planned sleep periods are needed Staying awake for more than about 24
at times when the boat is least likely hours will mar your decision making
to encounter hazards. This should processes, putting you in danger.
be far from land or shipping lanes. After 36 hours without sleep your
Use can be made of radar alarms, mind can play tricks on you, and it is
radar detection systems, and AIS as common for you to suffer hallucinations.
electronic crew members advising of Eventually the body will simply take the
dangers close by. sleep it needs, and it can be at a very
inconvenient time.
When planning a shift system it is
important to realise that, in the long If you need to stretch your time awake
When the conditions are tough, here on
term, sleep needs to be taken in at least for a specific reason it may be useful
Playstation in the Southern Ocean, the
4 hour periods, preferably more, unless to use caffeine. For this to work well, it
crew are pushed to their limits
you have had specific sleep deprivation is best to abstain entirely from caffeine
training. It is the time taken sleeping for some considerable time prior to
that defines the effectiveness of your your trip. Then when you need to
time on watch. A person sleeping for stay awake, you simply drink a strong
only an hour at a time, will result in a coffee. Other proprietary drinks high in
very weary crew member, unable to caffeine may also work. Because your
function for more than an hour or so body is unused to the caffeine it can
before being overwhelmed and needing have an almost immediate stimulating
more rest. They are unlikely to be able effect.
to make the correct decisions to keep
the boat safe. The same person getting
four hours sleep will be able to function
for six hours possibly more. Six hours
sleep will energise you for a whole day.
If you have two crew members, shifts
of about 4 to 6 hours work well.
Remember that if you are off watch for
six hours you will only sleep for about
five of those, as you need time to hand
over, discuss the last watch, eat, drink
Food whatever the conditions is essential
and then prepare for bed (and actually
to keep the crew going Copyright Volvo
fall asleep).
Ocean Race
If you have three crew members, you Food should follow as close to your
could work 4 hour shifts. This will give normal routine as is possible. Try to
you a maximum of about seven hours eat at regular times, as skipping meals
sleep at a time. can leave you short of energy to run
the boat. If the weather is bad and
More crew members give you the conditions rough, or it is your first day
option of more variation and shorter at sea (and working in the galley is a
watches. If there are enough crew a challenge) it is a good idea to prepare
watch overlap system may work well. food in advance and simply reheat it
Two people take the first watch, one when needed. A one pot stew or pasta
doing two hours and one doing four bake or lasagne will work well in this
hours. All subsequent watches are of regard. Once you are more used to the
A well trained, we fed, well equipped crew can achieve amazing things provided they are well organised and well led by their skipper
four hours. That way someone new motion and conditions afloat, the time
comes on watch every two hours in a spent in the galley will become easier.
staggered overlap system.
Try to eat healthy nourishing meals in
Whatever your shift system, there the main. A simple bowl of boiled rice,
should be some flexibility in the plan. boiled potatoes, porridge or muesli are
For example if the boat is sailing quick and easy to prepare even in the
through a particularly demanding most difficult circumstances and can
area, the skipper (or navigator) could be better for sustaining you than junk
be taken out of the watch system foods. By all means have the chocolate
to allow him/her to concentrate on bars or cakes as a now and then treat,
the navigation, sleeping whenever but try not to run your body on them
If things go wrong then the crew need to the opportunity presented itself. The all the time. Sugary foods will give you
be motivated, organised and well led to
skipper must always be on call to help a quick burst of energy (which can be
ensure they stay a cohesive unit.
with problems or give advice if it is useful) but unfortunately they
needed.
»
   OCTOBER 2009 : MULTIHULL REVIEW  15
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