By International law, every vessel at sea is responsible for having someone “On Watch” around the clock and it is critical to every vessels safety and by extension the safety of every vessel in proximity to another.  It is those standing watch who provides early warning of developing situations with other vessels, the weather and sea conditions and problems or situations onboard so they can be corrected in time to prevent a possible life-threatening situation.

Having “the Watch”, being the person(s) responsible for keeping everyone safe is more than just sitting in the cockpit listening to music, watching a video or having a conversation with a watch mate. 

Staying awake on watch, especially at night, can be difficult.  Sitting in a comfortable spot with a comfortable motion it is easy to be lulled into sleep.  To prevent nodding off, don’t sit in one place, get up, move around, disengage the auto-pilot and hand steer.  Keep yourself occupied!

Having “the Watch” means that everyone else onboard not on watch and, in some respects, your fellow crewmembers also on watch, are counting on you to keep them safe.  Knowing those on watch are awake and alert allows those off watch to relax, sleep, eat and recharge for their watch in just a few short hours.

The vessels Captain has the responsibility to see that a watch is maintained around the clock.  The length of a “watch” will vary from vessel to vessel depending on conditions, the number of crew available and the length of the voyage. 

Generally, watches run anywhere from 2-4 hours, sometimes rotating at some point in the day so no one stands watch during the same time period in any given day. Watch’s longer than 4 hours are difficult, especially at night so are rare and if possible, should be avoided.  Having said that, on passages with a shorthanded crew standing a daytime 6-hour watch allows the off watch a very decent rest period.  

Over the years I have tried many different watch schedules, 2-hour, 3-hour, 4-hour and various types of rotating watch schedules.  Onboard Malaya, with a 2-person crew, I have found that other than when it is cold and wet the traditional military 4-hour system works best.  This system has continuous 4-hour watch’s except between 1600-2000 hours (4-8pm) when the 4-hour period is divided into two 2-hour periods called the first and second dog watch.  This allows the watch schedule to rotate so no one stands the same 4 hours on and off day in and day out.  At night 4 hours off allows for a more meaningful rest period for the off-watch than a 2 or 3-hour rotation does.

The only other concession to make in a watch schedule depends on the number of people in the crew.  With a 2-man crew it is, watch on/watch off, meals and personal hygiene, as well as evolutions that require more than one person on deck, will eat away at everyone’s off-watch time.  Thus, care must be taken to see everyone remains rested.

With a three man or larger crew, it is easy to rotate one person out of the watch each day for rest, though with 4-man or smaller crews the crewmember out of the rotation still has to be available for on deck evolutions that might require their help.

When a crew grows to 4 or more, I as captain take myself out of the formal watch schedule but am available anytime to anyone on watch that needs another hand on deck.  This allows those off-watch to remain in their berths resting for their watch. 

Another advantage to larger crews is someone can be detailed each day to be chief cook and bottle washer, responsible for preparing meals and cleaning up afterward.

While standing watch may seem a simple task many aspects of it do need to be taught to new crewmembers.  Usually, I post a list called “General Orders for Standing Watch” for everyone to read and to basically remind them of the responsibilities they have to their fellow crewmembers safety as well as their own.  Before setting out on any passage I go over this list with the whole crew so they and I know exactly what is expected of them.  (General Orders for Standing Watch can be found at the end of this article)

My list of General Orders for Standing Watch is just a list of the items I want the watch to pay attention to.  Standing Watch is an acquired skill, rarely is it taught in sailing or boating courses so it is each Captain’s responsibility to make sure those standing watch know what is expected of them. 

Most crewmembers I’ve had aboard on their first passages had no idea that Standing Watch involved more than just looking out for ships and floating hazards. 

Watch Standers must also keep an eye on how well things are functioning aboard their own vessel.  Taking a turn below every hour and just listening is critical.  I have been woken up to be told the watch keeps hearing a pump turn on and gotten up to find that a cracked fresh water line is leaking our fresh water into the bilge.  Informed in time I was able to shut off the valve to the line and save half our fresh water supply.  I have also had the watch go below and smell smoke and found the battery isolator melting and the bulkhead around it charring close to an all-out fire. 

If the person standing watch hadn’t taken a turn below every hour these problems wouldn’t have been discovered and the consequences could have been dire.

Another couple of reasons to have the watch go below and move quietly through the boat is it reassures those off-watch someone is up and about looking out for their welfare.  It is also nice when the watch comes below and quietly listens for a few moments, hears a constant clunk in some locker and quietly stuffs a dish towel in the locker to stop rattling cans that are disturbing those resting.

I also like to have those standing watch to take a turn about the deck at least once a watch to check for any problems.  Over the years my own turns about the deck, both day and night, have found rigging parts laying on the deck, lines chafing, loose anchors banging away in their rollers, loose gear or lines that are waiting for the right roll or a rouge wave to wash it overboard.  All are problems that can be easily corrected if found early.

Before each passage begins I also tell the crew, that as Captain I am to be called, anytime they have a question, that is anytime, day or night, whether I have been sleeping for 1 minute or several hours, I am available anytime without question! 

As the person ultimately responsible for the vessels safety, you as Captain can never give the And many customers complain buy viagra cheapest that it simply does not work. So, what order cheap levitra does the sex therapy really entail? Read this article and know the important facts about the currency market. A dip in sexual india cheap cialis drive is also observed since sexual performance and libido are tightly linked. These work by increasing the level of serotonin in use this link order viagra your body. impression that being called on deck at any time is a problem!  I also never question a watch standers decision to put in a reef or if the wind goes light to shake one out.  I never question the watch’s decision to alter course until I know why.  Maybe they are doing so to avoid a hazard they have spotted or need to avoid a ship and calling me and waiting for me to climb out of a berth and come on deck may take too long resulting in us colliding with some object or getting run over by a ship. 

Personally, I want my crews to learn and know as much as possible.  I want my crews to feel comfortable taking action on their own, to put in a reef, to alter course to avoid danger, to disengage the autopilot and hand steer.  I may still come on deck to see what is going on but never to berate a crew for taking action they thought necessary.  To do so means that some dark and stormy night they may avoid or delay calling me until it is too late.

I also have standing orders that at night I am to be called anytime the watch see the lights of a ship.  I do this until I am comfortable with each person’s ability to identify and decipher just what any lights they see mean.  Too often I have had inexperienced crew think they know what lights mean only to end up having a very close call with a ship.  Better I be disturbed and have to come on deck once in a while then be run down!

When called on deck for lights I always use it as a teaching opportunity by asking those on watch what the lights they are seeing mean and what course of action, if any, they should take.  Coming on deck, seeing the lights and then just telling the watch to alter or hold course doesn’t teach anyone anything!

On vessels where only one person is on watch at a time, particularly night watches.  I insist the watch write in the log at least once an hour, in rough conditions I may change this to every 30 minutes.  I don’t insist anything formal be written, I just want to see a time and a statement that all is well.  This way should the lone watch stander go missing I have an idea of how long ago they went overboard and thus have an idea of how far back I have to go to find them.  With today’s technology and crew wearing devices that can alert us when they do go overboard having people still writing in the log just so I know they are on board may seem redundant but since I have a healthy mistrust of all things electronic I will continue to have crew write in the log, at least once an hour!

As the time for your watch to end approaches it is important that you wake the off-watch in a timely manner so they can prepare for their time on deck.  Most of the time giving someone 15 minutes to wake up, get dressed and get a snack and a drink is enough.  If those going off watch are really on the ball they will have prepared hot water for the on-coming watch to have a cup of tea, coco, or coffee.  Those going off-watch should also inform the new watch of conditions on deck so they can dress properly before sticking their head out of the hatch, especially when there is a lot of water in the air, be it rain or spray.

For those going on watch proper watch-standing starts with you dressing properly for the expected conditions.  If you are not dressed properly you are either going to have to leave your watch station to redress or you are going to spend your watch uncomfortably cold and/or wet.  Consequently, you are not going to pay as much attention to your duties as you would if you were comfortable.

When coming on deck for your watch, especially at night, it is imperative you clip into a hard point or jack line before coming out of the companionway.  Chances are you are not yet fully awake and are likely to have something in your hands like a book, your headphones, a tablet or a hot drink and a quick roll of the boat can easily send you flying overboard.  So clip in!

At the change of the watch, it is the responsibility of those going off-watch to inform crewmembers coming on-watch what has been happening with the weather, what the ship’s course is, any problems to keep an eye on, any orders the Captain may have given concerning weather, sail changes, course changes and so on.  This exchange of information doesn’t need to be done in any formal manner but It is critical that it takes place every time the watch changes.

As I said before, standing watch is critical to a vessels safety.  Early on in a passage when people have yet to acclimatize to the rhythm of the ships motion, when they haven’t adjusted their sleep cycle to the demands of a watch schedule, crew coming on watch, especially at night are going to be tired.  Staying occupied and not sitting down will help them stay alert, especially if they are on watch alone. 

Generally, it takes several days or more for people to adjust to the rhythm of a passage.  Thus short passages of less than 3 or 4 days are the most difficult when it comes to everyone getting sufficient rest.  After 3 or 4 days most people will adjust and find themselves falling asleep quicker when they come off watch and sleep more soundly as the sounds and motion of a boat at sea become part of their normal background noise. 

Usually, Keely and I don’t have much trouble staying awake at night and many a night we each look forward to our alone time on watch.  Sitting in the cockpit watching the phosphorescent lights in the waves while listening to an audiobook or clipping onto the Jack Line, leaving the cockpit and sitting on the windward deck, leaning back against the dinghy under the boom and looking into the heavens, seeing millions of stars, identifying the constellations, watching meteors flashing by, or the play of moonbeams on the water or laying on the foredeck watching phosphorescent outlined dolphins playing in the bow wave can make a night watch fly by, sometimes so peacefully you don’t want it to end. 

Like everything else to do with sailing, Standing Watch is another skill that once learned and mastered can be an enjoyable endeavor whether stood in full daylight or in the depth of night and like every other sailing skill can only be learned through time on the water!

General Orders for Keeping Watch

1. The watch will keep a constant lookout for shipping, whales, flotsam (logs, containers etc.) or any object that may endanger the vessel and inform the Captain or Mate of such sightings.
2. When in doubt about any situation, regardless of the time of day or night, inform the Captain or Mate.
3. The Captain will be informed any time the weather or sea conditions change from within parameters set by the Captain.
4. Every effort will be made to be courteous to any off-watch crew members that may be sleeping by keeping the vessel as quiet as possible.
5. The watch will make an inspection about the deck and rigging at the beginning of each watch to check that gear, lines and lashings are secure and free of chafe.
6. The watch will make a walk through inspection below decks at least once each hour to check for any threatening conditions such as, fire, fumes, or flooding.
7. The watch will remain on deck as much as possible, particularly at night, coming below only for necessities.
8. All watch standers will remain awake for the duration of their watch.  Sleep while on watch endangers yourself and your shipmates.  If you are unable to stay awake, notify the Captain.
9. Each watch will maintain the ship’s log. 
10. No one shall make any changes in the vessel’s course, except in an emergency maneuver, without informing the Captain or Mate.