We have not kept a log of our sailing adventure in the past, but would like to start doing this next summer. We typically daysail or go on 2-5 day coastal cruises. For each outing would like to keep track of such things as date/time, destination, route taken, tide, passengers, sea state, temperature, wind speed direction, sails used, boat speed, motor usage, mishaps, and a place for misc. notes. Does anyone have recommendation for a particular log book?? Does anyone have an electronic template that can be modified/printed out??
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RonD
There are fancy & plain
Al You can go down to the stationary store and buy a bound notebook with ruled paper and just enter stuff. This has the advantage of being cheap and flexible. I don't record too much for daysails, but keep more extensive entries on cruises. Or, you can go to a chandlery and by log books with fancy covers and different page setups. My sister bought on of those for us when we got the boat. The thought was appreciated, but I find it awkward to use. The best compromise is to get the bound notebook and affix a fancy cover to it. As to content: The topics you mentioned are OK. Things like "tide" may not mean a lot since you can look up or calculate the tide conditions. On the other hand, making notes about handling & trim experiments that you perform during different WX conditions can be useful, recording engine times (generally only the clock hours when you secure the boat for the day), and any other maintenance-related items. During cruises we do hourly log entries of lat/long position, battery voltage levels, wind speed & direction, sea state, sail changes or engine starts, barometer/temp/humidity, watch crew names, etc. Reserving the last ten pages as a "Guest Log" is a nice touch, too. Get your gusts to sign the log & indicate their hometown and comments. There are a few practical reason for keeping a log. Two biggies are: boat usage & maintenance records, and having a passage record to take to court or your insurance agent if things go bad. Beyond that, the log provides a great memory-jogger to re-create the fun (and terror-filled) times. --Ron
Al You can go down to the stationary store and buy a bound notebook with ruled paper and just enter stuff. This has the advantage of being cheap and flexible. I don't record too much for daysails, but keep more extensive entries on cruises. Or, you can go to a chandlery and by log books with fancy covers and different page setups. My sister bought on of those for us when we got the boat. The thought was appreciated, but I find it awkward to use. The best compromise is to get the bound notebook and affix a fancy cover to it. As to content: The topics you mentioned are OK. Things like "tide" may not mean a lot since you can look up or calculate the tide conditions. On the other hand, making notes about handling & trim experiments that you perform during different WX conditions can be useful, recording engine times (generally only the clock hours when you secure the boat for the day), and any other maintenance-related items. During cruises we do hourly log entries of lat/long position, battery voltage levels, wind speed & direction, sea state, sail changes or engine starts, barometer/temp/humidity, watch crew names, etc. Reserving the last ten pages as a "Guest Log" is a nice touch, too. Get your gusts to sign the log & indicate their hometown and comments. There are a few practical reason for keeping a log. Two biggies are: boat usage & maintenance records, and having a passage record to take to court or your insurance agent if things go bad. Beyond that, the log provides a great memory-jogger to re-create the fun (and terror-filled) times. --Ron
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Mac Lindsay
Log Book
Al; My wife and I always use an empty hardcover notebook for our log book and I always take pictures to put in the book as well. Having a blank book is more useful for free-flow entries. For technical, use another log book. It is a good idea to have a seperate log book just for the boat and engine maintenance. We use both. Mac
Al; My wife and I always use an empty hardcover notebook for our log book and I always take pictures to put in the book as well. Having a blank book is more useful for free-flow entries. For technical, use another log book. It is a good idea to have a seperate log book just for the boat and engine maintenance. We use both. Mac
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Don Alexander
Legal Requirement under IMO
Al, Last year it became a legal requirement for all vessels under 150 Gross Registered Tons and going to sea, and for every voyage outside a harbour, to make a Passage Plan and keep a Log. This includes leisure vessels but does not apply to vessels navigating solely on the Great Lakes. All this is under the International Maritime Organisation's rules and USA signed up to IMO in 1950. It is part of SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and we are also all required to have on board a radar reflector if practicable and there are other obligations regarding handling of safety messages and having the International Code of Lifesaving Signals readily to hand on board. Ordinarily, here in the UK, we have been pretty remiss about such matters but if there is an incident and your Coastguard decide to enforce these rules you may be dead meat.
Al, Last year it became a legal requirement for all vessels under 150 Gross Registered Tons and going to sea, and for every voyage outside a harbour, to make a Passage Plan and keep a Log. This includes leisure vessels but does not apply to vessels navigating solely on the Great Lakes. All this is under the International Maritime Organisation's rules and USA signed up to IMO in 1950. It is part of SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and we are also all required to have on board a radar reflector if practicable and there are other obligations regarding handling of safety messages and having the International Code of Lifesaving Signals readily to hand on board. Ordinarily, here in the UK, we have been pretty remiss about such matters but if there is an incident and your Coastguard decide to enforce these rules you may be dead meat.
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D.L.
Authorative log
All, I have used a log with printed entries of my own choice in a three ring binder for two years. This year I will change. I have found a ledger at Office Depot that is bound, has 300 numbered, blank, lined pages. On the front it says "Record." I think this will make a fine legal document, at the same time providing for entries of varying length and detail. Each entry will have certain essential information such as barometer reading, wind direction, position, etc. I have not found any of the printed logbooks you find in bookstores to be something I would use. D.L.
All, I have used a log with printed entries of my own choice in a three ring binder for two years. This year I will change. I have found a ledger at Office Depot that is bound, has 300 numbered, blank, lined pages. On the front it says "Record." I think this will make a fine legal document, at the same time providing for entries of varying length and detail. Each entry will have certain essential information such as barometer reading, wind direction, position, etc. I have not found any of the printed logbooks you find in bookstores to be something I would use. D.L.
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Tom Ehmke
Al,check the chandlery here at sailboatowners.com
I was looking for a new log book to replace my old one and found the identical log here in the chandlery. I would recommend the one by Marlor Press. I've used it for years and simply ran out of pages to record our cruises. There are plenty of others available and some of them are reviewed by other sailors. Happy Hunting, Tom
I was looking for a new log book to replace my old one and found the identical log here in the chandlery. I would recommend the one by Marlor Press. I've used it for years and simply ran out of pages to record our cruises. There are plenty of others available and some of them are reviewed by other sailors. Happy Hunting, Tom
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Al
thanks for the input
I ended up making a template that I'll print and put in a 3-ring binder to keep on our boat and fill out on each trip. Based on some of the suggestions, I included some fields that I hadn't thought of. Again, thanks for the input! If you want to see it - you can download it at: http://homepage.mac.com/apcastro/files/FileSharing8.html
I ended up making a template that I'll print and put in a 3-ring binder to keep on our boat and fill out on each trip. Based on some of the suggestions, I included some fields that I hadn't thought of. Again, thanks for the input! If you want to see it - you can download it at: http://homepage.mac.com/apcastro/files/FileSharing8.html
Surveyors field book
These hardcovered little books are great. They're about the size of a small paperback novel and will fit in a hip pocket. The paper is water-resistant and the pages have both lines and columns. They're very durable and quite inexpensive, about $8 each and the orange color makes them hard to misplace. In addition to great memories, a log book will carry more weight than a sailing resume when it's time to bareboat charter. Peter H23 "Raven"
These hardcovered little books are great. They're about the size of a small paperback novel and will fit in a hip pocket. The paper is water-resistant and the pages have both lines and columns. They're very durable and quite inexpensive, about $8 each and the orange color makes them hard to misplace. In addition to great memories, a log book will carry more weight than a sailing resume when it's time to bareboat charter. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Bob
It works and it's simple.
Al: I printed the .xls version and can make a few minor changes and have a perfect cruising log. Thanks for taking the time to put together the spread sheet and sharing with us.
Al: I printed the .xls version and can make a few minor changes and have a perfect cruising log. Thanks for taking the time to put together the spread sheet and sharing with us.
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