I've always wondered what sleep was like on a Submarine. My friend who is on a boat says his sleep schedule is set so he gets about 5 hours a sleep each day, and that if I go in, sub is the way to go. I did some research and online it says they work on 18 hour days, and you get 12 hours of "Off time" for every 6 on watch. Is that true? Seems like a lot of off time.

OFF time means "not on watch". It means this is the time you get to (1) study for qualifications (either shubmarine quals, or watchstanding quals), do whatever maintenance you might be assigned, do your laundry, take your shower, eat, support drills, attend formal training, work on your advancement in rate, help cleanup the ship.....you get the idea.

And when your quals are done, that just means it is time for you to persue....you guessed it! - MORE quals. Or your college classes. Or give the training, or help the now junior people with their quals.

Its a busy life.

so to answer, not very much?

probably about like 6 every 18 hours?

You can average 4 to hr sleep a day if you learn how to power catnap , and still be effective . Possibly not what the rest of the world considers coherent or sane , but who really cares what the rest of the world thinks , they don't wear 'Phins
Oh yea the amount of sleep can relate to what job you do

4 hours seems about right. Depending on what is going on it can be less. The longest I did was 40 hours up straight. Can't say what I was doing but it did keep me awake.

yep - and the really odd thing is - I still sleep about the same amount. Power naps and four-in-a-row works - particularly when I'm traveling through a buncha time zones. Must not be bad for one's health - I'm not the youngest chicken in the coop.

"Mack the Knife"
CDR USN (Ret)

I thought you were the head rooster around here Mack.

quote:

Originally posted by 14771173:
I've always wondered what sleep was like on a Submarine.

Well sleep is just about the same as any other loud, noisy, cramped environment... once your out your out... who cares?

quote:

Originally posted by 14771173:My friend who is on a boat says his sleep schedule is set so he gets about 5 hours a sleep each day, and that if I go in, sub is the way to go. I did some research and online it says they work on 18 hour days, and you get 12 hours of "Off time" for every 6 on watch. Is that true? Seems like a lot of off time.

LOL... no.

When you are off watch you still have maintenance to do, quals, more maintenance, MORE quals, field day, clean up, etc etc etc. Oh and I forgot Drills. LOTS of Drills.

You will be LUCKY to get 6 hours sleep. Once you are qualified, and if you are a Cone you can get up to 12... but that takes away from the Hollywood showers and flick burning parties.

If you are a Nuke... you'll be HAPPY with 4 and REALLY happy with 6.

Yea , but all the loose zoomies help keep the hot rock folks going