In response to my article on the rotating watch-keeping system, TMS reader Ed posted this on the forum:
“On a 10m yacht, with just three watch-keepers, the situation is soon lost in deteriorating conditions. In a busy shipping area and wind and swell increasing, there comes a time when two crew are needed on deck with one attempting to sleep. It happened to me this year crossing the North Sea. A F7 was given in the forecast and seas built up to 3.5m. Time to abandon Plan A?”
A break-down of the watch-keeping rota is a sure-fire warning signal that all is not well. If watch-keeping starts to break down, then the skipper needs to make some decisions, rather than just 'plough on'. The issue is one of safety. If the watch-keepers become over-tired, and especially if the skipper himself gets over-tired, then safety is compromised. And over-tiredness is, quite literally, a killer.
First, make an assessment of the situation. Is the issue fear? A frightened crew will almost always want to be on deck, especially if they're feeling a bit sea-sick. Lying in your bunk, being thrown about, with the occasional massive crash as she falls off the waves, not knowing what's happening on deck, and with the howling of the wind through the shrouds, can be a lot more scary than watching her climb the next breaker from the cockpit.
A building sea and strong winds can be scary, especially if the yacht is over-canvassed and steering becomes difficult. Sometimes a crew member may need to be reassured, and sent back below to sleep.
But first of all make sure the yacht is handling properly. Could the watch-keeping system be restored by reefing right down, possibly using the storm jib and / or trysail, and then just keeping steerage way? Force 7 is nasty in a small yacht, particularly at night with an inexperienced crew, but it should be manageable, especially with plenty of sea room, although you might not be able to maintain the desired course.
A beat into a force 7 is a fairly horrid affair, but by bearing away from the wind until the yacht settles down a bit, you can often restore a modicum of comfort and ease the passage until the wind dies down and the sea moderates sufficiently to return to the best course.
Don't be tempted by the desire to make port as soon as possible if the only way to do it is to sail close to the wind. That way lies misery. Bear away. A few more hours - even an extra day - will be much better than crashing around, wet, tired and ill-tempered. You might even end up in a different port than the one you intended, but what the heck? It's a new place to explore.
If the yacht won't handle comfortably, even after your best efforts to settle her down, then how about heaving-to until the wind and sea have settled a bit? That way, all that is needed is a look-out watch. In the worst conditions, and out of the shipping lanes, a regular head out of the hatch and a good look round will be all you need.
If you've never tried heaving-to in a strong blow, then you won't know what an amazing improvement it makes to the motion of the yacht. If the crew genuinely can't watch-keep because the yacht is unmanageable, then heaving-to is a real option to consider. You need plenty of sea room though, because you will make at least one knot in the wrong direction, possibly quite a bit more in a lighter yacht or a strong blow! And whatever you do, don't ever, ever try to heave-to if you're off a lee-shore!
Having two people on watch can be a good option in some conditions, but you probably need to switch to a two-hour watch rotation, rather than abandon the rotation altogether. Watch-keepers A & B are on watch for two hours, with A as watch-leader.
After two hours, C relieves A, who moves from watch-leader to second watch-keeper, and B goes below to sleep. C, who is fresh, becomes watch-leader. Two hours later, B relieves C to become watch-leader, whilst C becomes second watch-keeper and A goes below to sleep. And so on. This can only be a temporary arrangement, but it will keep a rotation going, and enable all crew members to get some rest, even if they don't sleep.
There's nothing worse than getting badly beaten up by a strong wind and nasty sea, but it becomes decidedly unsafe if the watch-keepers are tired, sick, and unable to cope. I usually recommend that the off-watch crew get out of the life-jacket and foul-weather gear, and get into the sleeping bag, even for half an hour, but in some conditions you just won't be able to. In those cases, just lying on the bunk, or even the cabin sole if you don't have lee cloths, with a sleeping bag over you, will restore some energy.
So yes, sometimes you do need to abandon Plan A. But what you put in its place should restore some form of watch-keeping, even if you have to change course or heave-to.
Richard Thomas holds a Commercially Endorsed RYA Yachtmaster and Cruising Instructor (Sail) certificate. He runs his own delivery business, www.yachtmovers.co.uk and is available for deliveries, assisted passages, own-yacht tuition, and yacht management.
