When we crossed the N. Atlantic on our sailboat with three crew we did 2 hour watches from 1800 to 0600 (night) and 3 hour watches from 0600 to 1800. This caused the watches to swing each day. I used this system on a trip from Hawaii to SF and also when we brought the trawler down to SF from Vancouver BC. On a small sailboat (36') 2 hours at night is enough exposure. Might be different in a pilot house. The person on watch was in the cockpit and aside from listening to music or books on tape, kept watch. The person going off watch at night usually made a warm drink after he went below for the new person in the cockpit. During the day we had a designated watch stander (3 hours) but we were often all in the cockpit unless the weather was really crummy. On the passages that my wife and I took we evolved a fixed system that suited us personally, much like Bob Austin describes. It turned out my wife liked the 2400 to 0200 or 0200 to 0400 watches (which I hate). In any event it usually took us three days to really get in the rhythm of any watch system and get unbroken sleep. On long trips with a crew, I really prefer some sort of defined watch schedule. It is pretty easy to develop resentments among the crew (even among long time friends) if someone starts pulling more duty then another (my experience anyway). Incidentally, I'm up working at the Seattle boat show which has really good crowds. The show has really expanded since the first year in the new exposition hall. I'm near Rose Point (software) which is crowded all the time. Regards, Robby Troller DOLORES E.