Lesson routeDuty of Care0/3 read
Lesson 1 of 3
Duty of Care
Professional responsibility starts with duty of care. The skipper or person in charge must take reasonable steps to protect passengers, crew, other water users, the vessel, and the environment.
That duty is active. It includes planning, briefing, supervision, safe speed, weather decisions, competence limits, emergency readiness, and stopping the operation when risk becomes unacceptable.
- Duty of care is not delegated away by taking payment.
- Passengers may not understand marine risk.
- Crew must be briefed and supervised for the task.
- A professional decision may be to cancel or delay.
Lesson 2 of 3
Competence and Limits
Competence is more than holding a certificate. It includes current experience, vessel familiarity, local knowledge, weather judgement, leadership, emergency handling, and honesty about personal limits.
Taking a job outside competence is a professional failure even if nothing goes wrong. A safe skipper asks for training, local pilotage support, additional crew, or refuses the task when required.
- Certificates are a baseline, not a guarantee of current competence.
- Know your own limits and the operation's limits.
- Ask for support before the risk is live.
- Do not let pride become a hazard.
| Responsibility | Good practice | Poor practice |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | Brief risks and monitor behaviour | Assume they know what to do |
| Crew | Allocate roles and check fatigue | Let fatigue accumulate silently |
| Vessel | Know systems and limits | Depart with unknown defects |
| Self | Work within competence | Accept work to avoid embarrassment |
Lesson 3 of 3
Professional Conduct
Professional conduct includes honesty, sobriety, respectful communication, safeguarding awareness, clear records, environmental care, and a willingness to say no.
Client service matters, but the skipper is not just a host. The skipper is responsible for safe conduct of the voyage and must manage expectations before they become pressure.
- Communicate decisions early and clearly.
- Treat passengers and crew respectfully.
- Avoid alcohol or impairment before and during duty.
- Record incidents, defects, and significant decisions.