[Cruisingdreamspress]

I agree with all that Andrew Burton advises and would add the following: While on watch, assuming the boat is on auto or windvane, I tried a suggestion I read somewhere. I use a kitchen timer to alert me that it is time, once again, to look around the horizon and to check my boat's wellfare. The simple devise allowed me to completely relax for the few minutes between these watches. Never once did I wonder how long it had been since I last looked. I found the kitchen timer was indispensable on my seven year solo round-the-world-voyage.