Coast Guard question for Jeffe

[MsFish]

K, another question, which is a derivative of my first one:

What would the crew members actually be doing during the storm?  Would the whole crew stay on deck?  

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Yep, or at least a double watch (ie 1/2 the crew would be in bed and the other half would be on watch)

The guys on watch would be standing lookout looking and listening for shoals, and other ships. Watch is about 4 hours (or one bell) and so every four hours you'd be trading out watch crews. The watch would also be responsible for trimming sails and the like. If the ship was taking on a lot of water everyone might be up working pumps, etc

[MsFish]

Stupid question: what's a shoal?

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

A shallow area, reef or sometimes even a submerged island...

Basically something underwater, or just barely above water that will rip the bottom of your boat out.

[MsFish]

  You rock.  

So...how do you know there's going to be a storm at sea?

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Red sky at morning sailors take warning...

the best way is to make a barometer if the pressure falls fast then you need to look out.

Otherwise the same signs as on land, sky darkens, humidity increases wind picks up... that sort of thing.
But in certain places (like off Norway) tidal forces can make the sea react like it was stormy. The ocean could bubble up, huge whirlpools or Maelstroms can occur.
You can even have the nautical equivalent of a tornado...
Its called a waterspout.and it can happen anywhere....

they are really cool.

[MsFish]

That sounds like fun.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

yeah to get a nice feel for it I suggest Master and Commander... it does a great job...