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Old 19-08-2013, 12:18   #391
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

There's also the singlehander buddy boat system ,where each take turn sleeping,while other watches for ships.
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:20   #392
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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There's also the singlehander buddy boat system ,where each take turn sleeping,while other watches for ships.
Took advantage of this rounding the bottom of South Africa between Durban and Port Elizabeth - but the other boats were crewed. Not only to watch for ships, but for the other sail boats to watch out for me too.
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:24   #393
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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Whether single handing or with crew if your vessel is hove-to or disabled in an area with heavy traffic, it is good practice to announce to all stations your position, speed and direction of travel. No matter the reason.
A better approach when disabled is to contact vessel traffic services and let them know of your predicament. They will then inform all participating traffic.

Been there, done that. In 2000 we were adrift at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straits for 1.5 days. (No transmission.) We actually were NUC but did not have the lights or dayshapes to display. Tofino Traffic and Seattle Traffic let shipping know our position; they have much more powerful transmitters.
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:25   #394
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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A better approach when disabled is to contact vessel traffic services and let them know of your predicament. They will then inform all participating traffic.

Been there, done that. In 2000 we were adrift at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straits for 1.5 days. (No transmission.) We actually were NUC but did not have the lights or dayshapes to display. Tofino Traffic and Seattle Traffic let shipping know our position; they have much more powerful transmitters.
Thanks. Refreshing to get useful, positive responses to posts!
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:38   #395
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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hammocks on smaller boats hang well between main mast and headstay.

my boat requires an inner forestay or a temp babystay for installation of same hammock.

i am happier in my cool comfortable aft cockpit with a cooling tropical breeze blowing across my sofa....unfortunately those breezes are too soft for sailing here..

Yeah I could hang one there, but I couldn't be at the helm there.

I've told my daughters I want a hanging chair for Christmas or birthday (they're close together).
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:49   #396
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

This occurred before SatNav, so back when we were using celestial navigation, and we did have VHF. The vessel was an S&S 30 footer, called a Yankee 30, in the States.

It was nighttime and raining heavily, sometime after midnight. The wind had finally stopped increasing after building for quite a while, and settled down at 35-40 knots. We were well out at sea, somewhere north of Kauai, en route from Kauai to San Francisco. The waves had built with the breeze, and visibility was impaired.

I put out a blind call on the VHF, had been unable to see far enough in the dark, rain, and seas. Following my broadcasts, I saw the lights of a freighter astern, and it appeared to me that they were turning to avoid us.

Admittedly, it happened a long time ago, but sometimes shipping personnel are listening, and do behave responsibly. Good on 'em. I sure felt grateful.

Ann
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:50   #397
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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Jeepers Raku, A lot of sh1t happens to you, I must stay well away

dave

I keep telling you -- I take my boat out a lot. I've probably done more sailing in the six years I've been sailing than many have in 16 - 20 years. You go out, stuff is gonna happen.

I didn't see the problems with this guy coming. I had sailed with him, including racing -- but on his boat. So of course, he was the skipper. What I *didn't* know about him was that he really, seriously thought men were superior in all things to women. So when he got on my boat as crew, he really thought he should be the skipper -- just because he was male!

We made a wrong turn in one place. The chartplotter showed me immediately; I could see the shallows. I turned the boat around. He argued about that because he had not confirmed on the paper chart.

Then he insisted that I should turn starboard 90º to get out, and I said no, we're going out the way we came in, we know that's a good way out and it won't take long. Five minutes later he pulled his nose out of his (well you fill in the gap, but apparently that's where he had the chart -- grin) and said -- I have studied the chart and we should go out the way we came in.

I showed him how the chartplotter showed the *exact* track we had followed in, but he refused to learn anything about the thing at all. That was my chart he was so engrossed in. I don't ignore charts, but sometimes if you have to make a decision on where to go in five second, a chartplotter can be a handy little gadget.

It went on and on that way. He didn't like it when I took the boat through Longboat Pass, but it's a difficult entrance and it was my insurance and my boat on the line. And, he had already shown me he couldn't make quick, good decisions, because using a paper chart in a tight spot isn't always efficient. But at the same time, he refused to help keep the log up to date with lat, long and time, and he refused to plot it on the chart.

I'm all for knowing how to DR, but on the other hand, if you know *exactly* where you are, to me it makes sense to put it on the chart. I use a grease pencil and it can easily be wiped away for the next trip.

One thing I absolutely knew about this man: I did not want him standing watch at night while we crossed over to the Tortugas to meet up with some other boats. My boat was about as different from his 25' Cape Dory as a 31' boat can be, and he'd sailed on it very little.

Oh, I could go on. It was a long 24 hours.
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Old 19-08-2013, 12:55   #398
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate View Post
This occurred before SatNav, so back when we were using celestial navigation, and we did have VHF. The vessel was an S&S 30 footer, called a Yankee 30, in the States.

It was nighttime and raining heavily, sometime after midnight. The wind had finally stopped increasing after building for quite a while, and settled down at 35-40 knots. We were well out at sea, somewhere north of Kauai, en route from Kauai to San Francisco. The waves had built with the breeze, and visibility was impaired.

I put out a blind call on the VHF, had been unable to see far enough in the dark, rain, and seas. Following my broadcasts, I saw the lights of a freighter astern, and it appeared to me that they were turning to avoid us.

Admittedly, it happened a long time ago, but sometimes shipping personnel are listening, and do behave responsibly. Good on 'em. I sure felt grateful.

Ann
I'd just passed between the West and East Gardens on the way to Galveston when a norther arrived. Hove-to. Also 35-40 knots and the waves sent my boat airborne at least 4 times. Due to the ship traffic in the area I announced an 'all stations' call informing ships in the area of my presence. Position, direction of travel and speed - including an estimate of time when I'd be crossing a shipping lane. One ship responded saying he was north of my position, and due to the conditions estimated there wasn't much traffic to worry about. Never hurts to announce.
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Old 19-08-2013, 13:11   #399
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate View Post
This occurred before SatNav, so back when we were using celestial navigation, and we did have VHF. The vessel was an S&S 30 footer, called a Yankee 30, in the States.

It was nighttime and raining heavily, sometime after midnight. The wind had finally stopped increasing after building for quite a while, and settled down at 35-40 knots. We were well out at sea, somewhere north of Kauai, en route from Kauai to San Francisco. The waves had built with the breeze, and visibility was impaired.

I put out a blind call on the VHF, had been unable to see far enough in the dark, rain, and seas. Following my broadcasts, I saw the lights of a freighter astern, and it appeared to me that they were turning to avoid us.

Admittedly, it happened a long time ago, but sometimes shipping personnel are listening, and do behave responsibly. Good on 'em. I sure felt grateful.

Ann

That is a hair-raising story!
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Old 19-08-2013, 13:47   #400
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I don't cook meals on such passages... food is a quickie snack stiff... pretzels, candy, fruit... or maybe a can of soup. Quick gallery stop and then return to the cockpit.
).
While you have me on open sea miles, I've done a fair amount of endurance racing. Informal surveys of guys who have raced 24-48 hours non-stop is that junk food results in secondary problems. These include loss of mental acuity and hallucinations. YMMV, or you could just be young enough that your body can run on that fuel.

Something to ponder.

Me? I have two Natural High dried meals for quick food. Heat water, add to package, wrap towel around bag, and eat anywhere- anytime. That and kippers or sardines
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Old 19-08-2013, 13:55   #401
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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While you have me on open sea miles, I've done a fair amount of endurance racing. Informal surveys of guys who have raced 24-48 hours non-stop is that junk food results in secondary problems. These include loss of mental acuity and hallucinations. YMMV, or you could just be young enough that your body can run on that fuel.

Something to ponder.

Me? I have two Natural High dried meals for quick food. Heat water, add to package, wrap towel around bag, and eat anywhere- anytime. That and kippers or sardines
Maybe he enjoys loss of mental acuity and hallucinations!
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Old 19-08-2013, 14:06   #402
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Maybe he enjoys loss of mental acuity and hallucinations!
Nah at 03:00 the last thing you want to see in the clouds are angry Walt Disney elves from the cartoon Cinderella.... Long story behind that, best told in person at a pub.
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Old 19-08-2013, 14:12   #403
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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Nah at 03:00 the last thing you want to see in the clouds are angry Walt Disney elves from the cartoon Cinderella.... Long story behind that, best told in person at a pub.
I was hallucinating from lack of sleep about two days away from Hiva Oa. If I told folks about the clouds I thought I was seeing it would be confirmation for at least some at Cruisers Forum I am insane.

Best left alone.
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Old 19-08-2013, 14:46   #404
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Re: Keeping Watch at Night ?

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I was hallucinating from lack of sleep about two days away from Hiva Oa. If I told folks about the clouds I thought I was seeing it would be confirmation for at least some at Cruisers Forum I am insane.

Best left alone.
If you read accounts of single handed racers, the honest ones admit to hallucinations and imaginary friends. Robin Knox-Johnson claims it never happened to him, but he does mention hearing voices in his book.
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Old 19-08-2013, 15:25   #405
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A better approach when disabled is to contact vessel traffic services and let them know of your predicament. They will then inform all participating traffic.

Been there, done that. In 2000 we were adrift at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Straits for 1.5 days. (No transmission.) We actually were NUC but did not have the lights or dayshapes to display. Tofino Traffic and Seattle Traffic let shipping know our position; they have much more powerful transmitters.
Reminds me of a Biscay crossing... (old members get ready to yawn)... 36 hours into the Bay with a 6 day perfect window courtesy of UK Weather... we got hit by a 60 gusting 70 from the SE.. for those unfamiliar with the Bay this causes the seas to stack vertically (wind over tide kinda)... so we've huge seas straight up n down... any sail up tries to knock you of the top and in the troughs theres nothing so heaving to is a waste of time and expensive on sails. So... I doused all sail and being near the lanes I put out a Pan Pan... vessel not under command... got an answer from a tanker who I asked for a relay to Ushant and Finisterre to state a nav warning for my position and estimated drift direction and SOG... duly done... and all credit to the Merchant Marine of all countries ploughing those waters... every so often a ship would mooch over in our direction and hail us to check all was well... There be good guys out there... if I remember correctly we were Nav warning 94 in 1996
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