I'll agree - I am a bit troubled by OMBO. However, the books are filled with screwups on
all sizes of boats, both pleasure and commercial, with full bridges as well as empty ones.
Having extra hands doesn't guarantee results - just consider the QEII grounding.

As for the FAA, I don't beleive a navigator is required any longer - I think the flight
crew on most jets is just the pilot and co-pilot.

And if the sailing endorsement is useless, so is your license. Or do you have visions of
using it to drive a water taxi?


Simple Simon wrote:
My little, 27-foot sailboat doesn't need a full crew to operate
safely while a giant ship DOES. Say, for instance, what if
the one man at the bridge suffers a stroke or heart attack?
How many hours will the ship operate on instruments alone
and how many collisions will result? How many deaths of
innocents aboard other ships - possibly a cruise ship with
thousands aboard? It WILL happen sooner or later.

There needs to be a legal minimum of three qualified men
on the bridge at all times. One lone man does not cut the
mustard. It's criminal that so-called professional captains allow
this abuse of safety. It's even worse that the Coast Guard
doesn't do something about it on American flagged
vessels, at least. Deaths caused by OMMO on American
flagged vessels will ultimately rest on the Coast Guard's
shoulders.

The FAA, at least, has it's act together. One pilot doesn't
get it on large commercial aircraft. Two and a navigator
are the minimum. It should be the same aboard large
ships.

That's the main difference. If Shen44 and otnmbrd were more
motivated by safety and less motivated by greed they would
strike and refuse, along with all sane captains, to operate a
huge motor vessel single-handed. But, noooooooooo, they
add to the dangerous situation rather than act to diffuse it.


As for your question about my getting a sailing endorsement . . .
A sailing endorsement is not needed at this time. I know
the answers to all the questions so I have the same knowledge
with or without the endorsement. I definitely have the experience
needed as well. Since I'm not taking passengers for hire aboard my
yacht at this time a sailing endorsement is rather like teats on a
boarhog.

So, quit trying to change the subject and stick to the topic for
once. You know in your heart I'm right about OMBO. I bet
even Shen agrees. But that otnmbrd - he hasn't a clue.

S.Simon - a Captain who is serious about sailing


"Jeff Morris" jeffmo@NoSpam-sv-lokiDOTcom wrote in message
...
Have you ever travelled with anything other than OMBO?

And if you take sailing so seriously, why did you never get the
sailing endorsement on your license?

Simple Simon wrote:
The trouble with one man bridge operation (OMB0) on large ships is
one man cannot possibly pay enough attention all the time he's on
watch.

Rather than making navigation safer these integrated bridge systems
(IBS) make it more dangerous. You can have an IBS costing in the
millions and still the weak link in the chain is the human factor.
OMBO exists for one reason and one reason only - to save the
shipping company money by cutting vital personnel.

As demonstrated here in this very group by people such as otnmbrd,
Shen44 and Jeff Morris the weak link can be weak indeed.

Increased safety, increased cost-saving and increased efficiency in
navigation are the major concerns for all vessels so Furuno sells
systems that make Furuno lots of money but actually make navigation
more dangerous because Furuno doesn't recognize the weak link in
the system - the Ocean Master.

S.Simon
(A Captain who takes sailing seriously)

references:
http://www.furuno.co.jp/english/mari...r/voyager.html