Singlehanded Sleep Schedule

[Leviathan33]

Thanks! Good plan

[MJH]

Originally Posted by KISS

So, I've been rereading some information about singlehanding, esp. about sleeping while singlehanding, and thinking about whether "micro-sleeping" or normal sleeping is better. Micro-sleeping makes for better watches for a part of the day, while normal sleeping makes for a more competent sailor for the rest of the day, esp. over the long term. Assuming the singlehander uses the collision avoidance equipment listed below while sleeping, which sleep schedule do you think is safer?

radar with zone alarm
AIS receiver with zone alarm
AIS transponder
proper navigation lights
VHF turned on
steel hull (i.e. giant radar reflector)

P.S. I'm talking about offshore sailing here; obviously one should never be asleep near the coast.

This question really only applies to offshore passages.

My only experience sailing solo on a passage was from Key West, FL to Galveston, TX (this was a diversion from the original destination of Panama) across the Gulf of Mexico on a new-to-me boat. After two days the boat experienced a total electrical failure but I continued on with the Monitor windvane, a stack of AA batteries for my Garmin GPS, and a handheld VHF.

My schedule was to sleep when I needed it and to get things done when it needed to get done like bailing water from the bilge from a leaky stufffing box because the pumps didn't work without power and I couldn't reach the box. I would look at the horizon, find the darkest part of it (no lights on the horizon) and head that way. I slept sitting up in the cockpit portside with my right arm around one of the winches. When I woke up I checked my position, renewed batteries if necessary, alter my heading, and then go back to sleep.

Over the seven days I only saw three boats, one of which I contacted and had him relay a message to the USCG of my loss of power (no lights) situation and ETA to Galveston.

My memories of that voyage are still with me. I experienced the hallucinations folks talk about but, strangely, knew that they were not real at the time; a very weird experience. One of them occurred just after I awoke near an oil rig during a rainstorm. The rig seemed so large and was lit up like a city skyscraper then I heard low voices coming from the cabin. I knew there wasn't anybody there (I was solo after all) but I went down to look anyway to put my mind at peace. Another was the visual experience that the boat was sailing uphill to the horizon. Another was green lights rising from the water depths at night. Another was sailing past (looking down) at a small building with high walls keeping out the water.

No one has mention those sailing in the Vendee Globe solo nonstop race around the world every four years...it starts November 08, 2020 with 37 competitors; following the race will be my entertainment this winter. These folks (men & women) sail for hundreds of days alone at very fast speeds and seem to have their sleep schedules well in hand...so it is possible and we can learn from them.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH