🔍 Key Concepts
• Navigation Rules – Rule 5 (Look-out): a proper look-out by sight, hearing, and all available means
• The look-out’s primary duty is collision avoidance and must not be distracted
• Tasks that divert eyes, ears, or attention away from observing and listening are generally not allowed
💭 Think About
• For each choice, ask: Would doing this interrupt continuous watching and listening for other vessels, sounds, and dangers?
• Does the task require you to look away, bend down, focus on tools, or make noise, instead of scanning the horizon?
• On a real bridge or bow lookout, what does the officer expect you to be doing 100% of the time in poor visibility or traffic?
✅ Before You Answer
• Verify that a proper look-out must give full, undivided attention to watching and listening for hazards (Navigation Rules, Rule 5).
• Check whether any of the listed tasks would take your eyes off the horizon or your mind off the traffic situation, even briefly.
• Confirm that the only acceptable “other duty” during lookout is one that does not interfere at all with continuous observation and hearing.