| Any voyage that lasts longer than a single day | | | | Watch-keeping responsibilities |
| means that a yacht's crew has to be organised into | | | | Of course, being on watch is not simply a matter of |
| watches. And, to ensure the safety of all aboard, | | | | making a boat sail fast. The prime job is keeping the |
| good communication between watches and the | | | | boat safe by maintaining a proper lookout. This |
| navigator is essential. How is this best achieved? | | | | means checking the horizon regularly for any sign of |
| Watch systems | | | | vessels by day or their lights by night and making |
| Each watch has to have its share of sailing skills - | | | | any alterations to course necessary to avoid them. |
| helming, foredeck, reefing, trimming. It is preferable | | | | Although the yacht's position may be recorded by |
| that the navigator stands out of watches and is | | | | GPS it is also important to maintain a deck log of |
| available whenever required. One watch should pass | | | | courses and other information such as wind speed |
| on the relevant information to its successor, | | | | and direction. You never know when the electronics |
| remembering that it's easy enough for some of the | | | | aboard will fail or the GPS become unreliable. |
| details to be overlooked. | | | | Even the best navigators need a starting point |
| A common system is two watches working four | | | | (departure) of a known position to base his/her dead |
| hours in the daytime (i.e. between 6.00 am and 6.00 | | | | reckoning on. |
| pm) and three hours at night. This means that the | | | | Standing orders |
| watches rotate over a two day period and no one is | | | | Ships have written standing orders so that all |
| stuck on the midnight to 3.00 am shift. Meals can be | | | | watch-keepers know when to call on the captain for |
| easily prepared by a member of the on watch so | | | | assistance. Aboard yachts, similar rules often exist, |
| that they are ready to be served at the change of | | | | but they may not be in writing. |
| watch. | | | | For instance, whether navigating on a cruise or while |
| In the Volvo race earlier this year, the Green Dragon | | | | racing, I always ask to be woken me if there is any |
| crew worked a watch system with four watches of | | | | significant change in wind speed and/or direction, if |
| two men. Although the watch changed every two | | | | visibility is seriously reduced, or if any unusual event |
| hours there were always four people on deck. This | | | | occurs. |
| meant that the crew members coming on watch | | | | The good skipper/navigator will issue a set of |
| could be briefed by those remaining on deck and | | | | instructions, starting with: "Wake me if..." It is up to |
| those going off watch could go below to rest | | | | the crew to make sure those instructions are |
| straight away. Although possibly disruptive of people's | | | | followed. It doesn't matter if the navigator has only |
| sleep and meal times, this watch system allowed the | | | | just turned in after many hours of tactical navigation. |
| crew to drive the yacht hard while maintaining the | | | | Letting the navigator rest may put everyone aboard |
| best possible knowledge of the boat's performance in | | | | at risk. It is false kindness, and very dangerous. |
| the prevailing wind and sea conditions. | | | | |