Good Seamanship

I was asked a question recently, “What exactly is seamanship?”. I thought I knew the answer but found it harder than I expected to put it into words.

The Oxford Companion to Ships & the Sea defines it like this:

“Seamanship, in its widest sense, is the whole art of taking a ship from one place to another at Sea. It is an amalgam of all the arts of designing a ship and her motive power, whether sail, steam, or other means, of working her when at sea, and in harbour, and the science of navigation by which the way is found from her point of departure to her point of arrival. It thus embraces every aspect of a ship’s life in port and her progress at sea.”

Ok, so it encompasses everything to do with being in a command of a vessel at sea or in port. The discussion I had with my friend developed into what constitutes good seamanship. These are my thoughts but any additions or modifications are welcome.

Good seamanship embodies the skills and knowledge required to manage your boat in all the situations you may find yourself. This covers many disciplines and most us of cannot hope to learn everything. It’s a never ending quest.

It’s about preparation, planning and experience so that you operate in a way that’s safe for you, your crew and others on the water.

It means applying knowledge in an intelligent way. It’s not just knowing but also doing. And it’s not just doing, but when and how you do it.

What does it mean to you?