Sleeping whilst single handed

[freedom44]

Do any forumites have suggestions of the best watch pattern when singlehanded to maximise the sleeping time whilst minimising the the time "off watch".?
I have heard reference to the 20 minute system; what is this?
Obviously I am not refering to when you are approaching shipping lanes etc - more when offshore
Any ideas most welcome

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[snowleopard]

ellen and the 'professionals' tend to take 10-20 minute naps. they call this 'sleep management' and with practice they can carry on for weeks at a time. it helps to be young and fit.

in my singlehanding days i normally slept for a couple of hours but sometimes as long as 6. some people claim a change in the boat's motion wakes them but i never found that.

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[Sea Devil]

Just before Sunset and just after sunrise I try to get 3/4 of an hour in - rest of the time 20-30 minutes day and night - easier than 2 handing

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

 

[Dominic]

I have found that I stay awake for the first 36 hours and the last 48 hours. Otherwise it is a good night´s sleep - when well clear.

Also VHF radio on 16 and 13 wired to an amplifier and speakers so any calls will wake me instantly.



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[BIG_PLANS]

Doesn't the International Collision Regs state 'every vessell shall at all time maintain a proper look out by sight, sound' etc. Must be difficult when asleep!!!!!

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[RupertW]

I've never singlehanded over a long distance, but when sailing shorthanded I found a low-power radar detection device very useful for audibly alerting the watchkeeper whenever a boat/ship with radar appeared on the horizon. It allowed two of us to have very relaxed offshore nightwatches - partly in a warm cabin below.

I bought it about 10 years ago and I'd guess that there are very low-power settings to some modern radar sets which will do the same (and give you the chance to power them up properly in fog etc.).

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[Koeketiene]

I've got my radar set to do a 1 minute sweep every 20 mins. If there is a contact within a pre-defined perimeter (I usually set 10nm) it sets of an alarm.

I also set my alarm clock to wake me every 4 hours to make rounds of the boat regardless. When alone (offshore) I find that I sleep on average 10hrs a day - that's more than I get ashore.

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[John_Lana]

When I crossed the Atlantic alone, I woke every 20 minutes or so. At the begining I used a kitchen timer, but soon got into the routine of not needing it.
I am not sure that staying awake for "the first 36 and last 48 hours" is a good idea. I think it is important not to get too tired, and lots of short sleeps can avoid that.
I would be leary of relying on a radar detector when offshore - we have seen countless ships, never mind other yachts, who for some reason do not have their radar running when offshore. In some ways, the middle of an ocean is more dangerous than inshore, in terms of getting hit by another vessel, because when offshore, in fine weather, everybody tends to let down their guard a bit!

John

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.john-lana.com>http://www.john-lana.com</A> Mainly about boats, but also a bit about my other toy, my Caterham 7

 

[Koeketiene]

Hi John,

Wasn't talking about a radar detector, but a radar.
Even assuming that you would encounter a vessel doing 28kts (some cargos do, but most average 24-25kts), a perimeter of 10nm with 20 min interval sweeps will catch it, even if it's just outside your perimeter at say 0H00 you will still have (some) searoom at 0H20.

I used this system when crossing Brest to La Coruna & back, and it has served me well.

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[John_Lana]

Rupert W said he used a radar detector.......

John

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.john-lana.com>http://www.john-lana.com</A> Mainly about boats, but also a bit about my other toy, my Caterham 7

 

[Evadne]

Hmm.. how do you know when the "last 48 hours" begins?
It can't be that dangerous, more yachts are wrecked with full crews than singlehanders, so survival instincts obviously kick in at some point, even if singlehanders have been run down ever since the days of Joshua Slocum. I'd agree with the poster who said that you can't guarantee on the boat motion to wake you up: in my (seagoing but non-saily) experience, if you're dog-tired then you'll sleep through hell and high water.

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[Dominic]

You don´t know when the last 48 begins - but it just seems to work that way.

Imagine raising Bishops Rock Light in the evening (having been awake all day) on the way in. That then puts you in Falmouth the following afternoon. (OK 36, not 48)

Basically it is staying awake until clear of land and lanes, then staying awake again as you draw back into them.
I am talking about Atlantic crossing. Not sure if my method would work for going down the Channel Dover to Falmouth for example.

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[Evadne]

I see. I guess accurate nav. (electronic or optical) takes the sting out of it a bit. I think an extended SH voyage in crowded waters would be a bit of a nightmare. The really bad bits arer Dover to Newhaven, the Solent bit and probably a few others I'm not familiar with, none of which I'd like to be asleep for. I think a radar "watchman" or similar must be a bit of a boon.

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[Sea Devil]

Agree with John L - for some reason lots of ships do not run their radar - same experience - also my radar tends not to always 'sea' small wooden fishing boats and if it is tuned to reveal the smaller echos in anything of a sea the alarm goes off all the time -

in crowded waters you just have to keep some watch but its still posssible to grab a few minutes sleep every so often.........

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[John_Lana]

I cannot imagine anybody having a kip while going down-channel single-handed /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif Surely the secret is that when you are close to shore, you coast-hop, and anchor every now and then for a sleep. Surely the question only really arises when you are going off-shore?
I generally work on yachts maybe a little larger than average, and we always keep a radar and visual watch. Many of you would probably be frightened at how hard it is to see a small yacht, either visually or by radar, especially in bad weather. It can only be worse from the bridge of a big ship.

John

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.john-lana.com>http://www.john-lana.com</A> Mainly about boats, but also a bit about my other toy, my Caterham 7

 

[clyst]

According to IRPCS you cant !!
Rule 5 states that every vessel shall at ALL times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing etc ,etc
Strangely enough our good Queen Liz actually knights sailors who blatently break the IRPCS Mr Chichester for one !!

Cheers

Terry

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[graham]

It can be almost impossible to detect a small wooden or grp yacht in bad weather with Radar .To get a usable picture a lot of sea clutter suppresion is needed which can completely hide a small target which is dissappearing into large holes between the waves.

This is presuming that anyone is actually keeping a watch on the other vessel.

To put it in perspective though there must be a tiny risk of being run down in remote places when compared with the number of drivers nodding off on the motorways?

IMHO the most dangerous part going sailing is driving down to the boat and back.

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[alex_rogers]

Definately agree with the last remark. I used to work offshore with explosives, high pressure etc. and it was drummed into us that driving to the heliport was probably the most dangerous part of the job. The statistics of engineers killed in car crashes definately supported this view.

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[A_7]

Kitchen timer in the cockpit.

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[MarkJohnson]

When I sailed single handed overnight to Ireland and South Coast, my routine was to try to sleep for 10 minutes down below, awoken by a kitchen timer.

Mainly dozed rather than slept.

It was OK for 36 hour trip, but longer than I am not sure.

Regards



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