Sailing log

[gpaisley]

I still use my sailing log from when I was in the Navy to record my sailing time. I was wondering what all parts of a trip most people put in their logs. Specifically, do you only count underway timw after leaving the pier, or (especially for trailer sailors) do you include the time spent rigging and lauching?
I'm hoping that afer I get some time and my skills back up to par that I can volunteer to be crew on some of the bigger boats in Chicago. I would like to be able to accurately describe my time and experience, but don't want to over-or under-state my time.
Any insights or thoughts would be most welcome.

[Faster]

Here are a couple of discussions on the subject from our archives:


http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...-log-book.html

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...log-books.html

[gpaisley]

Thanks for the links to the previous posts. I tried to search for "log" but didn'
t find them.
Anyway, I guess I should have been more specific in my question. Since I have just a dinghy, I don't need to record the details of a navigation or maintenance log (although when I do actual mainenance, I should find a place to record it). I am really recording more of an expereince and skill log.
The conservative side of me is inclined to just log the time on the water, but part of me considers that time spent rigging is part of experience also (since I have found that I am getting faster and better at it). I'm also looking at the best way to record hours of expereince for my 8 and 9 year olds (who saild with me). Today they said they might like to take actual lessons (from someone besides Dad) and I realized that I would like to be able to accurately describe their true experience.
What kind of hours to sail schoold count for sailing hours--underway only or rigging also?

Many thanks.

[Faster]

It's not like flying a plane.. where 'hours' is used to quantify experience.

If you want to keep a record of some sort, perhaps just a journal with daily details such as "rigged up in 1 hour; sailed for 3, conditions:...... notes......" and highlight 'new' discoveries or techniques etc.

It would be great for your kids to keep their own journals too. My wife keeps her own personal journal of our sailing vacations aside from the 'ships log' and back when we had kids with us many of them kept their own little journals. We recently enjoyed reading through one of them 10 or 12 years later. Every day started with " In the morning, Ron made us hot chocolate...." but they had enough detail in there that everyone relived the moment.. it was very cool.

[Boasun]

Keep two logs....
One for what and how the boat is being operated or maintained.
And the other for Guests to write their thoughs and experiences in with Pictures if possible. Copies of the latter could be made available for them to take home... If there is a copy machine nearby.

[southwindphoto]

I actually keep a log each day I’m onboard. Record the number of hours on the motor, location, date, conditions. Then if I did anything to the boat that day, or if I/we went sailing, where we went. If it was an overnighter, I then log the next day GPS location and same as before about the motor, weather etc. Does this have any bearing as to qualifying to crew another boat.. I would think not, but, I do a log for my own reasons, including insurance, so I ever have to file a claim.

[DwayneSpeer]

I log the date, approximate time leaving port and returning, the general weather conditions (barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, clouds) and engine hours. Any other outstanding things saw or conditions encountered are also logged.

[oceanscapt]

Dock to dock, anchor to anchor, anchor to mooring, mooring to dock... Basically from the time I'm under way, making way to the time I'm anchored/moored/docked. If I drop the hook for lunch I don't count the time on the hook/mooring as time under way.