Crazy project ideas

[william24424]

Plenty of projects that are necessary, but still I add on a few frivolous, just because I get a crazy idea. My latest is project is painting the navigation table with a white dry-erase coating, so I can get those colored markers and scribble add, subtract, calculate set, drift, T-V-M-D-C, erase ect. Also my 4 year old daughter might need a place to create and erase.

It's single digits outside and I just learned to make Turkish coffee, maybe it's affecting my judgement. So I ask, what's are some of your ideas that have worked? not worked? Is the sailboat a proper place to experiment? Input appreciated.

 

[Ross]

Some of the modern kitchen and bathroom paints meet the "dry erase" requirement even allowing permanent marker ink to wipe off.

 

[caguy]

Can you laminate your charts instead so you can write directly on them? I did that with mine just to keep the moisture off from them.
When I was counseling in elementary school I use to print up copies of coloring books for the kids as an ice breaker. Kids can go through a book very quickly except for the ones with CDO.

 

[Ron20324]

Why not save the table and just buy a dry-erase board and cut it to fit

 

[RichB]

Turkish coffee ..... quite a stimulant.
My navigational nemonics are "True Virgins Make Dull Company"
and "East is least and West is Best"

 

[sailingdog]

Some of the laminates work just fine as they are for dry-erase boards.

 

[Prime Time]

Interesting Idea

I like the idea. One issue might be the information inadvertently smudging or being erased by putting something on it. I don't know how stable it would be. It might be interesting to replace the surface of a chart table with this material or add a small board. I would also put a board up by the helm to help remember courses and bearings while racing. I use a grease pencil and a course board on my Flying Scot when we race.

 

[Rick Webb]

Grease Pencil on the Windsscreen works Well Also

Done did a heap of ciphering that way

 

[Bill Roosa]

Try post-its

I use them quite a lot. You can make notes, use the long edge and the chart compass rose to convert true to mag, use the corner to indicate the position of the "post" etc. After a sail I take all the post-it and can update the logbook with more accurate data. Have a set of arrow 'sign here' ones to keep the DR position updated.

 

[Don12364]

Years ago I abandoned the posh beautifully bound log book which I received as a present. Reason? I was afraid to use it for rough calculations, half heard coastguard weather forecasts hastily scribbled down, and trial passage plans that would possibly never be used.
I just bought a spiral bound school exercise book and went at it, marking up the cover with a felt tip pen for the start date of the book (and eventually the end date too). Now I am on my fifth book and all are kept as full records of previous cruises.
I even tear pages out to use as shopping lists or to give information to others. I jot down anything of note quickly and in pencil. Apart from that I keep all my workings, fuel purchased and jobs done and to do in these books. They also come very in handy on many other occasions when I need to look up some details again that I know I used last time we went that way.
I never throw anything away which is also useful if I subsequently discover there were mistakes in my workings. I don't worry about wasting paper either.
My logs are not masterpieces and would never win "The Log of the Year" award at the Sailing Club! - but they are darned useful and contribute much to the safety of the vessel.
For me it would be anathema to erase my workings as I went along - (also it would be illegal not to keep a proper log).

 

[sailingdog]

One way to prevent smudging is to have a plastic cover for the table top... either a mylar or plexiglass sheet would work nicely.

I like the idea. One issue might be the information inadvertently smudging or being erased by putting something on it. I don't know how stable it would be. It might be interesting to replace the surface of a chart table with this material or add a small board. I would also put a board up by the helm to help remember courses and bearings while racing. I use a grease pencil and a course board on my Flying Scot when we race.

 

[sailingdog]

One point to consider is that a boat's log is a legal document, and having one that is tamper resistant, like a hard-bound log book, is worth a lot more when it comes to a court proceeding, since it would be far more evident if anyone tampered with the pages in it.

Years ago I abandoned the posh beautifully bound log book which I received as a present. Reason? I was afraid to use it for rough calculations, half heard coastguard weather forecasts hastily scribbled down, and trial passage plans that would possibly never be used.
I just bought a spiral bound school exercise book and went at it, marking up the cover with a felt tip pen for the start date of the book (and eventually the end date too). Now I am on my fifth book and all are kept as full records of previous cruises.
I even tear pages out to use as shopping lists or to give information to others. I jot down anything of note quickly and in pencil. Apart from that I keep all my workings, fuel purchased and jobs done and to do in these books. They also come very in handy on many other occasions when I need to look up some details again that I know I used last time we went that way.
I never throw anything away which is also useful if I subsequently discover there were mistakes in my workings. I don't worry about wasting paper either.
My logs are not masterpieces and would never win "The Log of the Year" award at the Sailing Club! - but they are darned useful and contribute much to the safety of the vessel.
For me it would be anathema to erase my workings as I went along - (also it would be illegal not to keep a proper log).

 

[rardiH36]

Crazy Project: After Xmas Light Discount for Cabin LED's

Noticing that the "warm white" christmas light LED's were reasonably bright and that after holiday sales put a string of 30 at about $3.00, I removed the LED's and using voltage regulator IC's, and various formula's, and help from people on an electronic's forum, I mounted 12 LED's each on small project pc boards to replace my incadescent cabin lights. Not quite as bright as the incadescent's but plenty bright for cabin lighting and even reading just under. Total cost for the seven fixtures ='d about $30. Hoping that they last a few year. Marine LED replacement bulbs have dropped tremendously in price since I did this project a couple of years ago, so I probably wouldn't have done this if it were now.

 

[Don12364]

Sailing Dog - Legality of Logs

I am aware of this as you will see from my previous posting.
My spiral bound logs are more than adequate for legal purposes because they contain everything relevant to the voyage including hourly lats & longs, speed, depth and barometer etc.
And then there is also the laptop log complete with the AIS records of all ships passing within 15 miles. One day I might regret having this permanently on record!

One point to consider is that a boat's log is a legal document, and having one that is tamper resistant, like a hard-bound log book, is worth a lot more when it comes to a court proceeding, since it would be far more evident if anyone tampered with the pages in it.

 

[sailingdog]

Yes, but my point about the permanence and tamper-proof nature of hardbound logs still stands. In a legal proceeding, the veracity of a spiral bound notebook log that was missing several pages could easily be questioned. Were the missing pages the original entries for the dates in question, and were they torn out to allow you to re-enter the information... etc. If the log is hardbound, this is far less likely to be the case. This is why laboratory notebooks and inventor's design books are hard-bound... to provide solid evidence of the time and order of events.

I am aware of this as you will see from my previous posting.
My spiral bound logs are more than adequate for legal purposes because they contain everything relevant to the voyage including hourly lats & longs, speed, depth and barometer etc.
And then there is also the laptop log complete with the AIS records of all ships passing within 15 miles. One day I might regret having this permanently on record!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Hmm

a la Donald Crowhurst?

 

[Todd Smith]

How many people on recreational boats are keeping a "legal document type" log ?

If so, what entries do you record as a legal requirement ?

 

[Ross]

I keep more of a diary than a log. A typical entry would read:" We cast off at 1300 hrs and sail up river to Port Deposit and sailed back home. Winds were moderate from the west south west we were tied up by 1730 hrs. Took a nap and fixed a snack and pulled a cork. We had soup and biscuits for supper and finished the wine. We read until bedtime.

 

[catsailor]

I guess I'm not so formal on-board....

I keep bound logs at work, on certain types of projects, every page signed and dated. I have had to defend a patent. SD is dead right there. If I were a commercial pilot or captain, I would have a defensible log.

But on the weekend, the log is more likely to suggest what I may not have done or did wrong.

I document sea time and maintenance/repair items. I keep the ships papers/facts in one place. There are diary entries that focus on activities at anchor and such, sometimes. IF we are far off shore or sailing at night, I generally log course/location/speed every 30-60 minutes, depending on complexities (GPS can fail).

My "log" is loose-leaf and is changed all the time.

 

[william24424]

Log book entries

My log book entries include: 1) Name of vessels and owners I come across, including their crew, wives, ect. so I don't forget next time we meet. 2) Weather observations and currents 3) Phone #'s of marinas, and VHF channels monitored in each harbor 3) Crew reports for flogging 4) Harbor observations, facilities, local restaurants, and things to do 5) Course headings and NM travelled w/ time, wind, average speed, ect... Log book is a great tool to have, be great to see more on-line.