Log Books

[Freesail99]

I use a plain school copy book ( black & white cover ) as a log for maintenance items. Gives me lots of space to record what I did.




Does anyone have a favorite type of pen to use, when making entrees ?

[sailortjk1]

Found these Nautical and Capt's Log's.
Not too bad in my opinion.
Nautical Log/Ship Log/Captain's Log Book

[Boasun]

Just wanted to add: Keep your Navigator's work book separate from you Boat Log. They are two different animals.
Your boat Log can be used as your medical log, nicer to have a separate one.
Also you need a Radio Log (which by the way is the worst kept log on most vessels) A commercial one could be used here.
And speaking of logs. A garbage/trash log is necessary on commercial vessels now. Talk about bureaucracy....

[Sabreman]

I feeling really guilty, but feel compelled to expose myself to the wrath of the Sailnet community. Also, the sloths of the sailing community haven't had the fortitude to chime in.. here goes...

I don't keep an underway log for daysails or short trips, I'd rather sail than write. For longer trips or overnight transits, I keep a position log via GPSNavX and write a short summary at the end of the day (mostly chatty stuff, not very nautical).

By way of explanation, I maintain a spreadsheet of major jobs/ upgrades/ purchases to help determine if something is due for replacement. As to overall cost, I keep a detailed record under Quicken as part of household finances. As to the maintenance schedule, I have a set routine for servicing the engine (mid season) and do monthly visual checks. I do all my own maintenance, so I'm ALWAYS looking at the boat critically (anally, says my wife)

So I guess that you could say that the log is a compilation of the GPSNavX track history, Quicken, a Word doc, and a spreadsheet. Works for me.

[auroranights]

When we first purchased our Morgan 321 I looked at a number of different commercial logbooks but none seemed to fit. I did buy one that came closest to meeting my needs. Using my computer's word processor I reformatted those pages on my computer and developed a template I could then use. Three or four revisions later I now have a format that suits my needs and is easily used.

While sailing I have a small notebook and pen I carry in a small pouch where I note conditions, course and so forth. When time permits I enter the information and additional notes on my pda which has a portable, collapsable and very compact keyboard. Upon returning home I transfer the log with notes to my PC. Also I insert any digital photos I may have taken to illustrate the good times we've had.

This season I hope to eliminate one or two steps since we purchased a laptop that can be taken right along with us on The Big Lake.

I also took time to write our own 'logs' for other purposes. There's one for Emergency and Safety, another for Maintenance, and another just for Coast Guard and state Documention and ship's systems. The biggest benefit in that project was learning so much more about the boat and procedures to use in various situations.

I'm a long, long way from being a young sprite computer geek.

[rnipper]

I had a friend who's great-great grandfather made brooms for a living. Her family still had some of his business journals and they considered them a treasure. I would strongly encourage anyone to write their non-maintenance type logs down by hand instead of using a computer. You have no idea how valuable they will be to your decendants.

"A life worth living is a life worth recording."-Tony Robbins

[carib14]

Beyond the recording of memories and maintenance stuff, the log book becomes a legal document... which becomes your defense should it be required... or your support in warranty claims.

[petegingras]

Sabreman,

I don't keep an underway log for daysails or short trips, I'd rather sail than write.

I am by no means the type A sailor, but one misadventure has impressed upon me to denote time, tide, wind, direction, SOG, LAT, LONG. In a $.99 drug store memo book, West Marine has them for $7.00.

Overnight and mutiple days, yes three different logs.

you're right sailing not logging.

[RhodeIslandSailer]

I puchased my Log Books at Blue Water Books & Charts in Newport Rhode Island. They have plenty of options to choose from. I live in Rhode Island so It's a natural choise for me. It's a real luxury having Newport and all of it's sailing resources right next door.

I tried, but I cant post a link yet, you can look it up on the web.

[SSTampa]

Originally Posted by petegingras

Sabreman,

...but one misadventure has impressed upon me to denote time, tide, wind, direction, SOG, LAT, LONG....

Mind sharing what happened that impressed you to keep a detailed log like that?