Examples of a two crew watch rotation for an ocean crossing?

[DeValency]

During the day it is quite flexible and at night, a watch will never be above 2 hours. Even for two on board, two hours sleep are enough to recharge and stay functional and alerted.

Being a veteran in a front line combat unit, I can say any single crew night watch for more than two hours can be dangerous.

[merrydolphin]

Because we have lived aboard and cruised full time for a long time together, we use the advantage of our natural biorhythms. I am a night person so I take the first watch, which usually starts around 2100 hrs. I keep watch until I feel fatigue or 6 hrs, which ever comes first, usually 6 hrs. Then we change watch my wife does the same. She tends to be a morning person. After those two watches, we don’t stand formal watches until 2100 again. This has worked for us for 10’s of thousands of miles. Now, it you have additional crew, the dynamics are quite different. As Captain, I find that I don’t really settle in to good rest for the first 3-4 days. It’s hard to “turn my mind off” from all the details of the passage and vessel. And! We always keep a watch. When you single hand (which Ive done a little of ) it’s a game of chance. So with two people, why take the chance. I know couples that both go to sleep together when in open sea. It’s an unnecessary risk.

[CaptBobR]

We use 7 and 5 and 5 and then 5 and 7. That sled allows somebody to get 6 hours of interrupted sleep which is necessary to prevent fatigue. I sailed alongside boaters using 22 minute naps and noticed after the second day, they really were not alert.

[Capdave360]

Didn't read all eleven pages - maybe somebody posted this example already?

3 hrs night
6 hrs day
So
0600-1200 A
1200-1800 B
1800-2100 A
2100-2400 B
0000-0300 A
0300-0600 B
Repeat
Breakfast 0600
Lunch1200
Dinner 1800

Plus..
#1. No sail changes at night alone
#2. No going on deck alone
#3. Clipped in 24/7
#4. No sleeping on watch
#5. Stand if you fall asleep, stay awake to protect the other
#6. Radar at night, 4nm with guard zone on 3nm out
#7. Radar zoom out, zoom in every 30 min looking for targets
#8. Wake other if any concerns or too tired

[jbrasseul]

From Bermuda to Azores, we were two, Susan and I, and we changed every four hours, day and night, during the 16 days crossing, on a 38 footer, Nordship DSC. Four hours is a bit long at night, but when you are only two...
On the other way, seven years before, from Cabo Verde Island to Barbados, we were four, in much better conditions with the tradewinds, and two hours watch at night, that leaves you six hours sleep. Very comfortable.

[leecoulter]

My wife and I just finished 10 days from USVI to Chesapeake. We were really pleased with our watch system for the nights. I can sleep early in the evening and she can't, so this worked great for us:
1.) Eat dinner early so that at 6pm, I could work on the radio and communications systems to get the latest weather and make sailing decisions for the night.
2.) In bed on first off watch at around 7pm.
3.) First on watch last until fatigue sets in or off watch awakens and gets up. This varied from 12:30am until 3:00am and averaged about 1:30am.
4.) Second watch lasts until fatigue sets in or off watch awakens and gets up.
This was between 7:30 and 9:00am each morning.
5.) We always kept the option open to heave to and both sleep. We never did this and really never felt sleep deprived, but the fact that we had practiced heaving too and were committed to and comfortable with that option, took a bunch of pressure off of "having to sleep" on every evening off watch.
Our last night before landfall, neither of us slept well; I think this was just the excitement of a landfall. After anchoring in a peacefull harbor, we both crashed for a four hour sleep. This was a great recovery time and I would love to know if heaving to and crashing for a four hour sleep would be just as refreshing.
Good Luck.

[thataway41]

We did 3 on and 3 off from 6PM to 6 AM. 6 and 6 off during the daylight hours. But if one was especially sleepy, we would adjust that during the day. There were a few days, I would take an extra hour or two if it was a quiet night.

Pretty did the same for shorter passages, Of course there are the "All hands"--and no one goes out of the pilot house or cockpit at night without the other person up on deck rules.

I have always found that 2 night passages were the hardest to adjust to.

[IanTrail]

My wife and I crossed the Atlantic and back (in our late 60s) doing 3hrs on 3hrs off between 1900 and 0700 then maybe a doze during the day. It worked fine; there's not much to do so we didn't get too tired. We changed ship's time about once a week to stay in sync with daylight.
Suggestion: get a wireless doorbell; the person on watch keeps the weatherproof push-button in their pocket and the off-watch person sleeps with the ringer. It's easier to sleep knowing that if everything goes pear-shaped on deck, it's 'ding-dong all hands on deck'.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by thataway41

. . . I have always found that 2 night passages were the hardest to adjust to.

I agree with that.


The second night at sea is the hard one. It gets better from the 3rd one. After the 4th night at sea you start to not really want to see land again.


En route from the Arctic back to Cowes, two years ago, we planned to sail from the Faroes to the Orkneys, and stop off there for a couple of days. But we had a good sailing wind and were happy at sea, and in the event we just sailed right past, right past the whole coast of Scotland, and kept going until we reached East Anglia, which is where our wind ran out.


There were three of us, less than my optimal crew, so I was in the watch rotation. We each did 2x 4 hours watches, at the same times. Mine was midnight to 04:00, and noon to 16:00. We had some strong weather (and did a 218 mile day) but nothing which any of us could not handle alone on deck, so we all got plenty of rest, and it was a great passage.

[tradrockrat]

Originally Posted by reflectionsv37

8PM to 1AM Sheri
1AM to 6AM Gene
6AM to 11AM Sheri
11AM to 4PM Gene

4PM to 8PM Both on watch

In addition to the benefits of 5 hour sleep periods and 10 hours a day of sleep, that 4PM to 8PM is the best part of this system. Those 4 hours are regularly used to cook a good meal together, but it also serves many other purposes. It can be used as a time for repairs where 2 people are required. We also use it when one of us ends up on deck during their off watch to catch up on any lost sleep. If heavy weather keeps both on deck, those 4 hours can be used at the beginning or end of a regular watch to provide a 9 hour sleep period. Yes, 9 hours on watch is a long time, but if your partner lost their entire off watch helping you on deck, you'll be happy to do it.

We have always arrived at our destinations well rested and ready for to go! In 20 years and 50K miles we have never considered doing anything different!

Thank you for the post. Great info.

[CWayne]

My wife & I use 4on 4off round the clock using GMT. On leaving port we pick up our routine.
We're both rested and adapted in 2 or 3 days. Having the same watch, same time every day allows us to get enough sleep, read, listen to music or books. Off watch is always on deck 15 min before the hour with a cup of tea or coffee for the watch stander. Off watch fixes the meals, checks any equipment, bilges, chart work,etc., and does minor repairs needed.

We've travelled the world for 22 years straight, staying in various countries for 3 months to 1 year to get accustomed to the local culture and lifestyle.
The 4on-4off is a hold over fro my USN days.

[Cynara]

We did 3 on 3 off, starting about 7PM. No schedule during the day.

[Cynara]

Originally Posted by CWayne

My wife & I use 4on 4off round the clock using GMT. On leaving port we pick up our routine.
We're both rested and adapted in 2 or 3 days. Having the same watch, same time every day allows us to get enough sleep, read, listen to music or books. Off watch is always on deck 15 min before the hour with a cup of tea or coffee for the watch stander. Off watch fixes the meals, checks any equipment, bilges, chart work,etc., and does minor repairs needed.

We've travelled the world for 22 years straight, staying in various countries for 3 months to 1 year to get accustomed to the local culture and lifestyle.
The 4on-4off is a hold over fro my USN days.

Interesting about using GMT. We didn't because ship time doesn't change

[grogport]

My skipper and I have sailed 2 handed over 25000 miles in a 35ft sloop with hydrovane self steering. We use the following system at night:
1st Watch at night 7pm - 10pm. At 10pm fellow on watch wakes other. 30 mins change over time. A good time for a sail change, and prevents either from feeling short changed. If I'm lucky, I might be greeted with a cup of coffee!

2nd Watch 10.30pm - 1.30am

3rd Watch 2am - 5am
4th Watch 5.30am - 8.30am
Rest of the day share the sailing, lookout and chores as we wish.
We both probably catch the odd nap during the day.
Next day we alternate the watches.
If the need arises, we wake the other, if we need help.

Personally, I think that 3 hours is quite long enough to be on lookout by yourself.

[southseasailor2]

Originally Posted by tradrockrat

Hi all -

I'm curious as to what crew watch schedules look like for couples cruising around out there.

Do you have examples you could share? Do you run one type of watch for shorter sails (a few days) versus ocean crossings? Do you run a set schedule at all? Are you meticulous in your schedules or fluid?

I've done some multi-day sails single handed, but my wife has never done any and we want to start doing some and we're going to plan some coastal cruising in the next year and then begin a circumnavigation in 2022.

Just looking for some practical experience and knowledge. Thanks!

WE have 12 years experience in long ocean passages. Have found the best with two persons is 4 three hour watches over night, starting at 2000hrs and then ending at 0800. I found that staying with the same watch pattern each night is best. That is each person stays with the same watches each night. This allows your body clock to set. During the day we dont have watches, whoever is tired goes to sleep. That helps a lot with catch up. Three people...luxury 6 hours off three on.