Basic Naval Cadet Course

The Navy has its own language in the military which is based on nautical terms and naval tradition.

Naval Terminology plays an important role in any sailor`s career because you need to understand what people are saying, what things are called, how to address people in different situations and how to communicate. This is all affected by your understanding of Naval Terminology.

For a complete listing of naval terms and definitions you can check out the Naval Dictionary found HERE or by visiting the Navy’s Unit Admin Office and clicking on Naval Dictionary.

On this page you will find all naval terms and definitions organized by letter.

The ability to tie various knots is an essential task that all sailors are required to know as part of regular shipboard life. As a part of your Basic Naval Cadet training we will be introducing you to some of the knots that are used on a regular basis onboard a Navy vessel.

For the purposes of this lesson we will be covering the purposes for 8 knots as well as how to tie these knots and what the finished result should look like. The knots we will be learning are as follows:

1	Mooring Hitch
2	Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
3	Square Knot
4	Sheet Bend & Double Sheet Bend
5	Figure of Eight
6	Clove Hitch
7	Cleat Hitch
8	Bowline

Mooring Hitch

A Mooring Hitch is a temporary knot that can be released quickly.

It can be used when you need to moor a ship alongside a dock or another vessel for a short period of time as it can be quickly released and is more secure than other temporary knots commonly used in the civilian world such as the Slippery Hitch which, while easier to tie, is not nearly as secure.

This knot will hold fast under tension but will quickly release with a tug of the free end of the rope.

The following is a diagram of how to tie a Mooring Hitch:

The finished product should look something like this:

Round Turn & Two Half Hitches

A Round Turn & Two Half Hitches is ideal for attaching a mooring line to a dock post or ring.

This is the knot commonly used to secure a ship for any long period of time. As you can probably already tell by the name, this knot is made of a round turn which as the diagram shows you is actually really 2 turns and then two half hitches.

It is actually very easy to do, and the following diagram will show you the 9 steps from start to finish on how to tie a round turn & two half hitches:

Square Knot

The Square Knot, also commonly referred to as the Reef Knot, is actually a concept you are already aware of, whether you know it or not (that is unless you don't know how to tie your shoes).

While this is not the most reliable knot to use as a bend it is a knot that teaches you the fundamental process of tying a half knot or half hitch which comes in handy when tying other more complicated knots such as the Round Turn and Two Half Hitches.

The following diagram shows how to tie a Square Knot:

As you can see above it is in fact just like tying your shoes, only without the bow.

So since you already know the basics and can do a square knot without even knowing you could, the rest of these knots should be pretty easy stuff right?

Sheet Bend

The sheet bend is a knot designed to tie together two pieces of rope.

You can use this to tie together rope of the same or different sizes, so regardless if the ropes are of the same thickness this knot will work for you if you want to tie two pieces of rope together.

The following is a diagram of how to tie a sheet bend:

In the second part of the above diagram you see a double sheet bend, which is used when one rope is markedly thicker than the other.

The bitter end of smaller rope can be taken twice around the bight in the larger rope to create a double sheet bend.

If you have successfully tied this knot then both ends will lie on the same side of the knot. If the ends are on opposite sides of each other then you have not tied the sheet bend correctly and while it may seem to hold it is much less reliable.

Figure Eight

The figure eight is designed to provide a stopper knot to prevent a line from sliding out of sight for example: up inside the mast).

The biggest benefit of this knot is that even after it is jammed tightly against a block it can still be undone easily.

The downside is of course the same as the benefit, because it can be undone easily, sometimes it can fall undone on its own and has to be retied.

Since it is easy to tie this is not a big deal. The following is a diagram of how to tie a figure eight knot:

Clove Hitch

The Clove Hitch is a knot that is considered to be one of the most essential for sailors to learn.

It can be used as a binding knot however it's most effective as a crossing knot the reason being it has a tendency to slip when you are loading only one end.

It requires a load on each end to work properly and when this is the case it can be very helpful as it allows for the running end of the rope to be adjusted.

Now the traditional way to tie a clove hitch is by forming two loops as is shown in the diagram below:

However when it is not possible to form two loops you can tie it on the end.

The diagram below will compare each method so you can see the difference:

Cleat Hitch

Thr Cleat hitch is designed to secure a rope to a cleat which secures the boat to a dock.

It is a relatively simple knot using boat rope (which when aboard ship is referred to as a line) to form a figure eight shape around the cleat to keep the boat in place.

To tie the knot you need to make a complete turn of rope in one direction around the base of the cleat, followed by a complete turn of rope in the reverse direction.

You then make a half hitch around one wing of the cleat to finish the knot.

The friction created by the two complete turns ensures that the half hitch does not pull tight and jam on you. Sound complicated?

It's actually really simple, as shown in the diagram below

Bowline

The bowline makes a secure loop at the end of a piece of rope. It has many applications, the most common being to fasten a mooring line to a ring or post. In layman's terms it is used to make a temporary loop at the end of a line.

What's great about it is that under load it doesn't slip or bind and when there is no load it can be easily and quickly untied.

The only downside is that it cannot be tied or untied when there is a load on the standing end.

Bowlines can also be tied using one hand which makes them an essential knot to know if you are injured or your other hand is busy holding onto the line or the boat.

The best way to explain how to tie a bowline is by using the rabbit scenario, as shown in the images below:

- Here is the rabbit hole
- Out comes the rabbit
- It runs around the tree
- And hops back into the hole

There you have it! A bowline!

Now if the rabbit story doesn't help you then. I also have a diagram below of how to tie a bowline, or you can of course refer to the video tutorial on your left.

A Boatswains Call is a pipe that is used on naval ships by a boatswain, thus the name Boatswains Call.

Traditionally it was used to pass commands to the crew when the voice could not be heard over the sounds of the sea.

Because of the high pitch that the Boatswains Call makes it could be heard over top of the activities of the crew and any bad weather that they may be experiencing.

Based on the pitch and timing of the call the crew could tell what instructions were being given to them.

In todays Navy the Boatswains Call is used for ceremonial purposes and it is the official badge of the Boatswains Mate and Chief Boatswains Mate in many countries navies.

The Boatswains Call consists of 5 parts. They are as follows:

The Gun	A narrow tube.
The Buoy	A metal shpere at the end of the tube.
The Hole	A small hole at the top of the sphere, which is used to change the pitch.
The Keel	A flat piece of metal beneath the gun which holds the call together.
The Shackle	A key ring connects a long silver/brass chain that its around the collar in ceremonial uniform.

The image below shows you the Boatswains Call and identifies the above parts.

There are various commands that can be given using the Boatswains Call.

These commands are given by changing the pitch and timing of the call. In order to do this you first need to know how to properly hold the Boatswains Call.

It should be in the palm of your right hand with your thumb running along the keel and your index finger wrapped around the middle of the call. You then use your remaining fingers together and open and close them to change the pitch of the call as illustrated in the image below:

There are various commands that can be piped using the Boatswains Call. They are as follows:

Haul	The most basic of calls. Crews of warships were not allowed to sing work songs or shanties, so the pipe coordinated the sailors. The low note was for the pause and preparatory; the high for pulling on the line.
The Side or Away Galley	Descends from the tradition of hoisting officers aboard ship in a chair. It is a combination of haul, and then a command to lower. This call remains in use as an honor given to officers when embarking or disembarking.
Away Boats	Used to order a ship's boats to leave the ship's side.
Call The Boatswains Mate	The boatswain's gang to report.
All Hands on Deck	Crews were split into two rotating watches that stood for four hours at a time. This call signals the entire crew to assemble on deck.
Word to be passed	Command for silence, an order to follow.
Pipe Down	Dismissal of all the crew not on watch.
Dinner or Supper	Calls the crew to a meal.
Still	Used to call the crew to attention.
Carry On	Used after the still, to dismiss the crew back to their duties.
General Call	Piped before an announcement.

The Web Cadet Corps, like any military organization, has a strict chain of command. That must be followed whenever you have an issue.

The chain is set up this way so that you have someone to speak with on every level.

Authority is granted to persons on each level to perform certain functions and deal with problems of certain severity.

If a problem ever arises that is beyond that person’s power, they take it up to the next level on the chain of command.

An issue will continue to be passed up the chain until it has reached a person who can deal with the situation. The last step in that chain is the Commandant, who has authority over all matters in the WCC.

There are very few times one is allowed to bypass any part of the chain.

If your immediate superior is the problem (you have a complaint against the XO, for example) you may go to the CO.

If the situation is of a severe nature (harassment or abuse in ANY form) you may go directly to the CO.

These occurrences go directly to the Commandant whom give strong consideration to the situation and arrange for trials.

Let's start our way at the bottom and work up!

Cadet:	The Cadets in the division are at the bottom of the chain. They are busy doing their unit related tasks and have no major responsibilities outside of that. They are also viewed as being at the top as well, because without the cadets, we wouldn’t have a Corps!
Divisional Petty Officer:	The Divisional Petty Officer is the person who is directly responsible for the cadets. They will email cadets from time to time to see who is active, pass on messages and relay orders from higher up on the chain. They are the first person you speak to.
Divisional Chief Petty Officer:	The DCPO is not always found in your chain, as sometimes there are not enough staff cadets to fill these roles. When they are around, they are there to mentor the DPO, ensure that everyone is progressing through training and assists the DPO in dealing with concerns.
Divisional Officer:	The DivO is the officer in charge of your division. He or she ensures that all the paperwork is done including monthly reports and evaluations. They will be the one who helps mentor Senior NCOs and reports to the Executive Officer.
Executive Officer:	The XO is the second in command of the unit. Should the CO ever have to leave, the XO assumes command of the unit till the CO comes back. The XO is responsible for the day to day operations of the unit and reports to the CO.
Commanding Officer:	The CO is the officer in charge of the unit. All the big decisions are made through him or her. The CO also represents the unit to functions between other units and to the Chief of Operations.
Chiefs of Operations and Support Staff :	The two Chiefsare responsible for the overall management of the units and departments respectively. They assign and manage all projects within the units and departments and assist wherever possible. They report to the Adjutant.
Adjutant:	The Adj, or Angie as tradition dictates, is the second in command of the Web Cadet Corps. Like the XO of your unit, the Adj is responsible for the day to day operations of the WCC and most of the major disciplinary actions. The Adjutant reports to the Commandant.
Corps Senior NCO:	Somewhere in the mix is the CSNCO. The CSNCO is the most senior Non Commissioned Officer in the Corps. He or she is the Commandant’s representative to the NCOs, as well as the NCO’s representative to the Wardroom. The CSNCO also helps to ensure that all Unit Senior NCOs are running at maximum efficiency and assist where possible.
Commandant:	The Commandant is the elected leader of the WCC. He or she holds authority over all things in the Corps. Lets just say, if you’re ever in his office, and not getting a medal, just pack your bags right now! The Commandant provides the Corps’ direction, and uses his or her term to put in place a vision for the WCC that will hopefully allow it to progress and grow. The Commandant is also responsible for the traditions of the Corps, and ensuring that our history lives on!