Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Pilots change out in a tag team type operation starting at Escoumins then Quebec City, Three Rivers, Montreal, Beauharnois, Snell Lock, Iroquois lock, Cape Vincent, Port Weller, Lock 7 in the Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Detroit, Port Huron, Detour, and Whitefish Bay, they don't stay with the ship when it gets into port. they get off and go to the next job.

In U.S. waters they are advisers but that advice has significant legal implications and responsibilities.
In Canadian Great Lakes waters as in Panama, vessels must be under the conduct of a certified or licensed pilot.

There are a couple of exceptions to the common pilot-as-advisor protocol.

One is the Panama Canal, where pilots assume full command authority over the vessels' movements. Another may be the Suez canal, but I'm uncertain of that.

Regarding the normal disembarkations, I recall hearing of cases on the lower St. Lawrence in which the Quebec-Les Escoumins pilots were unable to disembark at the latter station owing to winds and rough seas, and remained aboard as "guests" for transatlantic passages!

A pilot advises the ship's master. The master remains in command.

There are several pilot districts on the Great Lakes and pilots operate within the district that employs them. Once a ship reaches its destination, the pilot disembarks and waits for assignment to a vessel going in the other direction. If a vessel anchors off shore for a time, at Duluth for instance, the pilot generally disembarks. When the vessel is ready to enter port to go to its loading or unloading berth, a pilot is put aboard to advise the master.

When a boat pilots gets on s Saltie what authority does he have? And once the ship gets to their port of destination does the pilot stay with the ship? TIA