What's it like working on a boat?

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Working on a boat

A commercial boat is usually a 24/7 operation, so there is always at least one person on duty or on watch.

 Boats are hired, rented or chartered to carry cargo or do a job for a client or charterer.  The crew is on board to make and save money for the owner. The deck crew has to: 

1. navigate the boat safely and efficiently to where the owner or client orders

2. load or deliver the correct cargo in good condition

3. maintain the boat and the equipment to operate safely and efficiently. 

Watches

Working hours on a boat at sea

At sea, the 24 hours working schedule on a boat is covered in shifts called 'watches'. The traditional 'sea' watches are:

08:00am to 12:00pm and 08:00pm to 12:00am

12:00am to 04:00am and 12:00pm to 04:00pm

04:00am to 08:00am and 04:00pm to 08:00pm

So if you are on the "8 to 12" watch, this means that you are on watch from 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock morning and evening. 

Working hours on a boat in port

In port, the 24 hours working schedule on a boat is also covered in shifts called 'watches'. The traditional 'port' watches are:

06:00am to 12:00pm and 06:00pm to 12:00am

12:00am to 06:00am and 12:00pm to 04:00pm

Operational Working Hours

Some operations, like arriving in port and departing from port can take place at anytime, on any watch. A port arrival operation can take 2 or 3 hours. Even if you are not on watch at the time of arrival, people in the deck department will be working for arrival operations. And they will still have to cover their assigned watch.  

Hours of Work and Rest Regulations

The are regulations from the IMO about hours of work and rest for seafarers. We are not going to go into the details here. To give you a little idea: seafarers are not supposed to work more than 14 hours in any 24 hours, and are not to work more than 70 hours in a week. 

A seafarers rest hours depends on his or her own time management skills. 

Do I get to go ashore?

Permission to leave the boat is called "shore leave". The captain of the boat decides whether he or she will allow crew members to leave the boat in port. Normally, if you are not on watch working, you can go ashore if you want to, if shore leave is granted. The captain has to consider a number of things when he is allowing shore leave. He has to think about: (i) how long the boat is in port for (will people be able to get back in time), (ii) will there be enough people on board to deal with an emergency like a fire, and (iii) the security restrictions in the port at the time.