OCC members have a wealth of experience in all aspects of blue water sailing. We would like to create a repository of best practices adopted by our members, starting with watchkeeping procedures.

Here are a few questions to get us started:
[ul]
[li]What makes a good watchstander?[/li]
[li]What is your favourite watch schedule and why?[/li]
[li]Do you have different watch systems for different weather/sea state conditions?[/li]
[li]Do you do things differently when short-handed than with full crew?[/li]
[li]Have you adopted any special rules for watchstanding?[/li]


Thank you.

Vice Commodore, OCC 

When Tystie sailed two-handed, we used a 4- on, 4- off system, with no dog-watches. I, as skipper, took the graveyard watch, and let Fran have the first and morning watches, when she got the sunrise and sunset. Watchkeeping would be more relaxed during daylight, with the nominal off-watch maybe in the cockpit snoozing, if it was too hot below. The main meal would certainly be during the 1600 to 2000 watch. I think the 4 hour watch ties in with the science of sleep - the sleep cycle from light sleep through deep sleep to REM sleep takes 90 - 100 minutes, and the first two such cycles are when most of the good work of renewal is done. So you fit two such cycles neatly into four hours, with enough time to get to sleep, and to rouse yourself for your watch.

Being junk rigged, deck work is minimal, and the watchkeeper has little to do but look around every 15 minutes, reading and listening to music the rest of the time.

I disagree with keeping watch in the cockpit. A warm dry watchkeeper is a better watchkeeper. Tystie has a Hasler pramhood, and the watchkeeper is sheltered, yet with the eyes, ears and nose outside, taking in all that 's happening. Every serious cruising yacht should have one.

Now I 'm single-handed, and I 've made a watchkeeper 's alarm using a clockwork run-back timer, activating a bright red LED and a 90db piezo buzzer when it reaches zero (with a dim green LED to tell me that it 's active and counting down). All components can be found at RS components.

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I also make much use of my Vesper Marine AIS and my CARD radar detector.