Refueler
Well-Known Member
Under sail ... water sounds along hull, on bow etc. ... the whooosh as bow dips into a wave ... the quiet and peace of it ... all cry out ... SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP !! I find it intoxicating ..
Keeping awake on night watch
- Thread starter nigelmercier
- Start date
StugeronSteve
Well-Known Member
I guess I'm just getting old, but I've nodded off standing at the wheel. Soon woke up when the forehead hit the cold stainless though. Best tip for staying awake: don't have one of those fancy soft leather clad wheels, but do clip on!
Double check your plots when you're seriously tired, it's amazing what rudimentary clangers you can drop without noticing.
Double check your plots when you're seriously tired, it's amazing what rudimentary clangers you can drop without noticing.
oldsaltoz
Well-Known Member
As a one time shift worker (14 years), long distance driver and boat delivery skipper I can tell you I have no problems in the first 24 hours.
Then 2 hours will see me through another 10 to 12 hours. After that I need 3 to 4 hours, then back to 2 hours between 10 to 12 hour stints.
White Light therapy helps (Google this). but I suspect a lifetime of sleep deprivation helps.
A few years back I had a one trip only crewman who stayed awake and seemingly alert for 36 hours straight, he has a single Rum and Coke on the hour every hour. not enough to get tipsy, but enough for me to ban him from any further trips. He only did his first watch 15 hours into the trip and told us of his method, he was not put on watch after that but stayed in the cockpit the whole 36 hours but for making tea and coffee for others and regular meals.
If you can relax between watches and during your watch you should have few problems. any sign of eyes closing or even feeling very tired is a very good reason the not think but do something else.
Sailing single handed should be frowned on or banned; no one should have that much fun on their own.
Avagoodweekend......
Then 2 hours will see me through another 10 to 12 hours. After that I need 3 to 4 hours, then back to 2 hours between 10 to 12 hour stints.
White Light therapy helps (Google this). but I suspect a lifetime of sleep deprivation helps.
A few years back I had a one trip only crewman who stayed awake and seemingly alert for 36 hours straight, he has a single Rum and Coke on the hour every hour. not enough to get tipsy, but enough for me to ban him from any further trips. He only did his first watch 15 hours into the trip and told us of his method, he was not put on watch after that but stayed in the cockpit the whole 36 hours but for making tea and coffee for others and regular meals.
If you can relax between watches and during your watch you should have few problems. any sign of eyes closing or even feeling very tired is a very good reason the not think but do something else.
Sailing single handed should be frowned on or banned; no one should have that much fun on their own.
Avagoodweekend......
Sailfree
Well-Known Member
Now don't you go upsetting Peter. Read his Bio he's involved with the RNLI!
Always preaches perfection. Reality is for us mere mortals.
I sailed back from Spain singlehanded and initially set the radar guard on to about 3mls but got my deep sleep interupted so many times I reduced it to 1ml in the end.
Seriously though I did find cat napping in the cockpit quite easy but always tried to limit it to only 1 night then next night have an overnight in a port/mooring to get a good sleep.
Always preaches perfection. Reality is for us mere mortals.
I sailed back from Spain singlehanded and initially set the radar guard on to about 3mls but got my deep sleep interupted so many times I reduced it to 1ml in the end.
Seriously though I did find cat napping in the cockpit quite easy but always tried to limit it to only 1 night then next night have an overnight in a port/mooring to get a good sleep.
dulcibella
Well-Known Member
Even if headphones don't induce sleep, they are a bad idea on watch - depriving us of a sense that may give the first warning of a problem.
TheBoatman
Well-Known Member
I've done more night passages than I care to admit but what I can say is, I've never ever dosed off whilst "on watch" ~ admittedly on many occasions I've felt like death warmed up ~ but I've never ever etc, etc.
If I know that I've got a night passage coming up I make sure that I get some sleep before I leave, I eat before I sleep and after that eat very little during the passage because eating will make you sleepy. I busy myself with running the boat i.e. lookout, log filling, sail triming, position checking, listening to VHF traffic, etc, etc?
If I'm running single handed then I take extra precautions, if I have a crew as the skipper I make sure that someone is on watch who isn't likely to fall asleep.
For the life of me I can't understand why you would want to try and defend falling asleep whilst "on-watch"? Except that you know that it happens, therefore it must be acceptable!!!!
I hold a licence that is controlled by the MCA and I'm just wondering if they would accept as a defence on my part that I was tired and although I had fallen asleep I really wasn't to blame ~ yer right!!!
Peter.
TheBoatman.
If I know that I've got a night passage coming up I make sure that I get some sleep before I leave, I eat before I sleep and after that eat very little during the passage because eating will make you sleepy. I busy myself with running the boat i.e. lookout, log filling, sail triming, position checking, listening to VHF traffic, etc, etc?
If I'm running single handed then I take extra precautions, if I have a crew as the skipper I make sure that someone is on watch who isn't likely to fall asleep.
For the life of me I can't understand why you would want to try and defend falling asleep whilst "on-watch"? Except that you know that it happens, therefore it must be acceptable!!!!
I hold a licence that is controlled by the MCA and I'm just wondering if they would accept as a defence on my part that I was tired and although I had fallen asleep I really wasn't to blame ~ yer right!!!
Peter.
TheBoatman.
VictorII
Well-Known Member
I used to know a lot of songs and I sang them softly while on watch. Unlike listening to music, I never dozed off while singing. It takes a bit of preparation, but it works every time. Nowadays as I get older I don't remember all the lyrics so my repertoire keeps getting smaller.
The only drawback is that the other crew on watch might not like your choice of music/ sound of your voice/ become superstitious about hearing someone singing at night.
Then again, singing together at sea is a very special experience.
The only drawback is that the other crew on watch might not like your choice of music/ sound of your voice/ become superstitious about hearing someone singing at night.
Then again, singing together at sea is a very special experience.
Seakindly
Well-Known Member
Well, sheer fear keeps me awake and I drink very strong coffee. My brother was slammed in the cells on a destroyer for falling asleep standing up in a corner out of the wind and rain on aft watch. He was spat on and was given sandwiches that included excrement. As a teenager he was told the penalty was death which he believed at the time. Mebbe we could bring back the lash? We all take precautions against driving whilst tired but such accidents still happen. I very nearly fell asleep near landfall because I had an incapacitated crew-member and stood longer watches. Things happen. I'm very happy to hear about how other people cope. It's not about condoning it. It's obviously a fact of life and I'm very reassured that other people struggle with this a bit too. Go on Peter. Confess something ....you really must have done something out of order once upon a time.
maxi77
Well-Known Member
I don't think any one is either defending or justifying falling asleep on watch, in fact the opposite they are describing how they approach the problem. Your advice is good if one is going on a passage with a single overnight, but not so helpfull when there are several days involved. Different people equally have differentr sleep needs but in general extended short handed sailing with enough for 2 or 3 watches is going to lead to some if not all of the crew starting to suffer from sleep deprivation.
The dangerous thing is to pretent it is not happening, and that one is 'tough' enough to see it through. It is far safer to recognise the risk one is exposed to and adopt coping solutions. Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
The dangerous thing is to pretent it is not happening, and that one is 'tough' enough to see it through. It is far safer to recognise the risk one is exposed to and adopt coping solutions. Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
[/ QUOTE ]
Some may - but not a general item. In 17yrs on ships myself, never saw one. I go on ships now as Surveyor and cannot recall seeing or hearing about any.
Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
[/ QUOTE ]
Some may - but not a general item. In 17yrs on ships myself, never saw one. I go on ships now as Surveyor and cannot recall seeing or hearing about any.
maxi77
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
[/ QUOTE ]
Some may - but not a general item. In 17yrs on ships myself, never saw one. I go on ships now as Surveyor and cannot recall seeing or hearing about any.
[/ QUOTE ]
In the days when I peddled autopilots amongst other things they were standard in the more expensive systems but an optional extra in the cheaper ones. Mind you that was 30 years ago now so they nay not be as fashionable
[ QUOTE ]
Commercial ships do have watch alarms because they do understand the risks and the frailty of the human body.
[/ QUOTE ]
Some may - but not a general item. In 17yrs on ships myself, never saw one. I go on ships now as Surveyor and cannot recall seeing or hearing about any.
[/ QUOTE ]
In the days when I peddled autopilots amongst other things they were standard in the more expensive systems but an optional extra in the cheaper ones. Mind you that was 30 years ago now so they nay not be as fashionable