Who's doing what and when on Enterprise?

[putaro]

When I am writing and I need a character to do something I'll often just make somebody up as I go along. However, Enterprise is a pretty small ship (84 originally, then the MACOs were added) and when you start thinking about who's doing what and multiple shifts of that, the numbers get kind of big.

This guy did a listing of the crew complement for an NX class but he comes up with 106 if you take out the MACO's, which is 22 more than originally spec'd. His TOC is also light on bridge crew (there's only one communications officer) though heavy on Engineering (28 in Engineering) and with some somewhat odd extras (does Enterprise have a barber? A tailor??? )

It seems like a lot of us fan fic writers assume three shifts, probably 8 hours each (at least that's how I was thinking of it). However, most naval watch systems split those shifts (or watches) and there it's also common to have only two teams, standing watch a total of 12 hours a day.

Any thoughts? I think if Enterprise was on a two-shift system that would cut the number of personnel needed to run the ship and give you room for the scientific crew.

[Cogito]

I'd be interested to know of a contemporary ship with a similar crew size, and find out how the crew is structured. From a position of complete ignorance, I'd guess that with a crew that small there would typically be a very small standing watch and many of the specialist jobs would only be staffed part time.

[putaro]

So, anyone with any actual sea-going experience want to chime in?

[Transwarp]

On a U.S. Navy ship you have *one* shift. It's called the 'work day'. It's 8 hours, just like a civilian job. You report to your place of work after breakfast (engineering, deck division, operations, etc...), usually have a quick formation for accountability and to hear the plan of the day, then you get to work (maintenance, training, cleaning, all the myriad tasks needed to keep the ship operational.) I was an electrician in E-Div (Electrical Division), part of Engineering Department. The main part of my job consisted of routine maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs of the ship's electrical systems. Then at around 1700, we would 'knock off ship's work', which meant the work day was over and our time was our own.

In addition to the work day, there are certain positions on an underway vessel that are manned 24 x 7. These are manned by personnel in 4 hour periods called 'watches'. As an electrician, I stood watch in the ship's electrical distribution switchboard. Most of the time there were five of us in the watch rotation, which meant I stood watch every 16 hours. Some stations had six, which would mean that you would have the same watch period every time. Not so bad if you have the 12 to 1600, but it sucks if you're the mid-watch (midnight to 0400). To avoid that, they 'dog' the midwatch (a dog-watch is for a two hour period).

You stand your watch when it comes up, whether it's during the work day or at night. Usually, the people on the mid-watch get to sleep in an extra hour after reveille.

That's a brief overview of the way it works; if you need more detail, you can probably google it. (Google knows everything!)

[putaro]

That's very informative. So, in the engine room, for example, you would have some number of watch standers (like 2 or 3) making sure everything was working properly, and then people in their "work day" doing the routine maintenance, etc?

When you say there's "one shift" does that mean that there's a 9-5 workday when most things get done or that each crewperson has one shift and there's 3 shifts per day?

[Transwarp]

So, in the engine room, for example, you would have some number of watch standers (like 2 or 3) making sure everything was working properly, and then people in their "work day" doing the routine maintenance, etc?

That is correct.

When you say there's "one shift" does that mean that there's a 9-5 workday when most things get done or that each crewperson has one shift and there's 3 shifts per day?

Yes, there is one workday that includes everyone, not multiple shifts. The work day is when all the routine maintenance and training gets done. All the 'ship's business'. In parallel with that, you have the people on watch. So, the sailor at the helm is standing a 4 hour watch. Manning the helm is not part of anyone's normal workday (and in port, the helm is not manned at all). Same with lookouts, radar & radio operators, main engines, etc... Those things that are essential to the ship are manned 24x7 and the rest are not. The ship's barber shop is closed after the normal work day, for example.

Hope this clarifies things.

[Cogito]

That's good to know, and is conveniently consistent with the common theme that there is a "ship's night" and that this is when Gamma shift are on watch.

[putaro]

That's good to know, and is conveniently consistent with the common theme that there is a "ship's night" and that this is when Gamma shift are on watch.

Sort of. I've been trying to figure this out, especially who fits in where and Transwarp's comments have been a big help since Wikipedia doesn't quite explain it.

The traditional watch system divides the day up into seven watches, most 4 hours, and then 2 2 hour watches.

20:00 - 00:00
00:00 - 04:00
04:00 - 08:00
08:00 - 12:00
12:00 - 16:00
16:00 - 18:00
18:00 - 20:00

According to Wikipedia, the Royal Navy (and I believe the US Navy uses the same system, except for submarines), splits the watch standers into two divisions, port and starboard. They alternate taking the watches. Now, this sounds like hell, because you'd never get more than 4 hours sleep, but if I'm understanding Transwarp right, there's a further rotation within the divisions so that you're not taking every other watch but a watch in five perhaps, depending on the size of the team. So, there wouldn't be a "gamma shift" of 8 hours, but two late night watches, and depending on the rotation, it may or may not be the same people all the time.

US submarines run on an 18 hour day with 6 hours on and 12 hours off for three watch sections. Apparently this isn't just the watch standing, but really it's your "day", so you get to sleep six hours? Subs often have "hot-bunking" where you don't even get your own bed.

[Cogito]

Do you mean the sleep cycle is based on an 18 hour day? That must play havoc with biorhythms.

[putaro]

That's the way I'm reading it, but I could be wrong. My sleep cycle seems to be based on a 26 hour day this week. Time for me to get to bed!

[Transwarp]

I was never on a submarine, so I have no idea. The bubbleheads (submariners) pretty much had their own navy.

Seems to me, though, that life on a Submarine would represent a much closer approximation to a spaceship then life on a surface ship.

I'm just gllad I never had to do that whole 'hot bunking' thing.