.
Equipment must work before it is needed.
- 6
Relief reports to the OOW; then the outgoing lookout leaves.
The OOW must always know who is keeping the lookout.
3Key points
- 1
Arrive early, fit, and with night vision ready; tell the OOW if you are not fit.
- 2
Hand over every target in sight, what was reported, and any special orders.
- 3
Do not hand over during a report or while the OOW is acting on a close target.
- 4
Report the change to the OOW; never leave the lookout post empty.
4Frequent mistakes
Wrong: The relief can adjust to the dark once out on the bridge wing.
Right: Adjust first in the darkened wheelhouse. Until the relief can see, the outgoing lookout stays on.
Wrong: At the end of the watch I can leave, even if my relief is late.
Right: Stay at your post and tell the OOW. Never leave the lookout empty.
Wrong: A handover can be just ‘nothing to report’.
Right: Point out every target in sight with its bearing, including those already reported.
5Practice case & exam keys
0400, night. Your relief arrives straight from the brightly lit mess room. A fishing vessel you reported is closing about two points on the starboard bow, and the OOW is watching it. What do you do?
Show the answer
Do not hand over yet. Ask your relief to let their eyes adjust in the darkened wheelhouse, and keep the lookout yourself while the OOW deals with the fishing vessel. Then point out every target with its bearing, say which were reported, pass on any special orders, and leave only after the relief has reported to the OOW.
Exam keys
- The relief arrives early with night vision adjusted; the outgoing lookout stays until relieved.
- Hand over targets in sight (pointed out), reports made, special orders, visibility and equipment.
- No handover during a report or while the OOW is acting on a close situation.
Finish this unit
When you've read it, match the terms, then answer three questions. Get them all right to finish the unit; opening the page alone doesn't count.
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