The Skipper's Rules for Ocean Passages

Over the past years, I have been mentoring/guiding yacht owners to prepare for ocean passages. Many of them had previously sailed for years and knew their boat well. But typically, they day-sailed, adding an occasional overnight passage, but had never done a long open ocean passage before.

The main challenge I have seen is that many skippers consider an ocean passage of e.g. 17 days, as “just 17x a day passage”. A common mistake. An ocean passage is very different from day sailing. I wrote an earlier blogpost about how to prepare a boat for an ocean passage. In this post, I want to focus more on the crew, management of expectations and clear understandings of what both the skipper and the crew expect from the trip and each other..

One of the things I have been insistent on, is to establish clear “rules” onboard, clarifying what a skipper/owner expects of his/her crew and how the crew is expected to work and live on the boat.

Unclear rules, lead to confused expectations of either side – the skipper or the crew - and lead to conflicts or bad feelings during a passage. And you do NOT want that… As a skipper, you’d want all your crew to be “tuned in”, and agreeing what and how you want to do your upcoming ocean passage, and for all to have an enjoyable passage. As a crew, you’d want to know not only “what” to do, but also “how to do it”.

Here is an outline of “The Skipper’s Rules” for an ocean passage which I use, where you, as skipper, can start from. Adapt where you see fit. None of this is cast in concrete. The important thing is “to establish the rules and expectations”, in whichever form.

(1) Our goal

Our main goal is to get the boat and crew safely from A to B, with the least wear and tear on the boat. Our secondary goal is to be able to enjoy the uniqueness of a passage in an open ocean, an opportunity only few people are privileged to enjoy.

(2) The Skipper

On any boat, there is only one skipper, who makes the final call on anything related to the boat and passage. He/she might consult with others, but the skipper makes the final call.

(3) The First Mate

The first mate is the 2nd in command on a boat, and typically takes care of the day-to-day management of the boat and crew. If the skipper becomes incapacitated, the first mates takes over command of the yacht.

(4) Safety first

- When new crew boards a ship, the skipper or first mate should give a thorough safety briefing. A safety briefing consists of a run-through of all equipment on board (fire extinguishers, fire blankets, main cut-off switches, person-over-board and emergency equipment) and the basic safety procedures, including "MOB"- or "Man (person)-over-board".
- Rule #1: don't fall overboard. Rule #2: don't fall overboard. Rule #3: don't fall overboard.
- PFDs ("Personal Floatation Devices" or "Life jackets") are to be worn at night, as of sunset to sunrise, for all crew on deck, even in the cockpit. PFDs are also to be worn when working on the top/foredeck in rough seas, even during daytime. Beyond that, if the skipper deems the seas to be rough or winds to be unstable (e.g. incoming squalls) or strong (e.g. 20+ knots) winds, he/she can call for "PFDs on" for all crew on deck at any time.
- Beyond that, crew can always put on their PFD, whenever they feel uncomfortable.
- In high swells, particularly at night, crew is to be clipped on with their lifelines, even when in the cockpit. In rough weather, crew is always to be clipped on when working on top/foredeck, day or night.

(5) Night sailing

- PFD's on, at all times during night hours, for any crew on deck, even in the cockpit.
- Crew stays in the cockpit area, and do not go onto the top/foredeck unless if it is really needed.
- If work needs to be done on top/foredeck at night, there always have to be at least two crew on deck: one in the cockpit and one doing the work on the top/foredeck.
- At night, crew uses head torches, with red-only lights. White lights can be used to occasionally look at the sails or to look forward of the ship, but in general, white lights should be avoided, even below deck.

(6) Alcohol

- No alcohol during the passage, except, an optional sunset crew-toast (if the skipper agrees) with a beer/glass of wine (and one beer/glass of wine only), but no hard liquor. “Dry boat” or “sunset drink only”, is a skipper’s choice/decision. I am equally happy on a total dry boat, or one where we have a sunset drink).
- The night before leaving for a passage: no heavy drinking or partying. For the start of any passage, the crew has to be at their best.

(7) Drugs and smoking

- No drugs allowed on board.
- The skipper defines if smoking is allowed onboard - which is a deal-breaker for me, as “my only vice in life” is that I smoke. But I try to be really “social” in my smoking: I only smoke downwind, and put my ashes in a small lid-locked ash tray.

(8) Watches

- Watches are pre-scheduled, agreed by and followed by all crew.
- Watches come on deck, on time. Keep in mind, that in rough or cold weather, you might need 20 minutes to get your gear on, and prepare a coffee. But… be on time!
- At any time, at least one person is to be on watch.
- The person on watch is in charge of the ship’s operation and crew safety during their watch. The person on watch pays full attention to the boat, traffic, sea state, wind, potential hazards (fishing pods or nets, objects in the water,..) and weather.
- A person on watch uses eyes, ears, and feeling to their full capacity to ensure safety of ship and crew. As such, even when sailing on autopilot, the watch sits at – or near – the helm, paying full attention to the boat and its surroundings.
- As a watch keeps an “eye”, “feeling” and “ear” on the boat, it is preferred not to use headsets or ear-phones as it dumbs your hearing. If you like some background music during your watch, use a bluetooth speaker…
- Each watch has a "buddy system". The watch can call on their "buddy" for sail changes or any assistance needed during their watch. If need be, the watch calls on the skipper when in doubt, or before any significant decisions.
- If, for any reason, those who are to be on watch are not up to their task (sea sickness e.g.), they ask an alternate (typically "their buddy") to take over their watch.
- If the person on watch observes a significant change in weather or sea state, which requires sail changes, they call on backup crew (typically "their buddy") to assist with sail changes. Some sail changes (e.g. dropping the spinnaker) might need “more hands on deck”, a call to be made by the watch.
- if those on watch feel uncomfortable at any time, or question themselves if sail changes or significant course changes etc… are needed, they call on their buddy, or call on the skipper to confirm their intended changes
- If in any doubt, do not hesitate to wake up the skipper. The skipper needs to trust you to call on him or her, if you need help

(9) Proximity to other vessels

- In open sea, we keep a nominal safe distance ("CPA" or "Closest Point of Approach") of 1 nautical mile from any cargo vessel. In more close quarters (coastal passages, busy traffic lanes), 0.5 Nmiles CPA (aft or alongside a cargo vessel) is acceptable, but no less. If in doubt, we call them on VHF to agree how we will pass each other.
- By preference we cross the path of cargo vessels aft of them, and not in front of them. If we have little other alternative but to pass in front of a motor vessel, we keep a safe distance – e.g. 3 miles separation in front of a cargo vessel moving at 15 knots is fine, but we keep much more separations from catamaran ferries moving at 40 knots! If in doubt, we call them on VHF to agree how we will pass each other.
- As fishing vessels tend to make erratic/random course changes, we keep a minimal separation of 1 mile with fishing vessels. We keep in mind that fishing vessels can troll long nets or miles-long floating lines, so by preference we cross in front of fishing vessels, giving them plenty of separation dependent on the speed they move at. If in doubt, we call them on VHF to agree how we will pass each other.
- Even when under sail, by preference we change course to keep a safe distance from cargo or fishing vessels, except if we have little maneuverability (e.g. when sailing under spinnaker, or in areas with very dense traffic). We keep in mind that e.g. a 200m long cargo vessel travelling at 20 knots has very limited maneuverability. If in doubt, we call them on VHF to agree how we will pass each other.
- Other sailing vessels, we can pass at 0.5 miles separation, or less, but the closer we pass other sailing vessels, the sharper we keep a look-out: Other sailing yachts might not pay attention, or not know/respect the collision rules,.. As such, we always have an “alternative/emergency maneuver” in our mind, to avoid “close calls”. If in doubt, we call them on VHF to agree how we will pass each other.
- Whenever in doubt, don’t be shy to call the other vessel on VHF to confirm (1) if they see us on AIS/radar and (2) how we will pass each other.

(10) Wear and tear on the boat

- The sunrise watch makes a tour of the vessel to inspect any wear and tear of the standing and running rigging, and to inspect the deck.
- The sunrise watch clears the deck of any flying fish or other bits (e.g. sea weed) and if need be (if fresh water is available), rinses the cockpit windows
- any bits and pieces which might have fallen off the rigging, any damage, wear-and-tear, or any points of (possible) shafing, is to be reported to the skipper.
- Nuts, bolts, rods or other hardware bits found on deck, can be a sign of an impeding larger problem, so do not take this lightly…

(11) Weather predictions

The skipper or first mate check weather predictions daily. Based on the predictions, the skipper can make changes in sail plan, course or overall passage plan.

And now for a slightly less “black-and-white” authoritarian advice. But still, just as important…

(12) “Everything has its place”

Or in other words: on a well-organized boat, “everything lives somewhere”. If everyone (especially guest crew) start “using stuff” (tools, cooking utensils, etc…), it is important to “put it back where you found it”.
It is frustrating to have to look through the entire boat to find the darned binoculars, the deck flashlight, or the darned can-opener. Or the preventer lines, which seem to keep on moving between different lazarettes etc..
From experience, I know, as the ocean passage goes on, crew often get more tired, and “the temper fuses” start to get shorter. Simple stuff like “Who did not put the cutting board back on its usual place?”, “why does the coffee jar keep on moving between cupboards?” can become a source of frustration.
But there is also a safety component: If the VHF handheld, the binoculars, the deck flashlight, the backup head torch, spare lines etc.. all have their dedicated place, we won’t lose time looking for them, when “things get hairy”.

(13) Cost sharing

- Agree with the skipper which costs will be shared amongst the crew, and how the common costs will be tracked. In the past, we had different agreements: on some boats, the crew agreed to share the marina fees and fuel, while on others, we did not. Do agree on forehand.
- Other common expenses, such as crew dinners and drinks, provisioning, communications’ (Starlink!) costs etc.. can be tracked via simple apps such as “Tricount”. Common crew expenses should be settled before any crew leaves the boat.

(14) Visitors

- For a yacht owner, his/her boat is his/her home. So, as crew, we need to take that into consideration when inviting other people onboard, while at anchor or in a marina.
- Agree with the skipper/owner, if it is ok to bring visitors aboard, even for a quick visit.

And now moving onto even less “black-and-white” advice.

“A well-fed crew, is a happy crew”. And the way meals are scheduled, prepared, and shared, is very often a reflection of the dynamics amongst a boat-crew…! It is important to agree, before the passage, when meals are prepared and who prepares them, as it often takes – dependent on the sea state – considerable effort to prepare meals on a rolling and pitching boat.

Here is my advice:

(15) Cooking

- Each day, one person (or a pair-of-persons in larger crews) is pre-appointed to cook the main meal of the day. This is typically the evening meal, preferably to served before sunset.
- If possible, we extract this person (or pair), called “the mother watch”, out of the normal sailing watch schedule for that day. E.g. with four crew, three crew can rotate and cover the 24h sailing watch cycle while one crew can be the mother watch without any sailing duties for that day.
- The mother watch can rotate day per day, with each crew, in turn, taking on the mother watch duties for a day.
- The mother watch is also responsible for cleaning the galley after the cooking: washing dishes, drying them and stowing everything away.
- If it is agreed that the evening meal is the “main meal” of the day, then breakfast and lunch (and anything in-between), can be prepared by anyone or as an additional task which the mother watch can take on.
- As the provisions on a boat are (always) limited in choice, it is preferred one crew is responsible for the overall provisions management. He/She will know what will need to be "used" first (we don't want to throw away too many left-overs, or fruits/vegggies/meat going off because it is not eaten in time). It is preferred, the mother watch checks with the person managing the provisions, what should be "used" first.
- As a courtesy to the crew on watch, and anyone awake at any time, if any of the crew makes breakfast or lunch, it is basic courtesy to check with the others on deck, on watch or awake, if they want breakfast or lunch too. It is not that much of an extra effort to throw in some extra eggs in the pan, or make some extra sandwiches, while you are preparing something for yourself.

I am open for more comments and suggestions, but in the mean time, I wish you a happy and safe ocean crossing!