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In the merchant vessels I worked on we paid a lot more attention to what
was going on in the radar than actual peering out the bridge windows. If
I saw something on the radar, I would start looking for it with the
binoculars. These were pre-ARPA days. so when a target showed on the
radar, you would put the cursor on it to see if the bearing was
changing. If it wasn't changing or changing slowly, you plot it on radar
plotting paper to calculate the CPA.  I liked plotting so I would do it
just for fun.  I the CPA was too close or the nav rules warranted it you
would alter course or if it was another merchant vessel, you would call
them up and make the best decision based on where everyone was going or
agree on a 2 whistle passing.  while there was lots of sea room.

We did use our eyes and binoculars too as many things, like glass boats
with no radar reflectors, often get lost in the clutter,  Big white
sails and good running lights are easy to see.

We had uncovered bridge wings, but we kept the doors closed to keep
either the heat or the cool in depending on the time of year. As well,
if the doors were open we got more noise from the stack and the sweet
smell of number 2 diesel exhaust.  We had a post for a bow lookout, but
I don't know if we ever sent someone up there. Listening was not really
a practical method of discovering traffic.

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