Research Programme

Two Minutes of Your Time.
Real Data for Safety at Sea.

21 timed challenges and 3 in-depth surveys measuring how sailors respond to alarms, make decisions, and maintain attention under pressure. No signup. No email. Just play.

Part of the Marine Alert Fatigue Studypublished preprint

26
Challenges
3
Surveys
~2 min
Per Challenge
5
Languages
0
Signup Required

Start with a 5-minute survey

Four self-assessments. Each one gives you an instant personalised readout — and adds a real data point to our next paper.

Why two minutes?

Measuring reaction time takes more than a single click. To separate real performance from noise, each challenge needs enough trials — 30 reaction-time measurements, 55 alarm responses, or 75 auditory signals — run under timed pressure. Two minutes is the shortest window that produces meaningful cognitive data.

That is what we are asking for. Two minutes, played on your phone or laptop, wherever you are. You get an instant score compared to other sailors. We get anonymised data that feeds ongoing research on how alert fatigue affects decision-making at sea.

Play any challenge 60 to 180 seconds each
See your score Compared to all participants
Contribute real data Anonymous, no cookies
Challenge your crew All ages, all experience

What we measure

Each challenge targets a specific cognitive dimension affected by alert fatigue. Together, they map how alarm exposure degrades performance across six areas:

Discrimination

Can you tell critical alarms from routine ones when the signals are similar?

Attention

Can you maintain focus through a monotonous stream and detect the moment something changes?

Reaction time

How quickly do you respond to an alarm — and does that speed hold up over a sustained session?

Working memory

Can you hold a mental picture of what is around you when the instruments go dark?

Triage

When multiple alerts fire at once, can you identify the one that matters most — and act on it first?

Habituation

After dozens of false alarms, do you still respond to the real one? The cry wolf effect is measurable.

For Everyone Who Goes to Sea

Young sailors tend to have faster reflexes. Experienced sailors know the answers. Find out where you stand — then challenge your crew, your family, your whole boat.

All ages welcome. Every result contributes to real research on safety at sea.

Level 2 — Real Decisions
Same screens. Real scenarios from offshore sailors. The answer depends on YOUR situation. Built with scenarios from Cruisers Forum, YBW, and Reddit.
📡
Radar WatchCluttered screens. Converging targets. Which is YOUR highest risk?Level 2 of Radar Interpretation • 15 scenarios, 10 per play • Variants change the answer
4 min
🚢
Traffic DecisionsNight. Multiple vessels. First-person helm view. Who do you deal with first?Level 2 of Navigation Lights • 7 scenarios, 10 questions • Real encounters
4 min
🗺️
Chart DecisionsYour plotter shows this route. What’s wrong? Weather, tides, fatigue — all factors.Level 2 of Chartplotter Symbols • 8 passage planning scenarios
4 min
COLREGs in PracticeThis situation. What do you actually do? Rule 9 vs 18, Rule 17 dilemmas, solo compliance.Level 2 of Who Gives Way • 8 debated scenarios from Cruisers Forum
4 min
Passage DecisionsDay 3. Things are going wrong. Autopilot failure, exhausted landfall, crew sick. What now?Level 2 of Plan the Watch • 15 crisis scenarios, 8 per play
4 min
Timed Challenges — Reaction, Attention & Decision-Making
These measure cognitive performance under conditions that simulate alert fatigue. Each is timed and generates research data.
🔔
Alarm Sound ChallengeCan you tell 5 different MFD alarms apart?Measures: audio discrimination
~90s
🌙
Night Watch ChallengeIdentify what you see on watch after a glare eventMeasures: change detection after vision disruption
~90s
🚨
Alert OverloadTriage cascading alerts under pressureMeasures: triage accuracy under simultaneous alarms
~90s
How Fast Can It Go Wrong?Rank emergency actions by priorityMeasures: mental models of escalation speed
~120s
Plan the Watch8 passage scenarios. Plan a safe watch rotation.Measures: fatigue-aware scheduling knowledge
~120s
🌙
What Woke You Up?6 night alarms. Read the instrument clues.Measures: diagnostic reasoning under disorientation
~90s
🚨
The Cry Wolf Test55 alarms. How many will you still trust?Measures: habituation and response drift under false alarms
~120s
⏱️
Bridge Watch Reaction TimeAlarm fires on watch. How fast can you react?Measures: reaction time and vigilance degradation (PVT-inspired)
~120s
🔊
The Oddball Test75 tones. Can you hear the one that’s different?Measures: sustained auditory attention (classic oddball paradigm)
~180s
🚨
Triage DegradationCan you keep up as alerts accelerate?Measures: triage breakdown threshold under escalating pressure
~120s
🔇
The Alarm Filter60 alarms. Tell critical from routine as they converge.Measures: discrimination under perceptual convergence (go/no-go)
~120s
🎯
Which Alarm, Which Action?5 alarms, 5 responses. Match them under pressure.Measures: audio identification + action mapping speed
~120s
👁
The Peripheral WatchMonitor instruments AND spot vessel lights.Measures: divided attention under dual-task load
~180s
📡
Vessel TrackerRadar goes dark. Can you remember what was where?Measures: spatial working memory
~120s
Knowledge Tests — Sailing Safety
These test practical sailing safety knowledge — navigation lights, radar, COLREGs, AIS, and anchor awareness.
Anchor Watch Investigation7 risks hiding in your anchorage
~90s
🗺️
Chartplotter Symbols5 symbols every skipper should know
~90s
🟢
Navigation LightsIdentify vessels by their lights
~90s
📡
AIS Danger AssessmentRead AIS data and spot the danger
~90s
🎯
Radar InterpretationAIS is down. Read raw radar returns.
~90s
🆘
MOB EmergencyEvery second = 3 metres of drift
~90s
⚓️
Who Gives Way?32 COLREGs encounters. Give way or stand on?
~120s

Keep a weather eye

We publish new research, add new challenges, and are building safety tools designed specifically for sailors. If that sounds useful, join the list.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. We send about 2 emails per month.

Your Data

What we collect

  • Quiz scores and response accuracy
  • Response times per item
  • Total completion time
  • Browser language
  • Email address (only if you choose to join — for research updates, new challenges, and early access to safety tools we are building for sailors)

What we do not collect

  • No IP addresses stored
  • No cookies used
  • No personal identification without consent
  • No data sold to third parties
  • No account or login required

All participation is voluntary and anonymous. Email collection is optional and governed by our privacy policy in compliance with GDPR. Aggregate results may be published in academic journals.

The Research

Zucchelli, P. & Smith, N. (2026). The Science of Fatigue at Sea: A Biomathematical Model for Recreational Sailing. Preprints.org.
Read on our site  |  DOI: 10.20944/preprints202603.1014.v2

Zucchelli, P. & Smith, N. (2026). Multi-Day Fatigue at Sea: A Two-State Biomathematical Model for Recreational Passage-Making. Preprints.org.
Read on our site  |  DOI: 10.20944/preprints202604.1649.v2

Original music by Oliver Smith.

Cyan Dreams — Oliver Smith

Disclaimer: These challenges and surveys are designed for research, education, and entertainment purposes only. They are not a substitute for formal maritime training, certification, or professional safety assessments. Always follow the training and qualification requirements of your flag state and relevant maritime authorities. If in doubt, seek professional instruction.