Time By Ship's Bell
View PDF | Print View
by: Admin
Total views: 121
Word Count: 161
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 Time: 9:40 PM
1 comments
In the days before clocks became a common item onboard, a vessel would carry a chronometer. It was the duty of one person to strike the ship's bell to indicate the time and the changes of the watch. 8 bells would signal the end of the watch
The bell strikes would be as follows:
0000 8 bells 1200 8 bells
0030 1 bell 1230 1 bell
0100 2 bells 1300 2 bells
0130 3 bells 1330 3 bells
0200 4 bells 1400 4 bells
0230 5 bells 1430 5 bells
0300 6 bells 1500 6 bells
0330 7 bells 1530 7 bells
0400 8 bells 1600 8 bells
0430 1 bell 1630 1 bell
0500 2 bells 1700 2 bells
0530 3 bells 1730 3 bells
0600 4 bells 1800 4 bells
0630 5 bells 1830 5 bells
0700 6 bells 1900 6 bells
0730 7 bells 1930 7 bells
0800 8 bells 2000 8 bells
0830 1 bell 2030 1 bell
0900 2 bells 2100 2 bells
0930 3 bells 2130 3 bells
1000 4 bells 2200 4 bells
1030 5 bells 2230 5 bells
1100 6 bells 2300 6 bells
1130 7 bells 2330 7 bells
The strike for the hours were done as two quick strokes so 6 bells would sound like dingding, dingding, dingding and likewise 7 bells would be:
dingding, dingding, dingding, ding
About the Author
Bruce Stott, co-founder of Gulf Islands Cruising School Ltd. has been a Canadian Yachting Association certified instructor since 1971. He has taught aboard both sail and power boats ranging in size from 8' to 86' and is author of Home Study Coastal Navigation Course
Rating: Not yet rated
