[centurion316]

Why are dog watches so called?

Because they are curtailed.

In the Age of Sail, watches tended to be 4 hours, with the crew broken down into either two or three watches excepting certain of the ship’s company called idlers who kept a normal schedule. Dog watches of two hours were used to shift the watch changes by two hours per day so that over time the crew duties were balanced.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks, Centurion - did not know that.

America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

O stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that we lie here, obedient to their command.

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Castlebar]

Patrick O’Bryan fan?

[X Fretensis]

dogged watches are still used in the Navy. Topsiders normally dog the watch daily. This keeps the four hour watches rotating so the same men do not always have the midwatch. It also gets the 1st dog watch (16:00-18:00) off watch for the evening meal. 2nd dog watch eats before going on watch at 18:00. Snipes used to dog the watch once a week, generally on Friday if I remember correctly. For the evening meal, one of the off watch sections would come down an take the watch for half an hour or so, allowing the on watch section to grab chow and then back to the hole.