Watch change

Couldn’t find another thread on the issue, but figure it something worth checking out.

I’ve always wondered the reason behind some people/crews changing the watch a half hour/15 minutes early…its really not early if you do it on both ends, still the same number of hours! My educated assumption is that its from “starting” the watch changeover a half hour before with the understanding it could take a while to get up to speed, that way the off-going watch wouldn’t have to stay up beyond there off-watch time. One ex-navy guy I worked with would not step foot in the wheelhouse until a minute or two before the hour. Usually we can switch watch in a minute or two unless we’re in the middle of sailing/docking a barge, and even at that the second we’re clear of the berth or things are “looking good” we are comfortable to switch. On occasion if things sound like a handful from the galley the old man and I take our time more than normal getting up to the wheelhouse.

One boat I worked on the guys swapped out at the half hour, but that became on the quarter, which became on the hour, so what the hell why not just call it 1700-2300/2300-0500 if thats the case? You’re not gaining anything!!! We currently relieve eachother at the half-hour, which gives us some leeway around dinnertime 1700-1800.

So for professional banter, how do you guys do things…

[ul]
[li]How much earlier than the normal time?[/li][li]Dinner relief on a 2-watch boat?[/li][li]Switch things up with DST so guys on the overnight can get in the rack before the sun comes up? Surprisingly few people will accommodate this.[/li][li]What kind of watch change issues do you run into in the engine room?[/li][/ul]

My watches are from 1400-1800 2200-0600 I set my alarm for 30 minutes beforehand so I have time to wake up grab something to eat, head call, etc. I try to get up there about 15 minutes early to see whats going on and get in the zone. If we arent moving obviously its not a big deal and I dont really need to relieve the capt anyway as he is probably already racked out. As for dinner (deckhand has it ready at 1730) if we are doing a job im stuck until the capt comes up to relieve me before I can eat, sometimes he is good about it and sometimes (most times) he doesnt seem to care. There isnt much I can do about that, I return the “favor” from time to time. For DST when I was on the offshore boats we split the 1/2 hour but on the harbor tugs we just work the extra hour.

We switch out about 45min prior. An 8-12 watch is really more like 0715-1115. Usually start relief around 10 after and assume the watch at 20 after.

My watch is from midnight to noon. I like to get into the wheelhouse around 2330 to get my eyes adjusted, start generating my mental situational awareness picture, shoot the shit with the guy I am relieving about what went on during his watch, get my first cup of coffee into me, then I offer to take over by about 2345 or 2350.
I think early relief is always appreciated, I never want to be that dick who is late for his watch, which is why I set 3 alarms to make sure I never oversleep.

I know that when I sailed, the change of watch was made 15 minutes before the top of the hour. I was also told that was traditionally the norm. These days? Meh, who knows.

FWIW, our school regiment gets us in the habit of thinking 15 minutes early is “on time” and “on time” is late.

Now I know where that bit of regimental BS comes from. Maybe it’s not bs after all.

I work deep sea, normally on a three-watch schedule. The standard, depending on the ship, is either ten or fifteen minutes before the hour. Personally I’ve always tried to do fifteen minutes, but sometimes lunch can run a bit long.

My understanding always was that we were supposed to arrive on the bridge that bit early in order to adjust our eyes for night (if applicable) and be able to get a clear picture of what’s going on before actually taking the watch. Many times on the open ocean it’s not much more than course, speed, traffic (or lack thereof) and maybe a note about the weather. Takes less than five minutes. Other times, of course, especially in pilot waters, it can take longer–more traffic, what the pilot is doing, more detail on the vessel’s position, course, and speed, and maybe any upcoming operations. Often I turn over the watch as we’re approaching the pilot station, so that can take a few minutes longer.

I can’t speak for engineers 100%, but I would figure that their turnover can be somewhat involved–what systems are online, which are down (and why), propulsion status, and so forth.

Personally I’ve always found it pointless to “do the other guy a favor” and show up even earlier, unless I happen to owe the guy because I was late before, or I know the guy just pulled an unusually long shift. Those are generally specific situations, however, and not the norm. Once it becomes the norm that’s where I find it pointless.

Clock changes, we normally take twenty minutes each overnight. In rare situations where I find myself on 6-and-6 on clock change night, we’ll normally work it out on the spot, but generally thirty minutes each.

All this gets me to wondering, how does this turnover time affect work and rest hours? Occasionally, as I mentioned above, I’ll do 6-and-6 for a day, generally because the C/M is busy with cargo or other operations. STCW says (among other provisions) we’re supposed to have an uninterrupted six-hour rest period once per day. So, say at the end of my last watch, the turnover took long enough that I didn’t get off the bridge until five minutes before the hour, let’s say at 0555. Theoretically, if I’m supposed to get six hours off, I shouldn’t have to show up to the bridge again until 1155. But I’m expected to be there about 1145 in order to get the turnover. Yes, it’s a matter of a few minutes, but is it legal?

I work 0600-1400 and 1800-2200.
Dinner is ready at 1730.
I try hard to relieve the mate 15/20 mins before “time”. It usually happens 12 out of 14 days. My mate don’t give a shit, but he’s about to find a new boat to bump into shit with.

Deep sea - work 10-12, 1730-2330. If I show up 2 minutes before I’m early.

I work a 4 man tug running 24 hrs a day. We work a 28/14 rotation with a 12 hour watch. One Capt one AB. We work from 12 Noon to Midnight the first 2 weeks and then Midnight to Noon the last two weeks. Night shift AB does the cooking. We are pretty lucky we have a good respectful crew. Everyone is up an hour before watch typically, coffee, food, poop etc. Reliefs are usually in the wheel house or on deck no later than 15 mins before hand and the person being relieved usually stays on deck 15 mins after their watch is over. Helps with the transition. Sometimes someone over sleeps but that’s rarely so it’s never a big deal. Like I said I am pretty lucky.

[QUOTE=“keithboyer;121816”]I work a 4 man tug running 24 hrs a day. We work a 28/14 rotation with a 12 hour watch. One Capt one AB. We work from 12 Noon to Midnight the first 2 weeks and then Midnight to Noon the last two weeks. Night shift AB does the cooking. We are pretty lucky we have a good respectful crew. Everyone is up an hour before watch typically, coffee, food, poop etc. Reliefs are usually in the wheel house or on deck no later than 15 mins before hand and the person being relieved usually stays on deck 15 mins after their watch is over. Helps with the transition. Sometimes someone over sleeps but that’s rarely so it’s never a big deal. Like I said I am pretty lucky.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like a dredge tug

Sounds like a dick move

[QUOTE=“kfj;121821”]

Sounds like a dredge tug[/QUOTE]

Its is this trip work for Weeks Marine. Sometimes we are dredge sometimes we are towing.

If I were your mate I’d find a new boat too. That watch schedule is obviously ideal for the captain, and total b.s. for the mate. Read about crew endurance management and then try to justify it.

Sounds like that’s the way it’s done around here. Your move, dick.

Flotsam, he was offered the captains jib(his story), and didn’t want the responsibility/accountability… At 64 years old, he should have stepped up 30 years ago. If he don’t like his hours, he should quit or change boats. I don’t care how he feels about it. I worked 12hr straight for years…didn’t kill me, but I’m not doing it again. I’m th OIC, not him, I set the watch.
The last captain he worked with was only on the boat a few days out of the whole hitch… Always out running the streets.

Have you worked a 8/4 watch( I’m sure you have). It’s gravy. The 6/6 should be outlawed, with 8/4 you can get a 7hr down period if you play it right. 6/6, your lucky to get 4hds sleep at any point.

Out of courtesy and habit I relieve the watch 15 minutes before. That last hour is the hardest and reciprocity is appreciated.

I work the old 6 on 6 off schedule , 0600-1200 - 1800-2400. I always try to relieve my pilot 15 mins early, I don’t expect them to do the same but most do. Like a lot of other post in here if I’m on time I feel late and by the time the guy going off watch leaves the wheel house he’s 10 mins into his off watch. Nothing in writing but its nice to work with team players.

[QUOTE=Signal Red;122075]I work the old 6 on 6 off schedule , 0600-1200 - 1800-2400. I always try to relieve my pilot 15 mins early, I don’t expect them to do the same but most do. Like a lot of other post in here if I’m on time I feel late and by the time the guy going off watch leaves the wheel house he’s 10 mins into his off watch. Nothing in writing but its nice to work with team players.[/QUOTE]
except its no longer legal MLC 2006 ( except in the US of course)
http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/lang--en/index.htm

Don’t know about ships that much, but on sailboats it is common courtesy for the on-watch to wake up the other watch 15 minutes or so in advance. They get time to get dressed, put some coffee on, get their gear on, etc. and be ready at watch change. Going off watch after a few days at sea I am out within about 5 seconds of hitting the bunk.
Our schedule is like so:
1200-1800 on
1800-2200 off
2200-0200 on
0200-0600 off
0600-1200 on
1200-1800 off
and so on…
This rotates the 2200-0200 watch between port and starboard watches.