NIKKI HENDERSON

IF YOU COULD TAKE NIGHT WATCHES OUT OF THE OFFSHORE SAILING EQUATION, WOULD YOU ACTUALLY DO IT?

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Have you ever considered outsourcing your night watch to someone onshore? A couple I know of did. They were nearing the end of a three-year circumnavigation on their performance cruiser. Up until that point, they'd recruited a third crew member for any of the long trips to help stand watch and do some of the cooking. But for their last crossing they decided to experiment with something new. They set up a live webcam so that someone on land could hold watch and the captain could enjoy a full night's sleep.

It took me a while to take the idea in, and I don't know some of the key details. But I'm presuming their third 'offshored offshore sailor' (it's confusing!) had access to a masthead 360° video camera, and wind/speed data, as well as several other viewpoints of the deck, the sails and the waters. At least that's how I'd do it. But would I actually do it?

I should have put in a disclaimer 'Don't try this at home'. Or, more accurately, 'Don't try this at sea'. I'm not recommending it... yet.