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COFR - Certificate of Financial Responsibility
COFR (or CFR in some references) stands for Certificate of Financial Responsibility. This certificate, issued by the USCG, guarantees that a minimum level of liability insurance  is carried on the vessel issued to. This rule applies to all vessels over 300grt and any tank barges. During a Declaration of Inspection, barge inspections and other paperwork reviews, the COFR normally is checked by the vessel crew, dock inspectors and the USCG. Rule changes in September 2008 have dropped the requirement to have the original COFR onboard. The USCG no longer issues the paper certificates but has a web address where the certificates can be looked up.
The website allows you, the inspector or the dockman to view the COFR online. Online information includes the barge name, COFR number, effective and expiration dates, plus the barge official number.
- push the "COFR Search" button
- enter the barge name such as "HTCO 3068". Don't forget to add a space between the letters and numbers.
- push "Submit Query"
If you have any questions on how the new online COFR's work contact John Costello or Jay Frye. |
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CBT Certificates
Congratulations on getting your training done on the Computer Based Training! We have issued more than 1,600 certificates to crew members since February of this year. Just a reminder for those of you that have not logged in for awhile:
- Go to: http://www.smmr01.com/higm/
- On the right side under login enter your Higman Employee ID Number under "Username"
- The "Password" is also your Higman Employee ID Number
- Click on the Course in which you have not completed
- Complete all topics by clicking on the topic and taking the quiz, watching the video, etc.
- Remember you must "view" your certificate when you are finished for credit for the course.
As a bonus we will be giving away a $100 gift certificate to Walmart for the person who is issued the 2,000th Certificate. Good Luck!
Editor's note: Contact Kelly if you would like a wallet card with log-in details. |
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Radar Tips
Heading Line Adjustment on a FURUNO 1954/1964 Radar
Adjusting the Heading line on a FURUNO 1954/1964 radar is not something that needs to be done all the time. If the Heading Line is off by a few degrees though, it is not only annoying, but  can effect the precision of you piloting. There is not much information in the FURUNO Users or Installation Manuals on setting the Heading Line. Below is a detailed instruction on how to make this adjustment to your radar:
Turn off the radar that requires the adjustment. Turn it back on as if you were doing a radar optimization, putting the unit into "Installation Mode" as follows:
- Hold down the "MENU" button and quickly push the "PWR TX" button.
- Continue holding "MENU" down until the opening boat picture come up on screen. Release "MENU" button
- "SELECT MODE" screen will come up. Select "INST. MODE" and press enter.
- Processor will boot up in Installation Mode.
- Press"DISP". Select "Radar". Allow radar to warm up and go to "STBY" mode.
- Press "PWR TX"...Press soft key "D" to transmit
- Press "MENU"...select "E SYSTEM CONFIGURATION"
- Select "D INSTALLATION SETUP"
- Select "B RADAR SETUP"
- Select "D NEXT PAGE"
There you will see "Heading Adjust - OFF" on the top line.
- Press "A EDIT" Select "ON"
- Rotate Enter knob to PORT or STBD to get the proper heading adjustment.
- Press "A: SET"
- Press "E: RETURN" to complete the process.
Turn the radar off to register the new setting.
The radar may now be turned back on for normal operations. |
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RULES of the ROAD
Rule 6 is entitled Safe Speed and says "Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions."
Since speed is relative to the type of vessel and the details of the operation, how does speed effect our decisions as Wheelmen on a Towboat?
Here are this weeks questions, looking at speed as part of the decision making process.....
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND.... A vessel must proceed at a safe speed __________.
a. in restricted visibility
b. in congested waters
c. during darkness
d. at all times
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....You are the watch officer on a power-driven vessel and notice a large sailing vessel approaching from astern. You should __________.
a. slow down
b. sound one short blast and change course to starboard
c. sound two short blasts and change course to port
d. hold your course and speed
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....When shall the stand-on vessel change course and speed?
a. The stand-on vessel may change course and speed at any time as it has the right-of-way
b. After the give-way vessel sounds one blast in a crossing situation
c. When action by the give-way vessel alone cannot prevent collision
d. When the two vessels become less than half a mile apart
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....Which factor is listed in the Rules as one which must be taken into account when determining safe speed?
a. The construction of the vessel
b. The maneuverability of the vessel
c. The experience of vessel personnel
d. All of the above must be taken into account.
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Online Training Questions
BASIC TANK BARGE SYSTEMS
Set Number 1
Tank Barge Structural Members and Deck Fittings
As with our Towboat series, the goal of this group of questions is to look at Tank Barge Basics. Though most of this  information may be old hat for most of you, there are those new to the industry that may not be as knowledgeable.
Set # 1 looks at barge Structural Members and Deck Fittings.
Question 1....A transverse bulkhead would be found following the center line of the barge...TRUE/FALSE
Answer....FALSE
82% got this question right.....LONGITUDINALS follow the centerline!
Question 2....The longitudinal strength of a barge keeps it from
Answer....hogging or sagging during normal loading conditions.
92% got this question right.
Question 3....Double skins are required on all tank barges under 5000 grt by the year
Answer....2015
92% got this question right.
Question 4....In a barge with 6 sets of tanks, if the tankerman only loaded tanks 2 and 3, port and stbd, what condition would the barge be in?
Answer....Sagging
71% got this question right....Loading centerline tanks only would cause a serious SAG...thus tanks are loaded uniformly or from one end to the other.
Question 5....The head log is is designed to take the full thrust load of the tow...TRUE/FALSE
Answer....TRUE
91% got this question right
Question 6....Damage to the port side of the barge, next to the 1st set of wing tanks and which extends onto the main deck would be described as
Answer....damage to the port side gunwale, in way of #1 port wing tank.
82% got this question right...answers were all over the board, but most got it right!
Question 7...The Trunk of the barge is part of the
Answer....cargo tank
90% got this question right....it should have been 100%
Set Number 2
Tank Barge cargo System Components -Valves, Piping, Flanges and hatches
Question 1....Most P/V valves require no manual operation. The pressure and vacuum settings are stamped on the side or top of the valve....TRUE/FALSE
Answer....TRUE
98% got this question right.
Question 2 ....A __________stem gate valve allows the operator to easily see the percentage of opening of the valve.
Answer....rising
100% got this question right.
Question 3....Most check valves are found on the discharge side of a cargo pump to
Answer.... prevent return flow of the cargo into the pump.
100% got this question right.
Question 4....A globe type valve is normally used in a stripping system to allow
Answer....throttling of the liquid to control the strip.
98% got this question right.
Question 5....The Cargo Manifold or Header allows hose hookup to either side of the barge. The piping size on most inland barges is
Answer....10 inches
The answers from the fleet were mainly 10" and 8". I think this question was not a good one! I will give the fleet a 100% on this one!
Question 6....A bolt in every hole is always required in flange hook-ups...TRUE/FALSE
Answer....TRUE
100% got this one right.
Question 7....The Ullage Hatch cross sectional area is used when calculating
Answer....the size of the venting area needed.
89% got this question right.
Question 8....The Butterworth Hatch is primarily used by a shipyard crew for
Answer...tank access to operate Butterworth Machine during tank cleaning.
100% got this question right.
GREAT JOB!! |
| Stern Shots
Captain Mike Maneely took this picture of the M/V PIMLICO tow, west bound, at the Brazos River West Gate.(7/27/09)
Pilot Leaton "Rip" Van Winkle helps to put the skiff back into its rack on the M/V BOLIVAR POINT.
Tankerman Drew Ezernack and Tankerman Apollo Edwards weren't quick enough to escape the camera!...M/V BOLIVAR POINT
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Nautical Trivia
The Steamboat Arabia was a side wheel steamer build in Pennsylvania in 1853. The vessel was used to transport passengers and cargo on the westward movement from St. Louis to North Dakota. She was capable of carrying 222 tons at a speed of 5 MPH; a trip lasting approximately 3 months.
During this time more than 400 steamboat were lost on the Missouri River. Like 300 other steamboats, the Arabia was lost by a "snag" in the Spring of 1856. The vessel sank within a matter of minutes leaving only the top cabins above water. Miraculously all crew and passengers were ferried to safety by the ships one lifeboat. By the next morning the ship had sank into the soft mud and all that was visible was the stacks.
There the boat lay for 132 years. Salvage crews used old river maps and metal detectors to finally find the Arabia. It was found under a farm located over ½ mile from the river and 45 feet beneath the ground. The excavation required tremendous work. Twenty, 65 foot deep wells were drilled around the hull to pump out the water; as much as 20,000 gallons per minute. It took crew two weeks using backhoes and bulldozers before the first remnants were found. The 200 ton of cargo and parts of the boat are now located at the " Arabia Steamboat Museum" in Kansas City, MO. For more info visit http://www.1856.com |
Dates to Remember JUL/AUG 2009
Tankerman Class AUG 17 - AUG 20
Higman Pilot to RC
Leadership Class OCT 12 -OCT 14
answers to this weeks RULES OF ROAD...D, D, C, B |
When I was about 14 years old, I entered a sweepstakes to win a snowmobile. To those of you that do not know what that is, think four wheeler with skis and a track, minus the wheels. Snowmobiles were great distractions for us Yankees that endured three feet of snow on the ground, four months a year.
A two foot overnight snowfall in my town might close school for the morning, but don't bet on it. As you can imagine, a snowmobile was something every kid wanted.
Well, I was one of the winners. Much to my disappointment though, it turned out to be a replica model of a popular machine, and not the real thing. Easy come, easy go.
In comparison, Higman crews in my mind are winners every day. As our article on Computer Based Training discussed, we are getting close to 2,000 training certificates earned since the start in February of this year. An idea that started as a small trial has taken off in ways hard to imagine.
Within the next couple of months, we will complete installation of training computers onboard all our vessels. Many of our folks are using their own laptops and home computers to complete courses in the interim. There are many ways we can use this tool and our imaginations may be the only limit.
Is it strange to get excited about training? Maybe, but I am having fun working with this great new tool!
Have a great and safe week!
Sincerely, |
GORDIE KEENAN
HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc. | |
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