Service de garde

English translation: watch

03:35 Mar 10, 2021
French to English translations [PRO]
Ships, Sailing, Maritime
French term or phrase: Service de garde
Tout navire amarré ou mouillé dans un port doit avoir
un service de garde.
Dans le cas où le service de garde serait jugé insuffisant pour ,
empêcher toute dégradation aux installations du port ou aux autres
navires, les officiers de port peuvent le faire compléter suivant 1 'importance
du navire.


It's not really clear what the the service de garde is... Caretaker, guard, night watchman? What is clear is that they're supposed to prevent damage to the port facilities, but ...
Jeff Steffin
Local time: 17:36
English translation:watch
Explanation:
The person is called a watch.

https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/boatingsafety/anchored-even...



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Note added at 16 hrs (2021-03-10 19:56:56 GMT)
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If the ST included a verb, I would have suggested "post" a watch.
Selected response from:

mrrafe
United States
Local time: 20:36
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3watch
mrrafe
4 +1crew on watch
Conor McAuley
4to keep watch, to maintain watch
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
3guards
Barbara Cochran, MFA


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
crew on watch


Explanation:

A watch system, watch schedule, or watch bill is a method of assigning regular periods of work duty aboard ships and some other areas of employment
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Watch_system

Watchkeeping or watchstanding is the assignment of sailors to specific roles on a ship to operate it continuously.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchkeeping

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Note added at 14 mins (2021-03-10 03:49:43 GMT)
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STANDING ORDERS - Yacht Captain Worldwideyachtcaptain.co.nz › StandingOrders
PDF
Crew on Watch will follow the weekend Watch routine as outlined. The Watch keeper is to be in uniform and to carry the Watch keepers mobile with them at all ...

Conor McAuley
France
Local time: 01:36
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  SafeTex: or some variation but this is basically it.
7 hrs
  -> Thanks SafeTex!
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
guards


Explanation:
>>>

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Note added at 14 mins (2021-03-10 03:49:51 GMT)
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This is the most generic term.

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 20:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
watch


Explanation:
The person is called a watch.

https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/boatingsafety/anchored-even...



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 hrs (2021-03-10 19:56:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If the ST included a verb, I would have suggested "post" a watch.

mrrafe
United States
Local time: 20:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: quite simply. The crew members on watch (on deck, the engine room, wheelhouse)are just called "the watch"
12 hrs
  -> Merci Yvonne, je suis d'accord

agree  Nikki Scott-Despaigne: Yes, standard term describing the person, his/her function also. It does have landlubberish "guard/watchman" overtones if berthed. However, "watch" works in either case.
12 hrs
  -> Merci Nikki, je suis d'accord. Die Wacht am Rhein isn't about timepieces either.

agree  Daryo: very convincing reference.
16 hrs
  -> merci Daryo
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1 day 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to keep watch, to maintain watch


Explanation:
Look closely at the information we have. It's awkward to add this post, but I need space to explain what I'm getting at. Sorry if those having already posted consider that I am not adding anything new. I do realise that the expression I suggest includes a term already suggested. Just bear with me. Do not bear away (deliberate pun).

"Tout navire amarré ou mouillé dans un port doit avoir un service de garde.
Dans le cas où le service de garde serait jugé insuffisant pour empêcher toute dégradation aux installations du port ou aux autres navires, les officiers de port peuvent le faire compléter suivant l'importance du navire."

Apart from the standard COLREG/RIPAM rules that include provisions relating to watch requirements when underway in order to avoid/reduce the risk of collision, other watch requirements will arise in specific circumstances. The example we have here clearly sets out the situation:
- requirement for the ship to keep watch ("ship" also reads to mean the crew)
- when berthed or moored/at anchor within the harbour/port
- reason: to prevent/reduce risk of causing damage to port installations/facilities and/or other ships in the vicinity.

Therefore the ship must ensure that their watch comes up to scratch requirements of the harbour authorities. If the ship's ability to keep watch, if the ship's watch capabilities are considered to be insufficient, then the harbour/port authority will provide an extra bod or two.

The use of "service de garde" strikes me as a definition that is a little open to interpretation. I think that is an obvious choice for the harbour/port authority here. They wish to have the final word as to whether the on-board watch are sufficient. The sufficiency may be related to numbers available to do the job but it may also be connected to organisational issues or even, why not, how much the crew drink now they are finally not underway. The point is that those keeping an eye out have to meet the standard expected by the local authorities.

Bearing that in mind, it still has to make sense and com within the nautical and maritime way of phrasing this. "Watch" has to come into it in my view. This is the specific term I see used whether a vessel is underway, berthed or moored.

Authentic English ways to express this are more likely to be based on a verbal expression than a one-word match for the French. I think the French notion of "service" here can be read as meaning ensuring that someone (sing/pl) does keep watch and that a large vessel ("importance" here being to do with size, not whether ERII is onboard or not, for example) may need more people on the task than they are able to provide, or that they are poorly organised. Then the harbour authority can step in. So yeah, "to keep watch" covers that.

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 01:36
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 198
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