Being the senior officer over the deck sailors, the boatswain is responsible for the fulfillment by subordinates of their assigned duties, organizes deck work and, together with the ship's officers, participates in planning upcoming work on deck, determining their timing and required resources.

 

In addition, the boatswain is in charge of working equipment for deck work, paint and varnish materials, rust removers, detergents, rags and other materials used by sailors in everyday work. He is financially responsible for the material assets placed at his disposal.

 

The main characteristic of a boatswain on a ship is that he has extensive practical experience. There should never be a situation in which the boatswain does not know what to do correctly. Being a senior officer over the ship's sailors, he must not only have knowledge, but also respect and authority among his subordinates, which will allow him to more effectively cope with the assigned tasks. This experience can only be gained through many years of work on ships, so in most cases the boatswain is a middle-aged or older man.

 

Taking into account the higher level of responsibility and complexity of the operations performed, the wages of the boatswain turn out to be significantly higher than that of sailors. In addition to increased salaries, shipping companies pay additional bonuses to representatives of this position. The final amount of remuneration differs depending on the specific company and type of vessel, but in any case, the final decision is made by the employer in accordance with the opinion of the seafarers’ union, the main specialized organization responsible for protecting the interests of the civil fleet’s sailors.

 

Initially, the boatswain was required to know the basics of navigation and the ability to determine the position of the vessel, but with the advent of modern technical means, GPS-based satellite navigation and computerized course planning programs, the prerogative of navigational work remained exclusively in the official responsibilities of the captain and his assistants.

 

- Planning daily work together with the officers, their distribution in accordance with the skill level of 1st and 2nd class sailors.

 

- Organizing, quality control and completion of all planned work on time.

 

- Organization of work to maintain the deck in proper condition (cleanliness, anti-corrosion, troubleshooting mechanisms).

 

- Maintaining operability and maintenance of the anchor device, performing routine repair work.

 

- Personal compliance and control over subordinates regarding compliance with fire safety requirements on deck.

 

- Organization of storage and distribution of household equipment, paint and varnish and other materials related to the management of the deck crew.

 

- Organization of direct mooring operations on board the vessel and its anchoring.

 

- Providing information to the chief mate about the current situation on deck.

 

- Organization of full communication between the captain and officers on the one hand and ordinary members of the deck crew on the other.

 

If we consider the general responsibilities that a boatswain vacancy entails, they can be divided into three groups:

 

- Supervision

Being the senior officer over the sailors on deck, the boatswain ensures control over the execution by his subordinates of the tasks assigned to them, both in terms of quality and completeness of execution, and compliance with the assigned deadlines.

 

- Support

Being the most experienced member of the deck crew from among the rank and file, the boatswain ensures the correct execution of work to maintain the deck in optimal condition, points out the most problematic areas that are most important for solving the problem, and helps to organize the work of his subordinates in the best possible way.

 

- Mooring works

The processes of mooring a vessel and anchoring it are the most important tasks that require safety and accurate execution of operations. At this moment, the boatswain is the main participant in the process, responsible for its organization.

 

It must be recognized that the boatswain is one of the most important positions on the ship. This specialist is the immediate supervisor of the sailors, has extensive personal experience working on deck and acts as a link between the officers and enlisted personnel in the crew. Accordingly, his salary level compared to sailors of both classes will be significantly higher, which is a serious incentive for experienced sailors to apply for this position.