Using headphones on night watch?

[NotCook]

Originally Posted by jalmberg

Last year we saw a boat at the dock with bow pulpit and lifelines ripped off. Turns out they had rammed bow to bow into another sailboat in the middle of the night.

This was in the Caribbean, on a clear night, both boats had running lights lit. Both boats were sailing; no engine noise. Both had crew in the cockpit standing watches. Actually, two people in each cockpit! Neither boat saw the other until they collided.

No headphones involved. Draw your own conclusions.

Says to me that there are enough perils to watch out for while on watch without handicapping yourself further by wearing headphones.

[slide]

I can't remember anything important happening on a watch that happened aurally. I suppose a change in hull sounds may indicate a leak changing the way the boat sits in the water but that's a longshot.

My concern would be simply being distracted. I can easily see becoming so distracted by music or audio that I'd miss something important by, say, not continuing my scan. A large freighter or tanker can approach in an amazingly little time from its appearance over the horizon until it hits you.

The other thing is why I'm there. I sail for pleasure although it's often miserable. I want to there on watch enjoying the sounds, smells, and feel of the sea rather than listening to some music which I can do anytime.

I'd make an exception for motoring down the ditch. I suppose there, headphones won't make a difference but offshore? I see it as a never.

[refuge]

It’s like Russian Roulette. How much of your life are you willing to risk? And what about your crew?

If I am employing a watch stander, using headphones would be grounds for dismissal.

If your children were on that boat, asleep down below at night, and you knew the watch stander had headphones on blasting music, would you be comfortable with that?

Each situation of course is different. At night in a busy channel or in the middle of the doldrums, it’s your call.

Personally I would use a blue tooth speaker at low volume if anything at all. As a professional mariner however, the thought of headphones while performing the DUTIES of the watch stander, is abhorrent and gives the creeps. Especially since my crew is trusting me with their safety. I take that duty very seriously.

Not to mention using headphones is against the law while on watch. An admirably lawyer would have a heyday with you in any proceedings.

Part of the fun of sailing and navigating is following protocols to the best of your ability IMO. If being on watch a couple hours a Day is so excruciating that you can’t give it 100% of your attention, then perhaps sailing might not be your schtick. Just sayin.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by samoorelex

We just finished a circumnavigation.

We often used headphones and watched movies, listened to podcasts, music and books on tape.

We did this when sailing or motoring. We were usually well off shore. We had a chart plotter under the dodger with a split screen chart"AIS" /radar at 16 mi.

We could hear/feel any changes the boat made.

The captain slept under the cockpit in the quarter birth with a window open into the cockpit most of the time. He would not have wanted to hear our manufactured sound in addition to all the normal boat noise.

Hmmm...
On Watch......watching movies with headphones on, so as not to disturb the sleeping captain.....
Glad you all made it!

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by jalmberg

Last year we saw a boat at the dock with bow pulpit and lifelines ripped off. Turns out they had rammed bow to bow into another sailboat in the middle of the night.

This was in the Caribbean, on a clear night, both boats had running lights lit. Both boats were sailing; no engine noise. Both had crew in the cockpit standing watches. Actually, two people in each cockpit! Neither boat saw the other until they collided.

No headphones involved. Draw your own conclusions.

Perfect example of NOT keeping a proper watch....

All those that "rationalize" that AIS, Radar, God will look after them, so they can watch a movie or read a book on Watch should do the math.

Using this collision, let's say a closing speed of:
14knts = 85,064 feet per hour, or 1,418 ft per minute which equals 473 yards

So the length of a football field (100 yards) is covered about every 21 seconds in this closing situation.

Now, your happy crew (who have not done their math) look up from thier book every 3 or 4 minutes,(unless its an exciting part!)... I hope you get my point!

I'm guessing, Cruisers average about 80% at anchor where reading books or watching music, or jamming out with headphones is great!

But for your Watch on that 20% underway.....do your job and keep us all safe!
Just sayin[emoji4]

[Deck Scrubber]

Well we made it, actually right around the world and we both watched movies, listened to music etc, with one ear bud in and one out, it's the perfect solution, you can ear what else is going on and it stops the boredom of a long long night watch.
Although we did have two alarms set, one on the radar and one on the AIS, so nothing was going to cross our path without us knowing.
For those of you who are concerned about too much going on, well yes there were rough times that you would be more careful about, but most are just so boring you will do anything to keep awake, I have cleaned the boat, cooked meals even washed loads of clothes, all on night watch, of cause I came up on deck every twenty minutes or so to check all was right in our little world, but weeks and weeks at sea can really get to you and can be very boring, so I say go for it, you will know when is the right time to use them and when not to.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by MANY

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
with one ear bud in and one out>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I keep seeing this phrase over and over on this and other posts.


I couldn't figure out what seemed inherently incorrect about the concept.


It finally just hit me: STEREO.


I remember buying two of the same identical records [vinyl] in the late 60s/early 70s. I had saved, saved, saved for my first stereo phonograph.


All of a sudden I could hear the difference. Nick came out of the right speaker, Bob was in the middle and John was on the left.


I put the old mono record back on to compare. Night and day.


Maybe there's some kinda mono/stereo switch on players these days, but it seems one would be missing half of the presentation with just one earbud inserted.

[Tillsbury]

With a podcast I guess it doesn’t make much difference. You can always switch to mono — some devices (eg airpods) will do this automatically and power down the other one if you only have one inserted.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Deck Scrubber

Well we made it, actually right around the world and we both watched movies, listened to music etc, with one ear bud in and one out, it's the perfect solution, you can ear what else is going on and it stops the boredom of a long long night watch.
Although we did have two alarms set, one on the radar and one on the AIS, so nothing was going to cross our path without us knowing.
For those of you who are concerned about too much going on, well yes there were rough times that you would be more careful about, but most are just so boring you will do anything to keep awake, I have cleaned the boat, cooked meals even washed loads of clothes, all on night watch, of cause I came up on deck every twenty minutes or so to check all was right in our little world, but weeks and weeks at sea can really get to you and can be very boring, so I say go for it, you will know when is the right time to use them and when not to.

Ok.... Twenty minutes!
Using the 14knt closing speed math = 28,360 ft.

This means you were blind to anything closing in on you for about 5.4 miles.

You were not keeping a good watch, you were just lucky!

[Kiwi.]

I love wearing my IQ buds https://www.nuheara.com/?gclid=Cj0KC...UaAty1EALw_wcB when on watch at night. They actually enhance my hearing whilst letting me listen to music without waking the crew who are of-watch. I've got them setup to amplify all external sounds and particularly in the higher frequencies that my old ears no longer hear. That's great for those high pitched engine noises that indicate a belt is about to fail. Only downside I've found is they amplify snoring crew very well!

[cj88]

Originally Posted by NotCook

I have a hearing disability, yet I do all of those activities. That’s why I wear hearing aids.

And for those that hearing aids can't help?

[refuge]

That’s a chance that is apparently worth it.

[MidwestRefugee]

I am half deaf. Headphones or not I can't hear much of anything even with my hearing aid in.
I still sail.

[sailorboy1]

What’s the OP’s decision?

[Pelagic]

Whatever, the Op or anyone else decides, it really doesn't matter.

What individuals do on their Watch, is what they need to live with, if things go bad!

I view this discussion not just about headphones, but about cruisers who choose to rationalize the tuning out of their most important responsibility, while being the sole person on Watch, as SOP!

Promoting this to new cruisers as acceptable should be challenged, as it is goes against that basic teaching of every sailing or seamanship course, to maintain an effective lookout, to the best of your ability.

Sticking your nose up every 20 minutes, is not that, or is watching a movie, or lost in your headphones.

Sure, single handers have no choice and are sitting ducks.

But a multi crewed yacht on a long passage should accept that staring out into the abyss for any unseen danger, is boring, but necessary.

Accept it, toughen up and do your job!