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Thanks, Doug.

So if I have this right, the only thing that runs noon to noon is the
writing up of the log. Even that names the half days by the civil
calendar, so one sea day (as per the log) could comprise the PM hours of
01-01-03 and the AM hours of 01-02-03 (US style: 02/01/03 in most other
countries), for example.

That does indeed look like a last vestige of the old practice of using
nautical days.


As to watch hours: Most of the research ships I have known worked 6-on,
6-off, though I have heard of some working 12-on, 12-off. (Seamen raised
in the discipline of the old 4-on, 4-off routine would not recognize the
watch as being continuously "on" for 12 hours, of course! That is more
like 12 hours less meals, coffee breaks and a fair amount of sitting
around between one task and the next.)

"Soela" had started with 8-hour watches before my time because the
scientific party (used to office hours ashore) found it easier to cope
if they had one period of unbroken sleep per day. By the time I was
working there, the crew had adopted the same routine even though most of
them had grown up with the far more gruelling work schedules of the
North Atlantic distant-water trawling fleets. (All except the captain,
who stuck with 6-on, 6-off and so forced the mate onto the same
schedule.) 8-on, 8-off also meant that we didn't force the same set of
guys to stand the graveyard watch every night -- a major concern when
you have scientists who are used to spending nights at home and only
have two weeks on board to adjust to routines at sea while getting their
work done.


Trevor


You wrote:

> Trevor,
> I didn't say there was a break in any routine at the beginning or end of the
> day.The logs start at noon one day and end at noon the next day while
> underway or in port.While underway the ships I work on stand either 4 hrs
> on,4 hrs off or 6 hrs on,6 hrs off continuesly as set by the master(on the
> Station Bill).Watches while in port have a differant schedule(8 on,8 off or
> 12 on,12 off).So as examples,say I have the 1st 1200 to 1800 watch
> 01-01-03.I have from 1800 to 0000 off 01-01-03.At 0000 to 0600 01-02-03 I
> report back for watch continuesly.If I have the 1st 1200 to 1600 01-01-03
> watch I have from 1600 to 2000 01-01-03 off,report for the 2000 to 0000
> 01-01-03 watch,have off 0000 to 0400 01-02-03 and report back for watch 0400
> to 0800 01-02-03 continuesly.
> All the ships' logs are kept on a noon to noon schedule is what I wanted to
> convey by the ships' day.


--
Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         Gadus@iStar.ca
Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555

                     Science Serving the Fisheries
                      http://home.istar.ca/~gadus

   

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