Channel Crossing Watchkeeping

[BlueSkyNick]

We are planning two channel crossings this month, the second one being the Scuttlebutt trip to Cherbourg. We are planning to cross overnight on way out, on both occasions.

On each, I will have 3 other crew members, one of which is a novice channel crosser.

What is the favoured watch pattern for a 4-man crew (including the skipper). 2hours on , 2 off? 3 on, 3 off?

What if one person drops out, leaving 3? 4 hours on, 2 off, overlapping with each other somehow?



<hr width=100% size=1>It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

 

[jimi]

I don't do proper watches on a channel crossing. What I do is once clear of IOW I get a bit of kip and issue instructions to be called if there's a ship sighted. I want to be on deck when crossing shipping lanes.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[waverider]

Good call jimi.....or plan a day crossing and to be out of the shipping lanes before dusk.....then worry about gill nets and pots!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[LadyInBed]

I work it the same as Jimi (but I don’t sleep quite so much).
I have a three way watch schedule, which work ok, play with it if you wish.
2Hr 40 On 4Hr 50 Off

<pre> | A Watch | B Watch | C Watch
Day 1 | 00:00 02:40 | 02:30 05:10 | 05:00 07:40
4 | 07:30 10:10 | 10:00 12:40 | 12:30 14:10
7 | 14:00 16:40 | 16:30 19:10 | 19:00 21:40
10 | 21:30 00:10 | |
Day 2 | | 00:00 02:40 | 02:30 05:10
5 | 05:00 07:40 | 07:30 10:10 | 10:00 12:40
8 | 12:30 14:10 | 14:00 16:40 | 16:30 19:10
11 | 19:00 21:40 | 21:30 00:10 |
Day 3 | | | 00:00 02:40
6 | 02:30 05:10 | 05:00 07:40 | 07:30 10:10
9 | 10:00 12:40 | 12:30 14:10 | 14:00 16:40
12 | 16:30 19:10 | 19:00 21:40 | 21:30 00:10</pre>

and so on . . .

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[bedouin]

I think a channel crossing is a bit short for a proper watch keeping routine. However where possible I prefer a 3 watch system - probably 3 on and 6 off, but maybe 2 on but 4 off.

For single crossing it depends a bit on what time you leave. Assuming a mid-evening departure as skipper I would try to get my head down as soon as poss after clearing the IoW, then coming back on watch about 0200-0300 and staying on until 0600 while some of the others got a kip

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[StephenSails]

I have only crossed the ditch twice by yacht, both times I ended up helming and navigating by a hand held GPS, watches are a luxury. Basically just make sure that when you are crossing the lanes everyone is ready to jump on deck and that at least one person is keeping a good look out. I think when vis is really low then get them all out of bed and post them to look out either side maybe?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtinguniverse.com>http://www.yachtinguniverse.com</A>

 

[Indalo]

I did Dartmouth to Guernsey SW-about (80NM) earlier this summer, 2230 - 1400, had 2 crew plus myself including one inexperienced. We did 4 hours on and 2 off, with the skipper up across the shipping lanes and final approach - basically everyone got 2 x 2 hour rest periods during the crossing. Worked OK though I was getting tired by the end of the shipping lanes (5hr watch). On the way back we did Alderney to Weymouth 2 up, no planned watch but each had 2 x 1hr breaks.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Sunnyseeker]

My experience is any longer than 2 hours you start to drop off, especially if steering by compass...the good old days before GPS and autohelms, when if you steered badly you missed the harbour!
Cos it can be busy you dont want inexperienced people on their own, but change one person every 2 hours. So thats 4hours on with two people but one of them changes halfway through, so just as your dropping off a bit the company changes.
Trouble is the first couple of nights are always hard so channel crossings are the worst, after 3 or 4 days you get into the routine. So it looks like A=8-12 B=10-2 C=12-4 D=2-6 Just arrange it so you get your kip in the quiet patch otherwise you wont get any sleep and you'll arrive knackered! Have a good trip
Neil

<hr width=100% size=1>Oh ye who have your eyeballs vexed and tired feast them upon the wideness of the sea

 

[Jeremy_W]

What about 4-on 2-off overlapping for the three crew and you "float" (navigating, extra set of eyes on deck at critical moments, making a brew, getting plenty of sleep...)? If anyone becomes dangerously tired or the novice loses it at the fall of darkness you can step in and stand a watch.

Let's face it, much of the sailing in a Channel crossing is pretty routine. The most dangerous thing is approaching a port with a non compos mentis skipper. It could also raise the sense of achievement of your crew. To misquote Tony Benn "when the best skipper's job is done, the crew will say 'we did it all ourselves' ".

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jonjo]

Although it is difficult to establish a watch keeping system on such a short voyage you should try to.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[billmacfarlane]

Because it's a fairly short trip it's difficult to establish a workable watchkeeping rota. I usually do two 3 hour watches followed by two 2 hour watches, based on either 2 people on the boat or 4 for an overnight passage of between 10 and 12 hours. The advantage being that if you start at 2200 on a typical summer's night each watch has 3 hours of darkness followed by 2 hours of morning twilight when it always seems to be colder. Daytimewatches are typically 3 hours duration.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Thanks to everybody who responded to this. I know it is only a short passage, etc, and it would be easy just to stay awake the whole time ...... if everything goes according to plan.

However, I feel that unexpected changes to plan need to be considered. WHat if there are mechanical problems and a 12hour crossing becomes 18? What if you can't enter the destination for some reason, and have to go elsewhere - again, an extended passage, by which time everybody is knackered together and its too late to introduce a rota.

I also think it is important to let everybody feel that they can take a kip if they wish, ie they are not obliged to stay up.

My own answer to the questions is to discuss it with the crew as we set off, according to timing, weather forecast, personal preferences etc.

<hr width=100% size=1>It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

 

[peterb]

There's some interesting information about fatigue in <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_maritimesafety/documents/page/dft_masafety_030084.pdf>here</A>. It's a pdf document, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat, but it's worth reading.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[TheBoatman]

<<<<My own answer to the questions is to discuss it with the crew as we set off, according to timing, weather forecast, personal preferences etc. >>>>

Perfect, hit it in one!!!!!

Peter.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

I always like the 2 watch system with 3rd guy as 'float'.

Whether its boating or in our work - supervising additive injection / loading of vessels etc........

2 of the three agree splitting time and 3rd is there to replace one on next set of watches ...... BUT he is always available for extra hands duties like trimming / going about etc.

So it goes, taking each person as .... A B C

A on watch, change with B.
B gets relieved by A when time is up.
A gets relieved by C ...
C gets relieved by B .....
B by C ......
C by A

repeat ...... this way everyone gets an increased rest period every second set.....plus 3rd hand is available for those tense times ...


OK - all will have their preferred patterns and the above is only my personal preference.


<hr width=100% size=1>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/