The Royal Bahamas Defence Force marked a historic milestone with the Inaugural Boatswain Mate Course. The Closing Ceremony was held at HMBS Coral Harbour on 23 February 2026, recognizing the successful completion of a demanding programme designed to strengthen shipboard leadership, operational capability, and safety across the Fleet.
A Boatswain’s Mate stands as the critical link between the officer’s intent and the crew’s execution, ensuring each vessel remains a floating fortress and that every marine returns home safely. “A ship is only as sharp as its Bosun.”
The course began with Technical Seamanship, advancing participants beyond basic line handling to mastering the physics of shipboard operations. Training included ground tackle, crane operations, towing, RHIB deployment, marlinspike, snap-back zone awareness, and ship husbandry. These reinforced the fact that routine preventative maintenance is the frontline defence against the corrosive conditions at sea.
The second phase emphasized leadership through the “Step Back” philosophy, conflict management, watch organization, and emergency readiness for fire, flooding, and man overboard responses.
The course concluded with gunnery, communications, and ceremonial excellence, underscoring that safety remains the primary objective in every evolution. In delivering remarks on behalf of Commander Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey, Captain Coral Harbour, Captain Sonia Miller, commending the graduates’ professionalism and readiness to lead.
Under the leadership of Commander Defence Force, Commodore Floyd Moxey, the RBDF is optimizing excelling by bridging generations and embracing modernization. As such, we remain committed to the continuous education and training of our personnel.
Photo Credit: Marine Seaman Tavano Ferguson
The RBDF remains dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in guarding our heritage. We are committed to upholding the highest standards as we protect and preserve the rich legacy that defines our nation.
