Visual, Manual and Cognitive

When distractions are present in the Wheelhouse, incidents can happen.

We reported last issue on the finding of the NTSB on the fatal "Duck Boat" incident where a barge ran over an tourist vessel anchored on the Delaware River in 2010.  Two passengers were killed. The investigation revealed that the mate was inattentive to his duties while navigating the vessel because he was distracted by his repeated use of a cell phone and lap top computer.

Let's look at a hypothetical example of one of our wheelhouses and put some numbers to the realities of distractions.

Your two barge tow is loaded, 9'6" draft, southbound on the Lower Mississippi River. The current, at the present mile board, is running strong at four mph.  The throttles are open and you have an over the water speed of seven mph.

Over the ground, your tow is now making eleven mph.   

In the background you hear a soft ding, indicating a text message has just been delivered to your cell phone. 

"What about crew change?"

You pick up the phone and type back "Crew Change tomorrow in Baton Rouge".  Press send and you are done.

So what just happened?

Reading and then typing an answer to the incoming text may have taken you taken you 37 seconds.

During those short 37 seconds:

• The tow traveled 596 feet; just short of two football fields.
• Since the tow is strung out, the bow rake of the lead barge is now more than a half mile from your position in the pilot house when you picked up that phone; 596 feet plus the 600 feet of tow.
• You have just moved about 7,000 tons of cargo (fourteen million pounds!) with very little observation of your surroundings.

There are three main types of distraction taking place in this example:

• Visual - taking your eyes from the route and on to texting.
• Manual - taking your hands away from the sticks and other operating controls.  Though this is normal, it is still part of the distraction.
• Cognitive - taking your mind off what you're doing and the task at hand.  

But wait, you say; "What about all the other distractions in the wheelhouse?  What about the chart plotter, the log book and the engine gauges?"

Wheelhouse tools, if used properly are part of your "Awareness Mix" and play an important role in situational awareness.

What adds to you immediate situational awareness is positive and helpful to your safe piloting.  What does not add to your situational awareness is a distraction.

Can we ever be distraction free during our time in the wheelhouse?  My answer to that is, probably not.  Today's towboat world is much different than the one just a few years ago.  Our lives are full of gadgets and communication devices that are all trying to get our attention.

The challenge today is to keep distractions to a minimum and to manage the distractions that are inevitable.  How are you managing those distractions?

100%! 

Mr. George Thomas accepts a letter of recognition for completion of the USCG Towing Vessel Bridging Program from Captain James Whitehead, COTP, Houston.

One More Check

Is your Shaft Sump Pump Overboard Line Check Valve ready?

Mechanical shaft seals are great.  There is never a drip and the cofferdam segregating your bilge from the stern tube, always stays dry unless there is a problem.  The sump pump installed to pump out this area during normal operations never gets used. 

That is far different from the cofferdams around traditional stern tubes, packed with braided Teflon shaft packing and held in place with a packing ring.  These cofferdams have a constant flow of water into them from the stern tube which is immediately pumped overboard with the sump pump.

Similarities?  Yes.  Both have sump pumps.  Here is the problem though; one sump pump runs all the time, the other one never runs unless there is a problem.

A pump that is not used on a regular basis is most likely to fail when you need it most.  Corrosion and scale build up can easily cause these pumps to seize up.  When you need them the most, they may not work.

Most boats avoid this problem by using a water hose and filling up the cofferdam area until the sump pump starts up.  Pump start-up confirms that the pump is ready to go and will help keep corrosion from building up on the inside of the pump.  It is a

Swing Check Valve

good idea to make this test once a week.

Chris Weber from the M/V COVE POINT offered this advice while we were discussing sump pumps at a recent Tankerman's meeting.

Chris suggested inspecting the check valve located in the discharge line of the sump pump.   While testing the sump pump as described above, the crew found that the pump was turning, but not pumping overboard.  In this case, the in-line swing check valve in the overboard discharge line was stuck shut.

A swing check valve is check valve in which the disc, swings on a hinge either onto the seat to block reverse flow or off the seat to allow forward flow.  In a seawater application, the hinge can accumulate corrosion and stick in the closed position.  The pressure from the sump pump may not be enough to break it free.

You may be able to un-stick the check valve by lightly tapping it with a ball peen hammer.  If the light tapping does not work, you may have to dis-assemble the valve.  To disassemble:

• Secure the sump pump.  Use all appropriate safety procedures including lockout/tag-out. 
• Secure the overboard valve called the sea cock closest to the hull.  This will isolate the check valve from the overboard outlet. 
• With a small pipe wrench, open the access cover on the top of the check valve.
• Once open, you can inspect the swing valve disc and free it from the stuck position usually with a small screw driver.
• Reinstall the cap. Test the sump pump for proper flow.

The shaft ally sump pump may be out of sight and not used often on a boat with mechanical shaft seals, but always must be ready to pump when needed.  Regular checks are the only way to ensure this happens.

What's wrong with this picture? It shows the discharge line from the sump pump with a check valve at the hull penetration. (answer in the "Dates to Remember section)

CBT Primer

The computer based training has become a very useful asset to this company.  Our crew members are able to get much of their training while onboard the vessel.  We have tried to make the website easy to use but there are still a few key things to remember when completing your courses.

For our seasoned CBT users you know to receive credit for the course you have completed, you need to open your certificate once completed.  When your certificate is opened your name, the course, and score are recorded.  Your records are then moved to your personnel file by the training department.

The CBT issue where some crew members were having problems retrieving their certificate has been identified.  The problem was that multiple users could log in and the course/certificate would interfere with another users course/certificate.  The solution was:

• Only one user can be logged in per computer.  If you attempt to log in more than one user, you will be presented with an error message.
• If you are inactive for more than 30 seconds the system will log you out and you will have to log in again.
• Users need to log out when finished!  If you do not log out, it may interfere with the next person that attempts a course on that computer.

To log out simply go to the top right corner and click on "(Logout)".

CBT Landmark

Today we have 322 afloat personnel at Higman Barge Lines.  If everyone completed all first and second quarter courses we would have a total of 2576 courses completed year to date.  We actually have over 3000 certificates.  That means several of your have gone above and beyond the required quarterly courses. 

On July 7th, Joe Fabacher completed the Staphylococcus course brining in a total of 3000 certificates for this year.  The lucky winner will receive a gift certificate to Walmart.

Thank you for all your hard work!

Nav Zone: VTS Operation

Stern Shots 

Capt. Bobby Smith getting the M/V POTOMAC ready for a SIRE inspection.

Steersman Miquel Allen getting the M/V POTOMAC in "ship shape" condition.

Nautical Trivia

The First Mid-Streamer

Though we take mid-stream fuel and grocery delivery for granted today, it actually had its' start 172 years ago.  Fountain City, WI (mi 728 Upper Mississippi River) was the site of the first known midstreamer at Holm's Landing in 1839.  In that period, paddlewheel steam boats would tie to the bank and purchase cord wood for fuel.

Mr. Holms had a wood yard located on the Upper Mississippi River where the town of Fountain City is now.  Because there was no other reason to stop at his landing except to take on cord wood, his volume of sales to paddlewheel steamboats was poor.  He reasoned that if they didn't have to stop, he could get more sales. 

His solution was to build a wooden barge that was large enough to load 15 cords of wood on it.  When the paddlewheel steamboats got to his landing, all they had to do was catch a line to the cord wood barge and keep steaming up the river while the cord wood was loaded on board.  After the barge was empty, it was released and it drifted back  down the river to Holm's Landing.  It was then reloaded and waited for the next customer. 

From  "Upper Mississippi River History", by Capt. Ron Larson, 1994