We do 0600-1800 1800-0600 here because of labor laws in our location, supposedly.
I personally prefer midnite to noon noon to midnite…if you get a whole hitch of 1800-0600 it kinda makes it tough your first couple days home.
How bout making the guy with the skills drive in the dark. ALL the time.
Normal working hours on OSV’s is 12/12 or 0600/1800. If you are having to work 1800/0600, it is because you are being punished or captain is being anal. That is the worst shift to put anyone on. No one working that shift can get a proper 10 hours rest.
It looks like some prefer the night watch of 6pm to 6am, the staggering of watches seems a little to much like unneeded attention where not needed but I suppose some boats with issues need that kind of attention. Myself, I have a pretty capable bridge team. With noon to midnight, midnight to noon there is ample time off watch for both watch teams to handle plenty of non company business which you certainly won’t have with six to six. As regards to the shipyard some occasions require a night watch others don’t so I’d rather not open that can because most shipyard periods are short term. If you prefer the all vampire watch I hope you get what you want just please don’t push your beliefs off on the men and women that like to see the sunshine during part of our watch.
Traditionally, 12 hours on and 12 off is for shipyard time. I don’t know of any good reason that I would put my mate on watch for 12 hours while underway overnight.
Study some basic information on human circadian rhythms. It’s real and proven science. People who think sleep is for wimps are ignorant and literally brain damaged. That is what sleep deprivation does to us. It’s well-documented, the Coast Guard has conducted sleep and rest studies since 1976. There’s a wealth of science on the subject of crew endurance.
Sounds like some numb-nuts captain shitting on his crew.
We pretty much all do 12hrs on 12hrs off in the oilfield.
When we’re really slammed at my job, we will work 0300-1500/1500-0300. It’s ok, I don’t mind it.
I’ve worked some crazy other schedules like 2100-0900, because the deck boss didn’t like working nights or past 2100.
[QUOTE=ClutchCargo;146255] It’s well-documented, the Coast Guard has conducted sleep and rest studies since 1976. There’s a wealth of science on the subject of crew endurance.[/QUOTE]
The military was doing sleep and fatigue studies since the start of WW2. There is a huge body of data showing the dangers of fatigue in the transportation industry … almost all of continues to be ignored by the only people who are in a position to do anything about it.
Campaign funding, post retirement employment for admirals, and photo ops with cabinet members is more important than your physical and mental condition.
I used to like 12/12 but little did I know the old man I was working with hated them.
After I started getting older and the stress levels starting going up in the wheelhouse I was always glad to be on 6/6.
When working my butt off on deck as a deckhand I hated 6/6. Not enough time to do anything and always tired.
We used to work “Crazy 8’s” but the office frowned on that and if you got into a sticky situation it didn’t take the CG long to figure out you had been working 8’s by looking at the hand written log.
If I was on DP for 12 hrs strait my deckhand would get pretty good at DP. I ain’t crappin in a garbage can or pissin in a bag unless I am making a lock or dock or something.
All of my deckies except for the savants knew how to hold the wheel long enough for me to take a dump, stretch my legs, get a sandwich, whatever.
I always had a radio.
I would go take cat naps when my steersman had the sticks but only if I had him ready to cut loose.
just another opinion from another asshole…
When I worked a two man engine room, I tried both 12/12 and 6/6. I found with 6/6 that the watches were a bit easier, but sailing as Chief, I never got fully rested at all. The three watch system was far and away better that the two, but a lot of companies don’t want to do it, even though it is better on the personnel and probably more cost effective in the long run. I doubt that it will ever happen in the oil patch, though.
[QUOTE=Veslog;146262]I used to like 12/12 but little did I know the old man I was working with hated them.
After I started getting older and the stress levels starting going up in the wheelhouse I was always glad to be on 6/6.
When working my butt off on deck as a deckhand I hated 6/6. Not enough time to do anything and always tired.
We used to work “Crazy 8’s” but the office frowned on that and if you got into a sticky situation it didn’t take the CG long to figure out you had been working 8’s by looking at the hand written log.
If I was on DP for 12 hrs strait my deckhand would get pretty good at DP. I ain’t crappin in a garbage can or pissin in a bag unless I am making a lock or dock or something.
All of my deckies except for the savants knew how to hold the wheel long enough for me to take a dump, stretch my legs, get a sandwich, whatever.
I always had a radio.
I would go take cat naps when my steersman had the sticks but only if I had him ready to cut loose.
just another opinion from another asshole…[/QUOTE]
Your deckhand would get pretty good at DP, eh?
I find that hard to fathom. If you think it’s just about sitting there staring out the back window while the computer does the work, maybe rethink your perception. What its really about is having someone who can detect something going south before the shit really hits the fan. And if thats not possible, having the ability to bail out on manual control without damage or injury. I doubt your deckhand is going to be able to do that. Something to think about when you are pinching a loaf and you hear the thrusters ramping up. Or playing Candy Crush when under the crane.
Always good to have someone on 18-06 and 06-18 so you have a fresh set of eyes on watch every six hours and have some continuity… instead of whole bridge team swapping out at same time.
[QUOTE=Steamer;146261]The military was doing sleep and fatigue studies since the start of WW2. There is a huge body of data showing the dangers of fatigue in the transportation industry … almost all of continues to be ignored by the only people who are in a position to do anything about it.
Campaign funding, post retirement employment for admirals, and photo ops with cabinet members is more important than your physical and mental condition.[/QUOTE]
You’re right about that. Shipboard culture has long been about toughing it out and getting it done. It wasn’t until after I took a class that discussed fatigue and observed my own actions that I realized my attitude was wrong. Fatigue is a big risk factor but the C.G. can just point the finger at the crew after an incident.
Criminalization of the mariner to protect the interests of the business. By politicians bought and paid for.
And make sure your license insurance is paid up. Not all companies will have your back.
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;146272]You’re right about that. Shipboard culture has long been about toughing it out and getting it done. It wasn’t until after I took a class that discussed fatigue and observed my own actions that I realized my attitude was wrong. Fatigue is a big risk factor but the C.G. can just point the finger at the crew after an incident.[/QUOTE]
remember it is not only about the “on” time but the “off” as well. One must be able to get adequate rest off watch and I always has the greatest difficulty getting a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep when off between 1200 and 0000. Call it circadian clock or whatever but for me, sleeping between 0600 and 1800 was easier. Of course, I also loathed daytime “noise” on a ship with boobs yelling in passageways and FUCKING needleguns being used somewhere. Must have someway to make a room dark and quiet during the day which is GODDAMNED difficult with uncaring shipmates. YEAH…all you EFFING GoM types!
I’ve said it on here before but 4/4 then 8/8 is an excellent rotation system but people with small addled minds simply wiff that slow pitch.
[QUOTE=c.captain;146296]remember it is not only about the “on” time but the “off” as well. One must be able to get adequate rest off watch and I always has the greatest difficulty getting a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep when off between 1200 and 0000. Call it circadian clock or whatever but for me, sleeping between 0600 and 1800 was easier. Of course, I also loathed daytime “noise” on a ship with boobs yelling in passageways and FUCKING needleguns being used somewhere.[/QUOTE]
Doing noon to midnite, midnite to noon works well here for example. Keep noise work like needlegunning to only 1000-1400 so both watches share the burden. Doing 0600-1800, 1800-0600 it sucks for the night guys when the boat has projects going on during the day.
Boat noise 1100-1300.
If gunning or crawling relieve on the tool.
No stopping during those hours.
Get it done fast in fair wx months and be done with it for the year.
When we have a loud project we put as many hands on it and crank it out in 2 hours. There is no way say 2 guys can properly paint more than they can chip in 2 hours. Then you have all afternoon to paint (quiet). Wasting joe boss’s money on Labor and paint doing otherwise. We work it so both deckhands go to work from 11-1300, problem solved.
I prefer the 1000-1400 noise hours while working 12’s. The night crew can get a freshwater wash down on trouble areas to clean off the salt, give it some time to dry as the sun comes up. Then both crews do some the chipping and dirty work, and the day crew does the painting while you still have light and some heat to get it drying.