Hello, I am a 3rd Mate on a U.S. flagged ship. Lateley I’ve hear a lot about the ‘Alternative Watch Schedule’ or the ‘European Style Watch Schedule’. It involves standing one six hour watch, followed by (2) two hour watches and overtime incorporated somewhere through the day either in one 4 hour bl…

What I’ve used that called “European watches” was three mates working 12 hour shifts. The 3M was on watch from 0000-0600 then had 4 hours for overtime to do his inspections then was back on the bridge from 1000-1200. The 2M was on the bridge 1200-1400, then had his 4 hours for overtime, then was b…

We did “European Watches” on the tanker I was on with Ocean Shipholdings… loved it, though it took some getting used to at first after coming from 4&8’s. Not sure where in Europe instituted the schedule though, as I don’t think I’ve EVER heard a European mention them. But yeah, the biggest advantage…

So where I am… 2/M 00x06, 08x10… OT from 06x08 and 10x12. Off from 12 until 00. C/M 06x08, 12x18 OT from 08x12. Off 18 until 06. 3/M goes 10x12 and 18x00. OT 13x17. Off from 00x10. Everyone except for the most junior mate gets a full 12 hours of sleep, which makes a HUGE difference. Working a re…

[image] z.captain: 2/M 00x06, 08x10… OT from 06x08 and 10x12. Off from 12 until 00. C/M 06x08, 12x18 OT from 08x12. Off 18 until 06. 3/M goes 10x12 and 18x00. OT 13x17. Off from 00x10. That seems overly complicated and the 3M is working 14 hours every day. The schedule I posted is much sim…

10x12 is 2 hours, 18x00 is 6 hours, 13x17 is 4 hours for a grand total of 12 hours… Though I agree yours is more straight forward.

I see. I misread. The schedule still sucks for the 3M because so much of his “off time” is really just meal hours.

Yup! That’s the schedule we had, though, like I said earlier, we had two 3Ms, so they had the 3M and CM watches you mentioned. Honestly, even the watch taken up by meal hours wasn’t so bad. Probably even less so since our OT was limited to 36 hours a week, inclusive of the weekend watches. So there …

I’ve worked this as well, first time I had worked 12 straight, and I enjoyed it. Always well rested.

Where I’m at, as it is the 4 on 8 off, the two third mates have to take turns standing meal relief for the 2/m. Another thing I like about the European watch, no meal relief necessary.

I’m also on a US tanker and we’ve stood the European watches for 6 years. Once you get used to the 6 hour watch, you’ll love it. The morning watch flies by, and the afternoon watch drags a little, but the amount of time you have off in between is great, and it’s all together. So if you’ve had a long…

Alternative Watch Schedule or European Watch Schedule

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Capt_Phoenix April 20, 2017, 7:25pm 5

That seems overly complicated and the 3M is working 14 hours every day. The schedule I posted is much simpler.

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Alternative Watch Schedule or European Watch Schedule

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