Reacting to Unexpected Breakdowns

Crews need to be able to use knowledge and initiative when solving problems.

In a perfect world, a towboat would operate day in and day out without a major problem and with minimal mechanical glitches. The generator engines would always start, the bilges would be dry and you could rely on the sewage system to always smell sweet.

Of course we all know that problems do happen. But with frequent rounds made by a diligent crew coupled with scheduled maintenance program, problems should stay at a minimum.  There are some system breakdowns are considered routine that generally can be resolved quickly by the crew.  Parts are maintained in the Critical Spares box and a well-trained crew knows what to do.

But what about non-routine problems?  Is your crew ready to react to problems that are out of the ordinary and are not typically seen?

Let's look at some mechanical and system breakdowns that may not be expected.

The Steering System

We can safely say that all of our towboats while running down the ICWW have the steering system set up on Full Follow Up (FFU) mode.  The rudders, both steering and flanking, follow the positioning of the steering stick as it is moved either port or starboard.  The "follow-up" is attained by a feedback unit located near the rudder quadrants. This allows the rudders to line up with the wheelhouse stick position.  The feedback unit also sends a signal to the rudder angle indicator in the pilothouse.

If the feedback unit fails, the rudders stop and the rudder angle indicator will freeze at the last position.

In this case the wheelman needs to switch the Non-Follow Up (NFU) mode.  Once switched to NFU, the wheelman uses a joy stick to directly rotate the rudders port or starboard for as long as the joystick is held in the left or right position. On releasing the joystick the rudder remains stationary, holding position until the NFU joystick is again operated.

This maneuver requires practice and should be tried on a regular basis. 

In a real steering feedback failure, there most likely will be no rudder angle indicator for the wheelman to determine the rudder position.  During practice, the wheelman should have his deck crew positioned on the steering flat to observe and report by hand held radio the angular position of the rudders.  A standard reporting language should be agreed upon by the wheelman and his crew for example, "Steering rudders, zero degrees" or "Steering rudders, 45 degrees to port".

Towboat Deck Winches

A system onboard that is so reliable that we routinely forget how to respond to a failure is the Nabrico DF-156 Hydra-Electric boat winch.  Are you ready to respond it the hydraulics motor should fail and the winch has to be operated manually?

All boats are equipped with a manual winch wheel located in the forward hold.  When was the last time the crew retrieved the manual winch wheel and practiced attaching it to the stub shaft?  Is the key located with the wheel?  Is the key and the key way clean and rust free so it can easily be slid together?

Some boats have an angle iron frame for the winch cover that is welded in a position that blocks the installation of the emergency wheel.  Could you crew use a hack saw or a grinder to remove the cover frame so the emergency wheel could be installed?  It is a good idea to check out now instead of when you really need it.

Air Compressors

Two air compressors are ready to go around the clock, right?  They provide critical air pressure to operate the throttle, engage the clutches and even sound the horn. 

What would happen if one compressor blew a drain line in the air reservoir?  It did happen to one boat a few years ago and the crew was not able to react to isolate the leaking unit.  The air pressure dropped to a critical pressure and the throttles and clutch actuation was lost.

An easy fix in this situation is to isolate the damaged unit from the system. Make sure all crew members know how to secure the outlet valve feeding the air system.

To take this a step further, all crew members should know how to isolate different parts of the air system in case there is a pipeline leak.   What happens if a carelessly thrown line catches the air supply valve on the tow knee and the valve is ripped off? 

There should be a valve to secure the compressed air line branch that goes to the deck in the engine room.  Does everyone know where that valve is?

Sump Pumps

Mechanical shaft seals never leak unless there is a problem, right?

In the good old days with shaft packing making the seal, a steady leak of water to the cofferdam was a way of life.  The tireless sump pump plugged into a 120V AC outlet sent that water back overboard from the cofferdam.

The sump pumps in place on boats with the mechanical seals theoretically never have to operate unless there is a leak.  Crews should test this pump at least once a week. A pump that is never run will not operate when you need it.  

Give it a good test with a garden hose about once a week.

Other System

There are many other mechanical and system breakdowns that may require immediate attention that can be covered.  What systems can you find that the crew should be aware of and ready to take action if needed?

It's important to know the difference between flu and cold symptoms.  When you wake up sneezing, coughing, and have that achy, feverish, "can't bear to move a muscle" feeling, how do you know if you have a cold or the flu?  Since a cold is a milder respiratory illness than the flu, cold symptoms can make you feel bad for a few days, while flu symptoms can make you feel horribly ill up to several weeks. The flu can result in serious health problems such as pneumonia or other complications that may require hospitalization.

Remember that cold and flu viruses enter your body through mucous membranes of the nose, eyes and mouth. Each time you touch your hand to these areas you could be infecting yourself.  It is extremely important to wash hands frequently to help prevent both the flu and colds.

Cold symptoms usually begin with a sore throat for a day or two with nasal congestion, runny nose, and a cough. Fever is uncommon, but a slight fever is possible especially in children.  The nose has watery secretions which later become thicker and darker.

The common cold usually lasts about a week. During the first three days you are contagious so stay away from others as much as possible and get as much rest as you can.  If cold symptoms do not improve you could have a bacterial infection and may need antibiotics.  Sometimes you may mistake cold symptoms for allergies such as "hay fever "or a sinus infection. If symptoms begin quickly and improve after a week then it is usually a cold, not an allergy. If symptoms do not get better after a week check with your doctor to see if you have an allergy or developed a sinus infection.  

   

Most flu symptoms gradually improve over 2-5 days, but it's not uncommon to feel run down a week or more. A common complication is pneumonia, particularly in the young, elderly, or those with lung or heart problems. If you notice shortness of breath, get medical attention right away. Another common sign of pneumonia is fever that returns after having been gone a day or two.

When do I call the doctor with cold or flu symptoms?

* Painful swallowing: Severe pain could mean strep  throat, which requires treatment    by a doctor.

* Persistent coughing: When  a cough  doesn't go  away after  2-3 weeks it could be      bronchitis, which may need an antibiotic.

* Persistent congestion and headaches:  When  colds and  allergies cause congestion    and  blockage of  sinus  passages that  can lead to a sinus infection. If you have        pain around the eyes and face with thick nasal discharge after a week, you may          have a bacterial infection and may need an antibiotic.  (Often, however, sinus            infections do not need an antibiotic.)

In some cases, you may need emergency medical attention. 

In adults, signs of a crisis include:

* Severe chest pain

* Severe headache

* Shortness of breath

* Dizziness

* Confusion

* Persistent vomiting 

Can I prevent flu or cold symptoms?

The most important prevention measure is frequent hand-washing to kill germs, rubbing hands with warm soapy water at least 20 seconds.  In addition to hand washing you can get a flu vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza. Seasonal flu activity in the United States generally

peaks late December to early March. Within two weeks of getting a vaccine antibodies develop and provide protection. Antiviral medicine may also help prevent flu if you have been exposed to someone with flu symptoms. You will need to check with your doctor to see if this may be the right treatment for you.

To ensure that your vessel receives a good training score please ensure all crew members have completed their annual CBT courses. The missing training report emailed to your vessel indicates any certificates that have not been sent to the office. For a list of certificates that have been reported go to the CBT website under "My Certificates". Ensure that your certificates match the list below.

2nd Quarter

• Introduction to SMS

• SMS Policy Changes Part I

• SMS Policy Changes Part II

• Higman Marine Vapor Control

• Slips, Trips and Falls 2014 

3rd Quarter

• Higman Bilge & Ballast

• Higman Health, Hygiene & Sanitation

• Marine Sanitation Device

• SMS Policy Changes Part III

4th Quarter

• First Aid & CPR Awareness

• Hydrogen Sulfide

• SMS Policy Changes Part IV 

• Vessel Security & VSO Refresher

New Hires are required to complete the CBT's for the quarter in which they hired through the end of the year. For example: Joe started on July 20th (third quarter). Therefore Joe is required to completed third and fourth quarter CBT's.

The CBT Website requires a constant internet connection. There are times when a signal may drop for a split second and interrupt the course. When this happens the course may freeze, or it may continue but not record your score. Please email Kelly if you have any unresolved issues with this.  

Reading the article by Tankerman Bob Harvey from the M/V Point Comfort in the last Higman Training Newsletter has kept me thinking throughout week.  Bob's article described his experience during a Man Overboard situation while working for another company.    

The story is very compelling to the point where I read it over several times. 

Bob gives the first hand details on happened when responding to a fellow crewmember who fell overboard.

As Bob described, it was important in the darkness of the night for the man in the water to keep calling out to him.  Bob was able to keep him in view while alerting the rest of the crew.  In his thoughts, he remembered the drills; "Notify the wheelhouse, keep your eye on him and alert the crew".

Bob followed James as he floated down the tow.  He was able to talk the captain into position. A ring buoy was thrown and James was rescued.

This is a great learning tool for all of us.  If you have not read the article, do it.  If you read it once, I suggest reading it again.

Here's a big "atta boy" for Bob!  He never left his post and he got the job done!

CAPTAIN SCOTT BRYARS

M/V SPINDLETOP

This Cajun dish is so associated with good times that Hank Williams made a song about it. The original is not so good for you though. This version is easier to prepare and much healthier. White rice has been replaced with brown rice. (I know, I know, brown rice?) But, it works. And, there is much less fat used to cook the meat and vegetables.

 Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 medium yellow onion, diced

5 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

11/2 cup low fat, low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 cup long grain rice

1/2 ring of Andouille sausage cut into thin slices

1 chicken breast cut into small pieces

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, sliced in half crosswise

1 14.5 can diced fire roasted tomatoes with their juices, such as Hunts

I bunch green onion chopped

Directions:

1. Heat a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. When the pot is hot, spray it with cooking spray and add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove vegetables and brown sausage and chicken, remove. Then, add the chicken broth, smoked paprika, vegetables and rice. Season to taste with salt. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 25 minutes.

2. Stir in the sausage, chicken, and tomatoes. Cover and continue to simmer until the rice is tender.

3. Season the shrimp with salt, and stir into the rice mixture. Cover and continue to cook until shrimp is tender. If the mixture starts to dry add a little water. Make sure all the liquid is absorbed.

4. Remove the pot from the heat, and let the Jambalaya rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped green onions and your hot sauce of choice.

                 Before:                    After:

Fat:            34 g                        10.0 g

Calories       636                        340

Carbohydrates: 29 g, Cholesterol: 128 mg, Sodium: 843 mg

© 2014 HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc.