Standing Watch

When the watch system breaks down, everyone loses their rhythm, and, more importantly, they lose off-watch rest time and vital hours of sleep.

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Excerpt from Sailing A Serious Ocean by John Kretschmer

As you probably suspect already, and will certainly know if you continue reading this book, I am not a skipper who blindly adheres to the hard-and-fast rules of the sea. In fact, for the most part I abhor them because successfully handling a small boat in a large ocean requires a flexible attitude and the wherewithal to change tactics as conditions dictate. You must assess the situation and take preemptive action, and if that doesn’t work then try something else. That’s how serious sailors cope with challenging weather and equipment failures. Following rigid rules can be more dangerous than helpful. I must confess, however, that I am a tyrant when it comes to standing your watch, and all my nice guy sensitivity vanishes if you don’t show up on time.

When the watch system breaks down, everyone loses their rhythm, and, more importantly, they lose off-watch rest time and vital hours of sleep. Fatigue is a stealthy enemy at sea. This heartless attitude toward watchstanding is geared mostly toward larger crews, four or more, and I am a little tolerant of watch adjustments with small crews. Sometimes you are feeling strong and connected to the wheel (or at least the autopilot controls) as the boat hurtles before the wind, and the mermaids are flirting with you, and the stars are telling you stories, and you just don’t want to end your watch. That’s a different situation. Some nights you know that your partner really needs sleep, and extending your watch is the right thing to do. Remember that you have to replenish the hours of missed sleep; they add up like unpaid credit card bills and almost always results in a happier passage.

Back to my sensitive ways. I feel strongly that watchkeeping should apply only to the evening hours. This book looks at bluewater sailing as an incredibly fulfilling way to live, as a preferred way to spend your precious time, and standing watch day and night can suddenly feel like you’re punching a clock on an assembly line. There has to be time for whimsy and thought at sea, and there’s no better environment on the planet for unfettered thinking than a boat at sea, and this should not be shoehorned into a navel system of discipline and around-the-clock watches. I believe all of this deeply. But just the same, don’t be late for your evening watch.

John Kretschmer has logged more than 300,000 offshore sailing miles and his new book, Sailing a Serious Ocean is filled with not only stories of his voyages but sailing tips and advice, no sailor should be without. To purchase Sailing a Serious Ocean, go to Practical Sailor’s website now.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.