Captain/Owner Sleeping at the Helm

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Jammer

That depends who you were working for.


If you were working for the captain's wife, then you should have told her.

That sounds a bit like New Yorker "not my busines" attitude. This is a severe violation against the rules and safety of the crew. There's no excuse not to inform everybody on board about this kind of behaviour after discussing with the APAI privately and if there's not a serious change of attitude..

[Phisher]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

That sounds a bit like New Yorker "not my busines" attitude. This is a severe violation against the rules and safety of the crew. There's no excuse not to inform everybody on board about this kind of behaviour after discussing with the APAI privately and if there's not a serious change of attitude..

Thank you, the second incident, I mentioned to him that the autopilot had kicked off three times earlier in the day. Suggested to him changing the watch schedule. Anyways, I slept in the cockpit on all overnighters from that point forward. Safety of the crew is priority! When I do overnight passeges on Salty Dreams. I always sleep in the cockpit. Just in case..

[CassidyNZ]

The “sailing with the transmission in gear or not” has been debated at length for decades and many boat owners (including me) have been sailing “in gear” also for decades, me on several different boats with no consequential damage. Just saying . . . .

When I delivered a boat from Tahiti to Auckland with just me and the owner on board, I found her sleeping on night watch several times. I eventually opted to take the whole night watch on my own while she slept and she did the whole daytime watch while I slept. I never happened on deck in the day and found her sleeping.

Some people just have a real problem staying awake during hours of darkness - work with them.

[JPA Cate]

Phisher:

People vary in how open they are to criticism, however valid it might seem. Your skipper was not the open sort.

"Tattling" on the skipper would be very unwelcome to most wives. Therefore, I'd put it to her, in writing, afterwards, in the letter you write to both of them explaining why you would not consider crewing for them again. If this was for pay, wait till after you're paid. Only instruct them if that was part of the contract.

So, I think the only thing you could do differently would be to stand both his watch with him, and your own. This satisfies your safety needs. Maybe the other crew would stand a double watch, if there is another sleeper problem. Explain, at the time, but only if asked, about ColRegs, and your sense of the lack of safety with the helmsperson not paying attention when on watch. Don't bother with indignation, it's a waste of energy. [My experience is of a 6 on, 6 off watch schedule, where my morning watch can run to 8 hrs, and such watches are what Jim and I have been doing for 35+ yrs., now. It is a question of training yourself to it.]

Your only other option was demanding to be returned to port or dropped off at the next one.

Ann

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

If you are uncomfortable with the way the boat is being run, leave at the next port stop. If you are REALLY uncomfortable, ask to be left at the nearest port. If you are not that uncomfortable, then suck it up and put up with it. You are crew. You have very little say in the matter.

If you really want to try to change behavior, the best way in this case would be to show the owner how you use the timer on your cell phone to wake you every 10 minutes for a horizon scan. Even if you don't need to do this presenting it this way makes you less of an accusatory scold. It might work, it might not.

There is a reason many delivery captains charge extra if the owner is aboard for a passage.

If the owner is the skipper there ain't nobody to appeal to. Leave to wife out of it, you don't want to go there.

If your feeling is that you need to get off the boat do so as described by SVH.

If you need leverage take film of him sleeping on watch if it is legal to film. For US vessels whether you can record sound will depend on the jurisdiction.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Phisher

Did I say we left the props engaged?

Did I say you left the props engaged?


You: "So I engaged the trannys into reverse BOOM! vibrations gone."


Me: So you think it was a good idea to slow the boat and risked potential damage to the engines by locking the props contrary to the skippers wishes and the manufacturer's instructions?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Maybe it causes less of an issue with a folding propeller which I have.

In any case I guess I'll continue the practice.

I didn't bother to include the last bit of that bulletin


If the customer desires that the propeller shaft not spin while sailing, either a folding propeller, shaft break, or other suitable device may be used. However, Yanmar accepts no responsibility for the selection, installation, or operation of such devices. Please also refer to Marine service advisory “MSA07-001_Yanmar Sail Drive Propeller Selection” for additional information.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by StuM

Did I say you left the props engaged?


You: "So I engaged the trannys into reverse BOOM! vibrations gone."


Me: So you think it was a good idea to slow the boat and risked potential damage to the engines by locking the props contrary to the skippers wishes and the manufacturer's instructions?

I'n totally gobsmacked that your reading comprehension skills are so low you can't differentiate engine damage from transmission damage.

[Knotical]

I would definitely take issue with a person sleeping on the watch, but rather than confronting I would try to find out why he was sleeping and offer to exchange watch schedules - maybe that’s what you did I am not sure.

With regards to transmission in neutral while sailing it could be a Yanmar thing, my Westerbeke manual says to put tranny in reverse during sailing.

[boatman61]

My problem is crew playing games on their phones to stay awake..

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by boatman61

My problem is crew playing games on their phones to stay awake..

That's merely about the age of your crews. But what can one do if younger generation is attracted on your person

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

That's merely about the age of your crews. But what can one do if younger generation is attracted on your person

I get the humor and 'possible' compliment.. but its a serious problem not restricted to age.
I know folk in their 70's addicted to Bubblegum or other damn games head down, fingers twitching and zero night vision..
I would not mind so much but the frickin sound effects keep me awake..

[NorthernMac]

Its a boat, not a democracy.

If you dont feel good, have a open talk with the capt, but he is the ultimate authority, he can take or dismiss your concerns, if you dont get to a point of agreement on operations, get off the boat as soon as practical.

The night thing is hard for some people, I've done a good amount of short notice late night flying, it only bothered me when the sun started coming up, like a reminder to my internal clock that I was doing something "wrong" lol

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I get the humor and 'possible' compliment.. but its a serious problem not restricted to age.
I know folk in their 70's addicted to Bubblegum or other damn games head down, fingers twitching and zero night vision..
I would not mind so much but the frickin sound effects keep me awake..

Knew a builder once that banned mobile phones from the workplace, said they were a dangerous distraction that reduced the work achieved and overall performance.

[atoll]

you could always turn up for your night watch with your pillow and sleeping bag and bed down as the owner goes off watch...see if he says anything about your apparent intention of going to sleep on your watch,then discuss his sleeping on watch.......