Watch Keeping

I use a loose 2 hours on - 2 hours off with a bit of an overlap for chat/tea/etc. Seems to work ok.
Essentials overnight are nibbles in the cockpit, pressure cooker loaded with stew or whatever, cockpit speaker for the vhf and the kitchen timer set every 15 minutes (just in case). During the day we follow the same routine taking sleep in our "off" periods as we feel like it.
Takes about 2 days to get the rhythm going.
 
If just 24 hours, it may be a case of 'suck it and see'. Depends quite a bit on the two people. Possibly weather dependant.

At night you really want to get a min of 1 1/2 hours sleep, so 2 hours on and 2 hours off is a min. If say one has more experience than the other, or has better night sight, or has to face shipping lanes there is a case for that person to do try to do these bits, and leave easier bits to the other. You may even need to spend a little time together at night - particularly around sunset.

make sure you both don't spend the day on watch - prepare for the night in terms of energy levels and food. Again a 'loose' 2 on 2 off could work, or longer if the 2 watch keepers are experienced at eg. setting best sail plan; good navigation/planning etc.

edit - AWOL - I didn't see your post first - honest!
 
As others have said, for a single night it's not critical.
Having done quite a few overnighters, we find that watch periods are weather/temperature dependent; if it's cold we go for 3 or once (it was really grim) 2 hour watches. However, for preference we have four hour watches, as that way even with handovers we get a decent 3-3.5 hour sleep.
 
It very much depends on how many people there are and how experienced they are. If there is 4 capable crew try a watch of 2 doing four hours. If there are 3 capable try doing 2 hours with only one on watch. This gives 4 hours sleep. If there is only 2 people I c an only manage 2 hours on and 2 hours off.
 
Depends on the trip, but in general I agree 2 on 2 off at night or in busy conditions. 4 hrs can be reasonable during the day, enabling a decent sleep. We sometimes do a four hour watch each, with an hour or so overlap between. Even if we are both awake, we tend to take turns on the wheel, and whoever is steering is in charge and responsible for lookout etc.
 
The key thing IMHO for short passages is to arrange things so that that the most competent person is well rested for the critical bits. Often there is only 1 on board really capable of doing the tricky bits and dealing with things when they go pear-shaped. If that's you, get your head down whenever you can and leave clear instructions on when to be woken. Landfall after 24 hours when no-one is in a routine and everyone is knackered is a dangerous time.
 
Until the effects wear off and suddenly you're ~#]#ed.
There are probably better times to experiment with drugs, like the 1970's perhaps?
 
Agree with Whipper Snapper. I tend to sleep for the long off shore bit but be alert for departure and arrival or bits where nav is tricky.
My biggest worry is who ever is on watch might fall asleep while on autopilot. (i did it once)
Wonder if there is a gadget that can keep the watch keeper awake without disturbing sleeping crew.
 
Have been doing assorted 2 handed races for the last 12 years or so with various co-skippers. We have found that getting a 3 hour hit of proper sleep each night gives a very strong base. This means that either of you can grab an hour or two whenever it's available and very much play it by ear. Keeping to a rigid 2 hours on, 2 hours off doesn't really give this base because the ocean/boat has this tendency to disprupt a nicely ordered sytem. Maybe cruising might be diferent but things still happen to disrupt things.
I assume you have a decent autopilot. If you haven't and want to go offshore 2 handed be prepared for some hard days and nights!
 
Watchkeeping system used on Finnish sailing ships, according to Alan Villiers. Two watches.

0000-0400 /0400-0800/0800-1300/1300-1900/1900-2400.
 
The Sixties

How the eff would you know? If you can remeber the sixties then you weren't there. Ha Ha.
 
The problem with the short watches is the off watch person does not get enough good quality sleep, so for any extended period making the watches as long as practical is a good thing. Yes a single watchkeeper falling asleep is a bad thing especially is some of the more congested areas. In the days when I was involved with commercial autopilots one of the go faster goodies was a wtchkeepers alarm which went off at something like 10 minute intervals unles cancelled, and woke up the skipper. Something similar would be a good thing on yachts, both making sure the on watch person didn't sleep for too long and also allowing the off watch person to relax more because they will be awakened if the waychkeeper falls asleep.
 
A lot of support for 2 on, 2 off. But I personally find that 2 hours is not enough sleep for me. I would go for 4 hours on, 4 off, but make sure you start the watch cycle well before it gets dark.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Something similar would be a good thing on yachts, both making sure the on watch person didn't sleep for too long and also allowing the off watch person to relax more because they will be awakened if the waychkeeper falls asleep.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree that an alarm can be useful, but sailing 24 hour 2 handed the watchkeeper must be awake and alert, and there is no reason why this should not be the case. The timer mustn't be used as an excuse to relax.

Single handed is another issue, and the risks go up.
 
Many of the suggestions have been for a fixed number of hours on/off. I find more than 2 hours on watch on my own at night quite testing, whereas 3 hours during the day is OK - probably some psychology in there somewhere. I've done a 2-handed 48 hour coastal passage through the Irish Sea and up into the Western Isles (lots to hit, lots of tide, lots of fishing boats) using:

0100-0300
0300-0500
0500-0700
0700-0900
0900-1200
1200-1500
1500-1800
1800-2100
2100-2300
2300-0100

gives chance to grab longer stretches of sleep during the day and the night watches aren't as long. Crew comprised two equally (in)competent crew.

TLOM
 
depends on the individual, but I would go for at least 6 hours solid sleep so 6 to 12, 12 to 6, and 6am to 6pm both awake.

bet you end up fighting over who gets the midnight to 6am spell. magic in summer.
 
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