The Non-Benefits of a CREW ADVICE Form.
1. Could be used against you in a court of law if not followed correctly.
The Benefits of a CREW ADVICE Form.
1. Establishes clear, non-negotiable requirements that must be met by all parties.
2. Provides a defined framework for understanding and addressing crew breaches of expectation.
3. Supports the vessel owner’s duty-of-care obligations, including safety at sea, customs and immigration compliance, and potential medical evacuation scenarios.
4. Supports crew during Medical episodes, medical history forming part of this form. In turn, this helps limit the vessel owner’s liability where agreed criteria have not been fulfilled by the crew member.
5. May be relied upon as supporting evidence in legal proceedings.
6. Functions as a form of contractual agreement, as it is typically acknowledged and signed by both parties.
The Importance of a CREW ADVICE Form (Formal Documentation).
Offshore, the only immediate assistance available is from the person standing beside you.
For this reason, we require crew to complete a first aid course that includes training in the use of a defibrillator, and where possible, the use of needles, as part of their certification.
But why is this level of training necessary?
If a patient requires evacuation, does your standard insurance policy provide coverage at this distance offshore on a private vessel?
Read more
The Non-Benefits of having a CREW MANUAL
1. The vessel owner must also adhere closely to these guidelines, as crew will observe and follow leadership by example.
2. It needs to be up to date.
3. Use the manual as a “must-do…” framework rather than a “how-to…” guide—there is a clear distinction between instruction and expectation, which is often overlooked.
4. Guidelines should be clear and precise, without becoming overly complex, overly prescriptive, or unnecessarily authoritative in tone.
The benefits of having a CREW MANUAL (or SHIPS MANUAL, or VESSEL MANUAL)
1. Setting clear expectations with simple, direct guidance.
2. Motivating and empowering crew through structured information.
3. Enabling advance instruction, reducing the need for corrective direction on the day.
4. Streamlining departures, as crew already understand required procedures.
5. Improving overall safety at sea through consistent practices.
6. Providing “How to…” (blue) sections for general equipment guidance.
7. Providing “How to…” (red) sections for high-priority or safety-critical information.
8. Supporting compliance with State, National, and Maritime legislation, as well as insurance requirements.
9. Meeting legal duty-of-care obligations owed to crew under maritime law.
10. Documenting procedures and proactive maintenance, demonstrating ongoing vessel care, a strong advantage when it comes to future vessel resale.
Why Writing a Manual Is Short-Term Effort for Long-Term Benefit
Coming from a Compliance and Safety background, I understand the dislike toward 'red tape'. This does not, however, excuse those like Insurance companies choosing not to offer you insurance as a result. Or losing a sale because you have bad record-keeping practices.
Understanding the psychology behind documenting information onboard your vessel was introduced in the topic “Empowering Crew.” If you have yet to read “Empowering Crew,” please do so, as this section builds upon those principles.
In this section, we explore two effective yet contrasting documentation approaches:
1.“How to…” Crew Manual (informal content), and
2. “Must Do…” Crew Advice Form. (formal directives).
Covernote
Ways to get a Crew Manual Template
1. Write your own.
2. Buy marine-specific crew manuals; many Rally websites have contacts, and even supply them.
3. Find a Template form Pages or Word applications and modify to suit.
4. Ask AI to build you one. You definitely need very precise wording in the AI request.
That being said....
