What is the fundamental duty of a lookout?

• A. To log every sea area weather report.
• B. To maintain a continuous, vigilant watch by sight and hearing and use all available means to detect hazards.
• C. To ensure piracy reporting procedures are followed.
• D. To maintain the vessel's navigational instruments.

Answer: (B)

The essential duty of a lookout is to maintain a continuous, vigilant watch by sight and hearing and to use all available means to detect hazards to navigation. This requirement comes from COLREGS Rule 5, which obligates a proper look-out so the bridge can make a full appraisal of the situation and assess the risk of collision under all conditions. The lookout must actively scan for other vessels, obstacles, navigation lights and signals, and changing conditions, using every tool at hand—eyes, ears, radar, AIS, VHF, weather information, and other available aids—to spot potential dangers early. Then they report these findings promptly so the master can take timely, safe action. Tasks like logging weather reports or maintaining navigational instruments are duties for other crew roles, and piracy procedures lie outside the lookout’s primary function. In short, the lookout is the ship’s continuous, primary sensor on the water, protecting the vessel by keeping hazards in sight and communicating them.