Who keeps a journal?

[kpgraci]

While searching my bookshelves for a book on chess for my daughter I stumbled across an old runners journal I kept back when I used to, well, run. It was interesting reading some of my entries from 15 years ago, not much on prose but it showed the ups and downs of the weekly grind that was my training schedule. While I was keeping the journal I seldom read it; it was for logging dates, conditions, mileage, and how I felt that day.

Then I thought…a sailing journal. Same thing, dates, weather, distance, what I learned.
I don’t know if I’ll muster up the discipline to actually do it, but the runners journal was a habit after the run to take a minute to jot down some notes. And as I enjoy sailing immensely more than running it may be a pleasant activity.

I suppose ships have kept logs since the beginning of ships, but do any of you recreational sailors keep a journal, either paper or electronic?

 

[Nodak7]

I write a log after each days sail. Where we go, who we sailed with, weather and distance. Depressing after the season to count how many days we spent out.... But fun to read after the season is over.

 

[31seahorse]

Hello Ken, I've written some in a log book, but that usually only lasts for the repairs and the first few sails on any boat we have bought. Mostly record keeping and crossing jobs off a list.

I've been more diligent at writing poetry during and following our sailing adventures whether that has been cruises by ourselves or cruises with friends. It is important to us to put pictures in the poetry (even if they are only to illustrate an idea and were not taken at the exact time described). I have read the poetry to those who were interested. There is a sort of "you had to be there" feeling in some of the writing. I do read them over often to myself especially now that we have sold the cruising boats.

I'll be interested to read how other people keep track of their travels and sailing activities. Phil

 

[Joe]

I kept a journal of my sailing activities with my Cat 27 for the first four years. I noted things like time, distance, sea state, weather, engine hours, sails used, and especially guest crew info and comments. Like I said, after about 4 years I got out of the habit.

I have always, however, kept a maintenance log, a boat book if you will... to refresh my failing memory. I am constantly amazed at how time flies by so fast and all of a sudden it's time to replace batteries.... sigh...

What I have been doing the past 5 or 6 years is recording some portion of each sail on video.... especially since the phone cameras are so convenient now... that's probably why I quit keeping the sailing log.

The only time I keep a sea log now is when I do an overnight... or few days on route. Then I make an entry every hour for course, location and condtions, and twice a day for everthing else.

When i campaigned my Nacra and Laser... I learned to keep meticulous notes on everything: boat set up, tactics, opponents tendencies...... everything I could remember. For awhile carried a handheld tape recorder so I wouldn't forget anything..

 

[Alec]

I always keep a dailiy journal of activities whenever I make a cruise or trip that is unusual, such as the charter trip to Tortola some years ago. Makes for incredible memories. Better than pictures alone...amazing with both.

 

[thinwater]

A blog, a repair/upgrade list, and an expereince log.

Blog. Whatever I feel like sharing.

Repair/Upgrade list. Date and total cost. Helps keep track of what may be due, where I found the parts before, and sometimes has nostalgic value. I'm not obsessive about it.

Experience log. I doubt I'll ever go for the 6-pack thing, but just in case, a simple log keeps it straight.

Nav log. If off-shore, I keep position notes for the duration, and then pitch them when finished (I've had a few GPS failures). I don't really consider it a log, more like showing your work n math class.

_____________


As for those that log windspeed and daily minutia... as long as they see value.

 

[Benny17441]

Same here, I do only log long trips. The interesting ocurrences on day sails I keep in my RAM. As far as mileage the Garmin chartplotter keeps a running tab. I do log when the fuel tank is topped off and the hourmeter keeps track of the motoring time.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Separate maintenance and engine logs. Daily log keeps written experiences alive. On our 7th log book since 1987. I have 'em all, great reading - if I can decipher my own handwriting sometimes.

 

[Johnb]

I have 28 years worth of records for every time we ever set foot on our boats, 8 journals in total. We got in the habit of entering family news and circumstances so they are also a record of kids, dogs, friends and family history. The admiral does most of the writing but I do the record if she is not around.

I also keep a separate maintenance and fuel record.

 

[Ray Bowles]

We have kept a personal log of every time we have sailed since the very first day. This log has been through 4 different boats. It started when we bought our Hunter 26 and first learned to sail. Then we went to our years living aboard and sailing our 38 Island Packet and the Catalina 22 after we returned home. It now rests in our San Juan 23.
We love taking trips now and reading of our early struggles learning to sail. Our failures and successes. What was so threatening earlier is now a source of laughter. Remembering our friends and their boats. The grandkids also love to read these stories when we take overnight trips.
I am truly happy that we kept up with this journal as it is the real measurement of our adventures.
I heard it told that "when you have your grandkids on your knee you need to have a tale to tell him." We do have that.
Ray

 

[wgkenney]

I keep a paper ship's log (weems and plath sells them) on where we go, who is on board, important data (e.g. was it a hard entrance, how good was holding for anchor, was there a resturant, etc). I also record impressions of the area. Add in status of equipment and key issues to be fixed.

I have a separate battery log where I record all the key data for my batteries so I can track over time. I usually do this when I get to the boat, prior to departure, then 0800 at anchor and before bed. I use my link 1000 for info and do SG at least once a month. Record water added etc.

 

[CrawJac]

Being new to this crazy sport/hobby that is sailing I have been keeping records of our misadventures in the boat's blog at http://thebuenavista.blogspot.com/

It's easier for me to snap a few pictures and jot some notes while I'm out and then type them up once I have some free time. This makes it a lot less of a "need to do" rather than a "want to do." Also, it helps keep my friends and family in to loop of what's going on and where I've been.

 

[Gary_H]

I have two log books which ......are errr ummm....empty. Never got into the habit I'm afraid.

 

[Dan Johnson]

I keep a log...

as a documentation of experience record for standing for my Captain's license some day. Made my own in Excel. Attached is a text translated copy - it works better as an Excel document with all the grid lines in place.

 

[Cool Beans]

never got into a sailing log. . .I can barely keep up with a maintenance journal. It started out nice and detailed, but recently is just a couple scribbles here and there. . .mostly just have receipts with notes scribbled on them stuffed between pages

When the head is all done, I do plan on keeping a pump-out log. . .I've heard it can be used as proof you are pumping out as you should in case you get pulled and questioned. . .a little CYA can't hurt, eh?

:dance:

 

[Sequitur]

I have always kept deck logs since my first sailboat in 1965. My watchkeeping training in the Royal Canadian Navy (Wonderful that we can again use Royal) impressed on me the essential responsibility of maintaining the ship's log.

These days, I use small inexpensive stationery store notebooks as deck logs to record at least hourly position reports, several-times-a-day weather and sea state reports, sail changes, battery state, watermaker operation, generator and engine use, radio traffic, sightings, incidents, observations and so on. Generally a day's entries take two to three pages. From these logs, it is a very easy matter to write a blog posting with lots of detail many days or even weeks later.

 

[Ed H]

I keep a log and when guests are on-board I invite them to make the entries. It is fun to sit in the cockpit and assist/listen as the adventure is recorded..."The fourth mate finally got up enough courage to tackle the 'head' ", & " Mutiny was barely avoided today when the Captain agreed to get a slip at a marina for the night..." It is even more enjoyable to later look back at the old entries and laugh. Ed H