Every Vessel Needs A Sentini Marine Bespoke Documentation Suite Onboard

Sentini Marine has created a Documentation Suite for the Superyacht industry – From bespoke technical manuals covering every machine, system, and operation onboard, to pocket-sized captain’s handbooks. These interlink with their Training Suite which focuses on the implementation of the technical and safety information in the manuals, through a testing and familiarisation app and VR training.

Video by Sentini Marine

Sentini Marine provides vessels and crew with:

• Bespoke technical operations manuals to Superyachts covering every machine, system, and operation onboard.
• COMING SOON: FATHOM  – Sentini Marines App-based testing is undergoing a rebrand and will be launching soon… The app was created to challenge crew to read and understand the technical and safety aspects of the vessel’s manuals. The questions on the app can link to a specific section of their vessels bespoke manual. This way, a crew member can find the answer, should they not know it. The central purpose of the app is to familiarise the crew with their knowledge of the manuals, rather than requiring them to sit and read through the manuals.
•  SM VR Training suite – This is separate from the app. The Sentini Team are working with V360 to build virtual reality engineering modules for marine colleges. These modules will give students the chance to work on safety-critical tasks which cannot be replicated on a college workbench.
• As well as this, the marine engineering company have another exciting app on the horizon – A Digital Training Record Book. Development is currently on hold, but keep up to date here for further details.
• Procurement – They work with a select number of vessels to provide spare parts and consumables, in which they pride themselves on excellent customer service.

What is the importance of technical documentation for vessels?:

Too often yachts are delivered with no technical documentation at all (which is shocking considering the size and technical complexities of these vessels), or poor drawings which aren’t up-to-date or accurate. Crew turnaround can be high on some yachts, especially busy charter boats that can be demanding on crew. Imagine a new engineer joining just before an Atlantic crossing, the life of the crew and the expensive vessel is in his or her hands. Being handed an accurate, easy-to-understand document that covers the operation of the entire vessel is a huge benefit. Couple this with an app that tests and highlights gaps in knowledge of that specific vessel, and increases further the safety of the vessel and crew.

On yachts, machinery is not usually fitted to the manufacturer’s specifications, instead, they are squeezed into spaces dictated by the accommodation requirements of the owner, often resulting in changes being made to a system. These changes, and others like them, are what makes each vessel unique, and what makes accurate technical documentation so important.

A clear and concise system drawing that has all unnecessary build information removed and the machinery placed in the correct physical location is a usable, useful document. And easy to read in an emergency. Having a system in place like the Document Suite, with regular updates, means the vessel has a single source of information that will remain current, and be a tool for the vessel’s lifetime.

To break it down:

NEW CREW – Joining a large vessel due for departure can be a daunting task, especially when no operating instructions are provided. Being handed a Sentini Marine Technical manual containing accurate systems diagrams and up-to-date operating instructions increases safety for the vessel and crew when operating the vessel.

EACH VESSEL IS UNIQUE – With each year, larger and more machinery dense yachts are launched, each one a delicate balance of engineering prowess and luxurious living. Yet this balance is usually tipped in favour of modern open living spaces for the owners to relax and entertain in, meaning machinery is tightly packed into spaces requiring the systems to deviate from the manufacturer’s specifications. These deviations, and countless others like them, are what make each vessel unique and what makes accurate technical documentation so important.

Added benefits of Sentini Marines bespoke technical documentation for vessels:

• By providing high quality technical documentation, owners demonstrate to the crew that they care about their safety, giving them all the tools they need to operate the vessel well.
• Digital copies can be marked up and job lists created, to send to the shipyard ahead of yard periods.
• Refit and downtime is reduced.
• The yacht runs on schedule without breakdowns due to an operational error or machinery malfunction.

What’s included in each yachts bespoke manual?

The manuals are designed to be all-encompassing, eliminating the need to reference each individual machinery manufacturers manuals or build drawings, which won’t be completely accurate anyway. They contain everything that is needed for the yacht’s operation, maintenance and repair.

•  System Descriptions and Diagrams – All systems are redrafted, correcting any errors that have been found post-delivery, in a colour format, laid out with all equipment in its physical location onboard. All unnecessary information from the original drawings will be removed, further clearing up the drawing and making it easier to follow. The drawings will also be supplied in digital format allowing them to be edited and commented on, making them a tool for planning for dry docks and fault finding. The content will be verified as correct with a vessel survey before the final version is issued.
• Operating Instructions – clear and concise operational instructions including; an introduction describing the system and its equipment, details of how it operates, instructions and basic maintenance, and any cautions and warnings that may cause injury or failure/damage to equipment.
• Tables and Illustrations – The manuals are completed with expertly drawn illustrations, giving further clarity to operational instructions, and easy to reference valve tables.
•  A Maintenance Package – Having a system in place like the Document Suite, with regular updates, means the vessel has a single source of information which will remain current, and be a tool for the vessel’s lifetime.

NOTE – Sentini Marine’s manuals can be maintained annually like any other equipment onboard.

Technical documentation FAQs:

Who are the manuals written by?

A team of highly trained and experienced professionals. Sentini Marine partners with WMT Marine, they have been developing operating procedures for the marine industry and their manuals are used by all the major players worldwide (Carnival, RCCL, NCL, BP, and Maersk). These authors include Master Mariners, Chief Engineers, Chief Officers, Deck Officers, and ETOs, and their manuals are on over 1000 vessels.

What format do they come in?

The main product is a ring bound file containing all sections of the manual. It is also supplied in a digital format which can be used for sharing information with shipyards for warranty work and repairs. Small sections can also be requested to be made into small pocketbooks to put the information directly into the hands of the crew.

Can the manuals be updated are yard time/refit?

Yes, once changes are reported and verified, affected pages will be updated and reissued, either as a one-off project or as part of a maintenance package. Documentation kept in a diligent manner will ensure that your vessel always has a unified set of up-to-date instructions, illustrations, and drawings on board.

Can the manuals be designed with the yachts colours and logo?

Yes, a style guide is created and agreed with the yacht so that it fits in perfectly on the bridge or quest areas.

What happens if some of the crew don’t speak english as their first language?

Sentini can provide manuals in any language required by your vessels crew or management. Our experts understand that technical translation requires an in-depth knowledge of technical terminology specific to the marine industry. Sentini Marine only uses professionally qualified, full-time translators who have extensive industry or engineering backgrounds to ensure the
translation meets the exact requirements and correct technical terminology in the preferred language.

Additional services Sentini Marine Provide for Vessels, Captains and crew:

1. Planned Maintenance – Sentini Marine can assist, at any level, in ensuring your planned maintenance database, is populated with verified data and running efficiently and effectively.

2. Sourcing spare parts and consumables worldwide for both engineering and deck; each item being checked and verified by qualified engineers, ensuring the correct items arrive swiftly.

3. Sentini Marine are suppliers of these two marine products: Waste management systems and Air Purifiers – Click here to find out more.

COMING SOON  – The FATHOM App

What is the Fathom – Familiarisation and testing app?:

Across the industry, crew are required to learn all safety-critical aspects contained within their expertly compiled manuals, yet quite often this is not part of everyday yacht life, but last minute before a flag visit. Sentini Marine discovered that there is a missing link in the manual’s potential impact and actual impact, that link is the Fathom app. Through a series of multiple choice, vessel-specific questions (which link into key sections of vessel’s ISM, SOLAS or technical manuals), crew knowledge is tested, forcing them to consult the vessel manuals to find answers they are unsure of. In doing this, knowledge is increased, and gaps are highlighted to senior crew, instructing what individual or crew-wide training is needed.

The familiarisation section of the app is aimed at making the familiarisation process of new and established crew, effective, efficient, and measurable, taking pressure off senior crew.

How it works:

• Sentini Marine builds a bank of approximately 200 questions based on the vessel’s manuals; multiple choice questions with three viable wrong answers to ensure crew is challenged into finding the correct answer, not hazarding a guess.
• Each crew member has their own log in, questions are set based on their rank and responsibilities.
•  Near Field Communication tags are placed around the vessel; these are used as familiarisation check points, a means of accessing specific information on a piece of machinery, or as part of a physical familiarisation test.
• Test results are sent to senior crew for them to see underperforming crew members, and pinpointing training needs, and underperforming questions, which may require additional training for the entire crew.
• Senior crew set the test frequency, high performing crew are rewarded by being tested less.

READ MORE: Sentini Marine Talk Building a Business After Leaving Yachting

For more information on Sentini Marine Bespoke Documentation and yacht engineering services, contact info@sentinimarine.com