The Center for Maritime and Professional

Training’s

40 Hour Advanced Ship Handling in Manned

Models

Our Program is…

• The only U.S. Coast Guard Approved Advanced Ship

Handling in Manned Models Program.

As Seen in Professional Mariner…

SCOPE of the Manned Model Program

The purpose of this course is to engage participants in the principles and practices

associated with maneuvering and handling ships in various conditions. Training will take

place in scale manned model ships at a site designed to simulate waterways, channels,

anchorages and piers. The practical, on-the-water exercises, will be complemented by

exercise specific briefings, lectures and critiques in which classic shiphandling theories and

techniques will be reviewed and discussed. Material covered will include principles of

similarity or “similitude” (specific to the manned-models), shiphandling theory, and all of

the elements detailed within the STCW 1995 Code pertaining to “Maneuver and handle a

ship in all conditions”. Exercises include understanding the effects of wind and current,

stopping and turning, deep and shallow water navigation, docking/undocking, ship

interactions, anchoring and various maneuvering techniques. Throughout the course,

participants will be monitored and evaluated on their performance and achievement of

the learning objectives. At the end of the course, a certificate will be issued to successful

candidates to establish or renew their qualifications.

Preparing to enter the Anchorage.

ADVANCED SHIPHANDLING TECHNIQUES

Vessel interaction

Movement of the pivot point

Advance and transfer

“Pumping” rudder to

shorten turns

Crabbing: momentum

Bow thruster work

Slow speed maneuvering

Shallow water maneuvering

Wind effect

Stopping and turning

Docking and undocking

Use of anchor in channels

Use of anchor in docking

Specialized anchoring

Emergency maneuvering

COURSE OBJECTIVE

The Center for Maritime and Professional Training expects a senior deck

officer will have gained confidence in the art of shiphandling upon the

completion of this course and may feel more capable of attempting

maneuvers traditionally reserved for Pilots and Docking Pilots. A licensed

First Class Pilot completing this course will have had the opportunity to

attempt difficult maneuvers and satisfy professional curiosity about

maneuvers otherwise possessing too much risk to attempt in actual

ships. Overall, officers and pilots will have the opportunity to enhance

their skills, exchange ideas and experiences with one other and attempt

maneuvers they have yet to perform on actual ships.

Morning mist in the South East Channel

ENTRY STANDARDS

Although this course is designed primarily for

First Class Pilots and senior level Deck Officers,

Apprentice Pilots and Deck Officers seeking to

upgrade their credentials would benefit from

this course. Generally, class composition will

typically consist of participants with similar

background and skill level.

Daybreak at Great Herring Pond

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course begins at 0800 hours with an introduction and detailed overview of the course

on main campus of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The total course will be forty

hours; the principal facilitator will announce starting and ending times, but students can

expect days to begin at 0700 and end around 1600. The vast majority of the course will be

conducted off campus at the Keith Hartford Sailing Center on Great Herring Pond. Cold

weather gear, beverages, lunches and snack will be provided by the Center for Maritime

and Professional Training. Students will conduct shiphandling exercises in electrically

powered, scaled down, manned ship models. The maneuvers expected of the students

include basic ship handling fundamentals, steering in confined and shallow water, meeting

and overtaking in confined waters, anchor work, docking and undocking, and emergency

procedures. Every maneuvering exercise is preceded with a comprehensive briefing by the

facilitators. All maneuvering and/or simulation exercises will have a critique. Some

exercises may be recorded at the facilitator’s discretion.

The Keith Hartford Sailing Center, home of the Manned Model Program.

Great Herring Pond – Keith Hartford Sailing Center

Great Herring Pond is one of the more beautiful ponds in southeastern

Massachusetts. It is the home of Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s Keith

Hartford Sailing Center. Frequent intercollegiate sailing contests occur during the

spring and fall. The property was generously given to Massachusetts Maritime

Academy by the Hartford family to foster the Academy’s Sailing Program. For the

purposes of the Advanced Shiphandling Training in Manned-models, Great Herring

Pond measures to scale twenty-five (25) nautical miles north to south, and five

miles east to west. This 125-square nautical mile gaming area provides many

different locations for a variety of shiphandling training conducted. When

significant windage and fetch make one area unsuitable, there are several locations

available to continue training.

Great Herring Pond

Southwest Cove

Hartford Bay

Southeast Channel

Shallow Water Channel

MMA Sailing Center

The Manned Model Fleet moored for the day.

CLASS LIMITATIONS (SIZE/RATIO)

Class enrollment shall be limited to not more than eight (8) students per

training course to allow each student sufficient practice and attention

with respect to maneuvering and shiphandling techniques and skills. The

manned-model ships can accommodate on average three (3) students

each, in addition to the operator. Four (4) manned-models may be used at

any one time. A trained facilitator will be assigned to each model when

underway to operate the model and provide guidance as needed.

Additionally, a qualified Dock Master will be present for safety and

emergency situations. The student/teacher ratio will minimally be 8:1

during lectures, and about 2:1 in underway labs. One instructor, approved

by the USCG, will function as the principal instructor.

Our newly renovated boat house provides an excellent location for lectures and briefings.

COURSE CERTIFICATE

Upon successful completion of the course and assessments, a Certificate

of Training will be issued in accordance with the IMO requirements of

STCW, as amended in 2010, and the USCG national assessment guidelines

(as promulgated). This will certify that the holder has successfully

completed a course of training that meets or exceeds the level of

knowledge specifically required in the IMO model course regarding

training in ship maneuvering and handling. STCW Code Section A-II/2

applies. Additional certificate reference will be made toward USCG

Approval of a 40-hour Advanced Shiphandling Training Course as detailed

in the national assessment guidelines.

Preparing to overtake the tanker Massachusetts.

Our Instructors Instructors shall hold a valid USCG license as Oceans Master (Unlimited tons) or First Class

Pilot and shall have demonstrated, by experience and/or training, proficiency in

maneuvering and handling ships. They shall also have demonstrated experience in teaching

at an approved training facility and have completed a course to enhance pedagogical skills,

e.g. “Train the Trainer”. Each instructor will be in the employment of Massachusetts

Maritime Academy either as a member of the Department of Marine Transportation or as

an instructor for the Center for Maritime and Professional Training. Staff credentials and

resumes may be viewed upon written request to the Director, Center for Maritime and

Professional Training.

It is not just our manned models and beautiful Cape Cod facility that we provide to our

students. We have a staff of facilitators who come to us from a richly diverse maritime

background representing well over two centuries of shiphandling experience.

Captain Kerry Fitzpatrick Principal Facilitator Capt. J .Kerry Fitzpatrick graduated from the

Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 1964. He sailed with

Isthmian Lines from 1964-1966, then Farrell Lines and its

successor, E-Ships (P&O Nedlloyd), from 1967-2002. He

sailed as Master the last 20 years, in that time he was

Master of break-bulk, container and Lash vessels from

15,000 to 32,000 gross tons, on the Australian, West

African and Mediterranean trades. He was also Master as

part of the pre-positioned fleet in the Indian Ocean. He has

been an instructor at the Massachusetts Maritime

Academy since his retirement, teaching courses in Applied

Ship Handling, Coastal and Celestial Navigation,

Containerization and Modern Cargo Handling. He is a

member and trustee of the Boston Marine Society and is

presently Associate Director of the Center for Maritime

and Professional Training at the Academy.

Captain Ronald F. Mason, Instructor Captain Ronald Mason Graduated from Massachusetts

Maritime Academy in 1958. He served in the Navy as Lt. (JG)

on board an Essex Class carrier until 1960 and then worked for

various steamship lines as mate until 1962, when he was

engaged by Monrovia Port Management Company in Liberia,

West Africa as tugboat captain. Returning to the USA in 1964,

he went to work for Boston Towboat Company, where he

served as Mate and Master on tugs until 1986. His duties

included the piloting and docking of ships of any tonnage. In

1986 Captain Mason joined Boston Towing and Transportation

as docking pilot, where he docked vessels of all sizes and

tonnages in Boston Harbor, as well as ports on the North and

South Shores of Massachusetts. Since his retirement in 1999

Captain Mason has served on the Board of Managers of the

Mariners House in Boston, and as Facilitator at Massachusetts

Maritime Academy’s Center for Maritime and Professional

Training.

Capt. James S. Nolan USNR (Ret.), Instructor Captain Nolan originated our manned model program. After

a long career at sea and as a San Francisco bar pilot Jim was

invited to instruct at the Navy’s Little Creek, VA manned

model facility. He returned to active duty and taught ship

handling there from 1984 until 1998. Jim was instrumental in

originating the manned model course at Massachusetts

Maritime Academy. President and CEO of Nolan Associates,

Maritime Consultants; San Francisco Bar Pilots (Retired 1972-

1986); U.S. Navy, Senior Training Specialist 1984-1998;

Captain, USNR (Retired 1998); Master’s License, Ocean, Any

Gross Tons. 9-11 Issue: 1st Class Pilotage San Francisco Bay

and Tributaries from the Gulf of the Farelones to Stockton,

Sacramento and Redwood City. Education: Massachusetts

Maritime Academy: B.S. Seamanship and Navigation 1959

B.S. Marine Transportation 1990

M.A. (in progress) San Francisco State University

Captain Richard T. “Red” Shannon, Instructor Capt. “Red” Shannon is a Master, U.S. Steam, Motor

and Sail Vessels any gross tons upon Oceans with

First Class Federal Pilotage. Red has fifty years

deepwater and coastal sailing experience in all types

of vessels. Said experience includes thirty-three

years active U.S. Coast Guard service. He was

assigned to the USCG Bark “Eagle” as Sailing Master

and was a Facilitator in SCANTS (Ship Control and

Navigation Training Simulator) for ten years at the

U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Red retired from sixteen

years as Master of the 3 and 4 Masted Bark Rigged

Passenger Vessels, “Sea Cloud” and Sea Cloud II”,

operated by the Sea Cloud Cruises. In addition to

serving as a Senior Technical Advisor to the Manned

Models program, he currently serves as Pilot

Commissioner for the State of Massachusetts.

Captain James P. “Pat” Crane, Instructor

Pat Crane graduated from Massachusetts

Maritime Academy in 1969. He began his

seafaring career on Victory ships and then

moved to tankers with Texaco and Gulf. He was

Chief Mate and Master with Ingram Oceans

Systems from 1975-1985 and then served with

Crowley Maritime as Master on their container

ships from 1985-1990. He joined Sheridan

Transportation Company in 1990 and recently

retired as Master with US Shipping. Pat is a

member of the Boston Marine Society and the

Society of Naval Architects and Marine

Engineers

The Manned Model Fleet

The Patriot State

Displacement

Length

Beam

Draft

SHP

Propulsion

Propeller(s)

Bow Thruster

Rudder

16,070 Long Tons

581 Ft.

84 Ft.

26 Ft (Mean)

11,000

Diesel

Single, Fixed Pitch

2,000 HP.

Single, Spade

The Bay State

Displacement 15,250Long Tons

Length 581 Ft.

Beam 84 Ft.

Draft 22 Ft (Mean)

SHP 11,000

Propulsion Steam

Propeller(s) Single, Fixed Pitch

Bow Thruster 1,500 HP.

Rudder Single, Spade

The Massachusetts

Displacement

Length

Beam

Draft

SHP

Propulsion

Propeller(s)

Bow Thruster

Rudder

196,000 Long Tons

906 Ft.

173 Ft.

55 Ft.

26,700

Steam

Single, Fixed

2,000 HP, Bow & Stern

Single, Spade

• Scale: 25:1

• Displ: 54,800 T

• LOA: 616’

• Beam: 106’

• Draft: 36-39’

• SHP: 18,000

• Twin Screw

• Twin Rudder

• Bow and Stern Thrusters

Introducing the latest addition to our fleet: The twin screw tanker BOSTON

Monday

Morning

Introduction

Concepts of similitude Basic Shiphandling Principles including

internal and external forces

Afternoon

Model safety

Facility procedures Wind

Current Acclimation of student’s senses to

similitude

Model characteristics and indicator equipment

Height of Eye

Navigation/communication procedures

Open water wind effects on stopped vessel

Maneuvering in close quarters

Tuesday

Morning

Maneuvering Characteristics

Internal control

Pivot Point

RPM Effects Maneuvering trials including

port/starboard turns, and stopping

Acceleration/deceleration

Wheel and rudder effects

Thruster efficiency and effectiveness

Emergency Stopping

Afternoon

Proper use of external forces

Approach speeds and control Approach angles

Effect of wind on vessel at various speeds

Making a lee – Pilot embarkation

Steering ranges with cross wind at various

speeds

Approaching berth with different wind conditions

Maneuvering for an Underway Replenishment

Wednesday

Morning

Docking/ Undocking

Maneuvering in shallow

water

Steering channel

Turning in narrow channels

Meeting/overtaking in narrow channels

Afternoon

Backing in narrow channels

Tug forces * Simulator may be used

Undocking/docking with no

tugs

Undocking/docking with tugs

Coming alongside

Thursday Morning

Docking/ Undocking

Wedge effects

Squat

Vessel interaction in narrow channels

Deep water interaction- Underway

replenishment

Turning circles in shallow water

Meeting/overtaking in shallow water channels

Afternoon

Anchoring

Dredging anchors

Anchoring with two anchors

Anchorage approach

Precision anchoring in congested anchorage

Docking with anchor under wind conditions

Lightering approach

“Texas Chicken”… Demonstrating Bow Cushion and Stern Suction Effects.

Friday Morning

Emergency maneuvers

Loss of steering/power in

confined waters

Williamson Turn Scharnow Turn

Race Track Turn

MOB Retrieval maneuvering

Afternoon

Exam

Competency review Repetition of failed

competencies.

Docking and Undocking at Hartford Sailing Center

Custom training can be provided to meet your organization’s specific

training needs.

www.maritime.edu/cmt

Visit us on the web to register for classes. You may also call us at 508-830-5005.

Email: cmt@maritime.edu