Just a little comment for all you 'Rodneys' out there thinking of transferring to the Mercantile Marine - Just remember that all this OOW stuff where you get help - Watch on deck, lookouts, coffee making, signalman, quartermaster, 2nd OOW, bridge messenger, duty fixer (of most anything) and a lot of ships these days the Engine room shuts down before dinner! so you get to watch the dials too - YOU get to do the whole damn lot except that you may get a lookout at night (he too is doing fire checks etc for the duration of his watch so I'd say you only have him for 80% of the watch). this may explain why the opposition to 'rodney' OOWs who can only take charge but don't actually do anything! Oh and yes as well as the above you actual have to navigate the ship during your watch including collision avoidance (the other watchkeeper on a small ship may actually be the Master (Captain) himself - he won't take to kindly to be woken up to alter a couple of degrees to avoid another ship). Actually the best ex RN to take over as OOW on a Merchant ship is an ex Killick or PO - they still know how to work! I know because I did!