Part of the fun of recreational boating is keeping with the traditions of the merchant marine and the naval service – and on long trips that encompass a weekend or longer, keeping the watch is one such tradition. It’s always prudent to have someone awake and alert at all times when the boat is away from port, to warn of, and take care of, any dangerous situations that may arise.
On Navy ships, from the time of Columbus to the present, the day is divided into six watches of 4 hours each, and all crew members and officers – except the captain and first officer who are on call at all times – are assigned to one or more of the watches, to perform some of the important functions on a ship under way or at anchor. The watches are designated as follows:
12 Midnight to 4AM – Midwatch
4AM to 8AM – Morning Watch
8AM to Noon – Forenoon Watch
Noon to 4PM – Afternoon Watch
4PM to 8PM – Dog Watch (it is divided in half so watch standers can have dinner)
8PM to Midnight – Night Watch
Now, how did sailors who didn’t have time pieces, tell the time on their watches? Whoever had charge of the deck during the watch had a half-hour sandglass. When the sand ran out, he would ring the appropriate number of bells.
Eight bells always signals the change of watch. So as our example, let’s begin at midnight with eight. Half an hour later, at 12:30 we ring one bell – at 1AM two, at 1:30, three, at 2AM, four, at 2:30, five, at 3AM, six, at 3:30, seven and at the change of watch at 4AM, we start over at 8 Bells.
There are clocks you can buy that automatically chime the watch. On your boat, you might just instruct the watch stander to clang your boat’s bell the appropriate number every half hour so even in the dark as you snooze away in your cabin, you’re up to date on where in the watch you are.
