Have everything you need either in the cockpit ( where you steer the boat, unless you're in a fancy trawler ) or close by...
Use the head ( bathroom ) BEFORE your shift starts...
Have plenty of snacks and drinking water nearby...
Make sure your husband has fixed the autopilot...
Position Report- Check your location on a paper chart every hour...
Understand how the radar works...
Try not to wake up your partner unless you have to...
Wear a watch with an alarm...
No cocktails... sorry!
Check all running lights...
Wear your life vest...
Medicate the dog...
Pick out your music... my friend Linda enjoys a cd of steel drums on a long passage...
Walk around the boat and make sure everything is secure and latched down...
Don't panic when a cruise ship passes you...
Check and RE-Check your weather...
And most important, enjoy the night sail. Remember it's more dangerous to travel on the freeway during rush hour traffic than to sail your boat in the ocean at night!!
When you're scared, you know you're alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
