# Do you sailor's keep a log book?



## ltgoshen (Jan 5, 2009)

Do you keep a log book on your sailboat? If so, who makes the best one? Has anybody used excel to make theirs?


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Geeze. Are you about to open a can of worms. This subject is about second to guns on board.

My answer is yes and a $1.99 composition book.

Here are two threads on the subject:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/85670-what-goes-your-ships-log.html

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/65407-what-good-log-book.html


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## Cruiser2B (Jan 6, 2011)

We keep a log book, just use a journal type notebook from B&N. It was alot cheaper than ones at west marine. We record all maintenance item with part #s and and engine hours. Usually dont record anything but engine hours on daysails. when we go out longer than a day we keep gps plots too.


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## Silvio (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, "one can-o-worms comin' up"

I use what is basically an field notebook (I'm a civil engineer so have plenty of them around) much like a small ledger book. I have sections for trip logs and notes, repairs and maintenance, fuel consumption calculations with engine hours, and an area for marking down items that crop up during a trip that I need to address once stationary.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

DRFerron said:


> Geeze. Are you about to open a can of worms. This subject is about second to guns on board.
> 
> My answer is yes and a $1.99 composition book.
> 
> ...


Third. Second most contentious is anchor-religion.

ltgoshen-

You're not in some nation's Navy, it's your pleasure boat. You can log as much or as little as you please. A written or typed log may help (or hurt) you in a maritime court case if you are involved in an altercation or collision with another vessel.

You may find it fun to record your travels and activities, or you may find it tedious.

A maintenance log at a minimum can be very helpful. Record the number of engine hours on each run to determine when maintenance is due. Oil changes, tune-ups, whatever.

Anything from manually made-up excel spreadsheets to lined, composition notebooks can be used. If you're really swanky, you can buy a log book from Weems & Plath with a brass plate you can inscribe the ship's name on.

Do as much or as little as you like.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

I keep a detailed log of the day's activities... I try to include wind speeds, wind direction, temp, water temp, forecast before, and observed.

I also try to keep an account of the "sail" itself. I use Microsoft Word, and create a new document for each trip. The log file is getting full, but, I find I can go through and get an idea of how consistent forecasts are, and how I dealt with issues that arose by digging through them. As a "diary" its fun to go back and read what we did on such a day.

This is something my father did with his sails, and frankly some of the accounts were so hillarious, I swear he'd make a fortune out of publishing them.

Oh and Microsoft Word allows me to attach screen shots, and GPS map dumps from Navionics right into the doc. I can also attach pictures and invariably I print these to PDF file, and keep them to post to family friends that sail the day with me.


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

I like to keep a log of the guns I have onboard. 

If I ever sailed my $10k blue water boat down the ICW without a motor, I'd certainly log that.

-----

Sorry, couldn't resist! My views are represented in the threads linked above.

In a word: Yes.

A sample:

*July 19, 2010*
Forecast: sunny; 92°; winds W 8-10;
Went out with Zoe (the Wonder Pooch) to close the bow hatch that we left open Saturday night. We were onboard at 4:30; there was a very nice breeze, so I decided to sail a little. The wind was out of the west so it was an easy reach to pass through the Malacca Straits. Once I cleared the red marker on the eastern side, I turned around and headed back. We spent maybe an hour and a quarter sailing.
No issues; need to refill the gas can. We dumped it all into the tank of the tender on Saturday to make sure we could get back. Need batteries for the tender flashlight as well.
The WW ramp doesn't look well suited to pulling out the sailboat next weekend.


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## johnnyquest37 (Feb 16, 2012)

We keep a ship's log, a maintenance log, and we each keep personal logbooks. The ship's log notes locations, conditions, sail set, and whatever else the crew wants to put in it. The only "mandatory" entries are when we hear "Mayday" radio calls. I encourage crew/guests to make log entries and to sign the logbook at the end of a cruise. The maintenance log records oil changes, periodic checks, replacing items such as batteries, rigging, sails; and other maintenance and repair events performed. The personal logs for most of the crew are the ASA logbooks. I've outgrown mine and now use a small journal book to record miles, night hours, days at sea, destination, and crew position.

Our logbooks are just bound blank, lined pages. We are not obessive about the ship's log, but we record everything in the maintenance log and I am obsessive about my personal logbook.


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## capttb (Dec 13, 2003)

Nope, after keeping log books while working I had no desire or need to continue the practice in retirement.
You may fire when ready.


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## JoeDiver (Feb 2, 2011)

Yes. My ships log is a simple blank (lined) hard back book, measures about 4x6. I log general observations, like wind, temp, clouds and then conversational diary type comments about what I did, where I sailed, what I saw. Sometimes I don't make an entry at all, but that's not the norm.

I'm a weekend local lake sailor.....if I were an offshore cruiser, live aboard, making long passages....I'd certainly keep a more detailed log of many things, in order to provide not only a record, but trend analysis.


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

johnnyquest37 said:


> ...I encourage crew/guests to make log entries and to sign the logbook at the end of a cruise...


I like this idea. Maybe I'll get a guestbook for the new boat and have people sign it at the end of the cruise. That would be fun to read years down the road.


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## teddier1 (Apr 8, 2008)

We have keep a log book for years and find that it helps jar your memory.


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## ltgoshen (Jan 5, 2009)

I may Go a head and get the ASA book and keep a log for now and see how it goes from there. I do want to keep good maintenance on the C&C30. I like the idea of knowing were the bottom is. Whave some of the worst tidesd here in the beaufort river like 8 ft moving at 4 to 5 knots. I like having the information to look back on. Thanks for all your imput's, It helps me as a new sailor understand. Tomorow will I will leave the mooring field for a 25 mile round trip to the Port Royal sound from downtown beaufort. Ia excited. I will hook up two speakers and that battery I was talking about earler in the week. I will go by my self if I cant find some crew. 
Cheers


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## msmith10 (Feb 28, 2009)

I've tried keeping detailed logs with wind speed and direction, wave heights, etc.
In the end I always abandon it because it's just too much work. A maintenance log, though, is a must. With an old boat and old motor, you're always working on it and it's easy to forget just how long it's been since you replaced this or that.
I'll probably try again this season, but I think I'll limit it to distance or time sailed. If I keep it very simple I may be able to stay with it.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

msmith10 said:


> If I keep it very simple I may be able to stay with it.


It might just be an exercise in frustration if it is something you have to force yourself to do. A log book is not a requirement on recreational boats. I would say keeping a maintenance log, which you say you do, is much more important as that can potentially help you sell the boat if that time comes, not to mention help you keep up with repairs and costs.


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## RyanR620 (Feb 28, 2012)

I like to keep a Captain's Log. Always to same format...start with the star date....


Okay. Okay. I don't have a boat yet, but I couldn't keep myself from making that joke!

In all serious-ness. I imagine I'll keep some sort of log for my boat once I purchase. It's a process I'm used to doing, between work, and diving, and flying...I can't see myself not keeping track of stuff, as I know the benefits of it.

That being said, if your on here, you're probably sailing for fun. If keeping tedious notes isn't fun to you...don't do it.


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## Jim H (Feb 18, 2006)

Over here in the UK, it's pretty much a requirement. Even in the Solent you're dancing with major ships, and there's only more waiting in the channel. A well-kept log can/will be reviewed in court if anything untoward happens, and having a decent log book helping to represent your seamanship skills is taken seriously.

As such, we go for the true leather-bound ones, for passage details, fuel consumption, maintenance reports, weather and wildlife. I can understand the idea of going with regular binders, but it's also a tradition on our boat that the yacht logs go with the boat when it is sold, and we really enjoyed reading the leather bound log of voyages done by our boat by previous owners.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Jim H said:


> ...but it's also a tradition on our boat that the yacht logs go with the boat when it is sold, and we really enjoyed reading the leather bound log of voyages done by our boat by previous owners.


In a way that's kind of a cool tradition but on the other hand, you end up selling written record of passages on your boat and will have to rely on memory.

I'm torn.


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## arknoah (Oct 31, 2010)

I looked at a number of templates and made up my own logbook sheet with items such as the wind speed and direction, engine hours, a brief description of the sail, etc. I keep this record after each sail and often put a note of some kind in my blog. I find it helps to remind me of things I've learned on a sail, and a way to jog my memory on items I don't want to forget the next time. 

So far, I'm finding using a logbook a useful exercise. Perhaps when I'm more experienced, it won't seem as important.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

We have a logbook, instructively labelled, "Logbook." Stowed in the rack on the starboard side of the companionway:








Inside are ruled pages with columns that have headings like "date", "time" "heading" "speed," "comments" etc... and during our first season we diligently attempted to keep a proper log. Hwever, while it was easy to log time of departure and note the sumlog reading and heading outbound, once off the dock record keeping deteriorated, and nobody ever remembered to log the return time or total mileage. By the end of the season entries looked like this, "Really big winds! Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!" scrawled across the page, with no regard for the lines and columns.

That informal style has pretty much carried on, unless something really critical needs to be noted.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

DRFerron said:


> In a way that's kind of a cool tradition but on the other hand, *you end up selling written record of passages on your boat and will have to rely on memory.
> *
> I'm torn.


You could always scan them and print them or save them on a CD.


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## wolfenzee (Jul 13, 2008)

As much as I like to keep things low-tech, smple and "old school", I find the logging part of my Nobeltec nav software allows me to input the most information with the least work.


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## glassdad (Feb 21, 2009)

We keep a log of each time we go out. We track the engine hours in order to know our fuel useage and maintanence. Other than that, we record anything of interest. It is more of a diary of the adventures of the Odyssey. We do have any first time guests sign the log and make any comments they want. Any repeat guests can sign and write in it but I don't push them. I look at the log as a way to remember the good times when I can no longer sail.

After my mother died, we found the log book that they kept on their boat. I looked forward to reading about their adventures. I was very disapointed to find only one entry. All those stories are gone. I don't want that to happen to our stories.

Take care.


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

If you keep an accurate up to date log, then your wife can tell you how much each sail cost for last year!
John


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## glassdad (Feb 21, 2009)

Take her along. Then you can blame her.


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

glassdad said:


> Take her along. Then you can blame her.


I try to, but she maintains such a busy schedule she doesn't have much time for sailing and won't go out if forecast is for more that 15 gusting to 20 knots. 
John


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## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

ccriders said:


> I try to, but she maintains such a busy schedule she doesn't have much time for sailing and won't go out if forecast is for more that 15 gusting to 20 knots.
> John


When I've got my choice, I don't go out when its much more than that either. When we do, stuff just increases its likelihood of breaking ... and there's always tomorrow (or whenever the weather moderates). As for heavy weather practice, we get enough of that when the weather goes bad despite the forecast.

Back to the original question: we keep an informal log, written in a composition book (like DRFerron's, $0.99 at Staples) Just a sketch, engine hrs, where/when we started and where/when we ended up, weather, and any "interesting stuff" that happens. (at the locks at Great Bridge, VA, writing the log with actual pen and paper)


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## wolfenzee (Jul 13, 2008)

ccriders said:


> I try to, but she maintains such a busy schedule she doesn't have much time for sailing and won't go out if forecast is for more that 15 gusting to 20 knots.
> John


15 knots is is where it starts to get fun with this boat, 20 is a real blast...I live on board and the only crew I would consider is someone that would appreciate that.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Ok, I'll give you the real dope.... My father taught me to sail. When I was 9 I was obliged to "go with your father" when he was going to the boat. My mother liked sailing, but not really "sailing," just the light snack on the boat in 4-15knot winds.

I on the other hand grew up sailing. The neighbors at the marina had kids too, and I became fast friends with 2 other boys my age, and we'd race snarks together until I was about 11, and I started to get into the "big boat." Our US 27 was a slug, but Dad's a helluva sailor, and even better a man. He'd enter that slug into every race on Lake Norman in NC.. we ALWAYS, unfailingly were DEAD last. Our rating was for a similar boat, with a tall rig, with an outboard, and a tiller (almost 1000lbs lighter).. we had a wheel, blackwater tanks, fixed prop and the standard rig (the boat was for near shore sailing).

Flash forward. Dad's pushing 77 now. He's been 12 years cancer free, but the treatment has taken it's toll. He's "fragile," and can't sit comfortably on hard surfaces for more than a few minutes at a time. But he's still ALL sailor.

It's taken me until I turned 40 to finally get a keelboat of my own. I would LOVE to take Dad sailing again... however, he's physically not able to go. I know it's killing him... I mean think of what not being able to participate in sailing would do to you?

So I keep a detailed log. My logs are written to Dad, and thankfully sent to Dad, to be read, as if he was with me. I ask his opinions, and listen carefully to his answers, always. For me he's still captain, and I'm still crew.

This being the case, I aim to teach my daughter to sail as well. She's just turned 9, and is old enough to learn, and appreciate it. I dunno if she'll take to it. Her mother (my ex) never leaves a 6 mile radius, and her most involved hobby is shopping at Target (with my money, not spent on our daughter).

I hope someday my daughter looks back on her crazy ole salt of a dad, and says, I really had a good time doing this... and gets a chance to read some of what we did.

By the way, my father kept a detailed log of all our sails as well. He had a singular literary talent, and they at times read as great short stories. Within those pages show evidence that I've sailed with him more than 80% of the times he's gone. My older brother, and my 2 older sisters not nearly as much as 20%.

I really took to sailing when we owned a 27 footer, but I stuck with him until I was 25. Unfortunately he sold his 27 when I was 14.. but he quickly acquired a 23 kells coaster trailerable, which added a new dimension to sailing for me. We had it on the Chesapeake at Oxford Boat Yard, for the last 3 years we sailed it intensely (until I wasted my time dating my first wife, and neglected my sailing time with my father).

So it is for this reason I keep a log. Not to satisfy an ASA course, or to gratify my self, or revel in what I've learned, but to participate in a family tradition of sailing, and maintaining a record of the course.


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## glassdad (Feb 21, 2009)

So it is for this reason I keep a log. Not to satisfy an ASA course, or to gratify my self, or revel in what I've learned, but to participate in a family tradition of sailing, and maintaining a record of the course.[/QUOTE]

I agree completely! This is the best reason to keep a log.


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## wolfenzee (Jul 13, 2008)

There are different tpyes of logs, mainainece log, weather log, supply log which includes food consumption and prices of supplies, details of your travels, budget etc and a brief cosise easy to interprut list of where you travel for the porpose of any coast guard, customs etc...

maintainence log should be considered essential
weather,budget and supply logs helpful
details of travels....might not seem important now, but you might regret no doing it,
the last might save your butt just by documenting somthing as simple as your last port of call


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## PenobscotBaySailor (Mar 15, 2010)

Yes, a couple different ones. I keep a "sailing log" to record 30 minute positions and such, a seperate maintenance log, and a cruising log for special occasions or passengers. A lot I know, but ex-Navy and maybe a little OCD.


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## sctpc (Jun 23, 2008)

I just spent the day adding a Current parts on boat list to me maintenance log, as i found the part I just spent $280 to replace that I had in the depths of the tool locker.
Sailing log no to busy having fun as I only day sail at the moment.


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## wolfenzee (Jul 13, 2008)

sctpc said:


> I just spent the day adding a Current parts on boat list to me maintenance log, as i found the part I just spent $280 to replace that I had in the depths of the tool locker.
> Sailing log no to busy having fun as I only day sail at the moment.


One thing I need to make up is an inventory....but suff is to spread around...food inventory is essential on long cruises.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

SailingUphill said:


> O
> So I keep a detailed log. My logs are written to Dad, and thankfully sent to Dad, to be read, as if he was with me. I ask his opinions, and listen carefully to his answers, always. For me he's still captain, and I'm still crew.


This is an old thread, a recent like brought it up for me.
I hope its not a downer, but Dad is no longer with us... he passed on my birthday in 2016.

I do still write logs from time to time... my recent trip to the BVIs is on the list. My logs are still to him, but thankfully he's now sailing with me again. I've got lots of catching up to do. But for now, the logs are a way for me to still sail with him, and gather my thoughts for same.

I do share these logs with anyone who is with me. My BVI trip the last time I think was an eye opener for my brother (older than I by 10 years) but one of my crew for that trip. There were 6 of us on the boat then, a 39 foot catamaran. Our 1 week trip, I had 52 pages to write (thankfully replete with pictures to fill a lot of that)...


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Your daughter must be about 15 now. Did you teach her to sail?

Sorry about your dad. Keep writing logs to him. He love them :angel


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Not day sailing but on passage yes. It’s just a spiral back note note book with columns drawn in. Do it mainly to make sure crew do their job and have their head in the game.
Keep a separate maintenance log. Also snip off filter box tops and keep them in a plastic pouch attached to whatever device it’s for. Write on it date, volume and details of whatever fluid was changed if appropriate. That way don’t mix brands/types.
If important radio traffic occurs then keep a radio log.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> Your daughter must be about 15 now. Did you teach her to sail?
> 
> Sorry about your dad. Keep writing logs to him. He love them :angel


Turns 15 next month 
She crews for me every other race all summer 
She still won't take the helm though.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

SailingUphill said:


> She still won't take the helm though.


Yell "grab hold of this, I gotta go below for a second"

Then lock yourself in the forward cabin with a few beers.

In an hour she won't let the wheel.go :laugh


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

sctpc said:


> I just spent the day adding a Current parts on boat list to me maintenance log, as i found the part I just spent $280 to replace that I had in the depths of the tool locker.
> Sailing log no to busy having fun as I only day sail at the moment.


I once spent several days looking for a brand new pressure switch for my boat's wash down pump. Finally ordered another one and then found the one I was looking for. I have plans to start a parts/tools/supplies list to help prevent future aggravations.

*"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle."*

― George Orwell


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## celenoglu (Dec 13, 2008)

A log book can be used in a court but I suspect a digital one such as an excel file.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I maintain an excel file for the boat with multiple tabs. I do not bother to "document" trips.. such as departed Pt Jef 0630, winds were 15T from NW, seas 2-4' from east, barometer 30.1 falling, crew on board was wife and dog.

I have tabs for:

maintenance
equipment, model #, date installed
serial #s
boat stats, measurements
offshore check list
watch scheds
list of spares
list of stowage per locker
electric load calculator
plumbing hose sizes
abandon ship list of gear
annual project list including items required, time estimates, location
mooring specs, calculations
contact list, suppliers, repair services

This excel work book is on the NUC on board and is on a USB drive which travels so file on home PC is coordinated


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## Slayer (Jul 28, 2006)

With the right captain and crew you can have a little fun with the note section of the log book. For example, if “Jim”is on watch next, we will put something in the notes like, “A foul stench wafted up from below deck. Ultimately traced source of odor to Jim’s sox.” Jim reads it and being the good natured guy he is gets a kick out of it. From there everyone starts trying to best each other. Injects a little fun into things. Of course if there is something notable to put in that takes priority. Now I am guessing I will soon take a lashing from a “by the booker” kind of guy 😜


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

For an offshore passage it makes sense to keep a log of notes... for each watch so the watch coming on can refer to it. I have always kept this sort of log on offshore passages. For local cruising not necessary..


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## paulinnanaimo (Dec 3, 2016)

I keep an informal daily journal briefly describing the day's activities. While having coffee in front of the fireplace in the winter, I sometimes bring out an old journal and we re-live a few summer days out cruising.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

paulinnanaimo said:


> I keep an informal daily journal briefly describing the day's activities. While having coffee in front of the fireplace in the winter, I sometimes bring out an old journal and we re-live a few summer days out cruising.


picture worth a thousand words


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## paulinnanaimo (Dec 3, 2016)

Do you have a library of picture books then?


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

I keep a detailed log, its a mix of practical and sentimental. Whos on board, weather, distance traveled, where we stayed, what we ate, number of reefs, repairs, any issues. Sometimes notes on what things cost. I enjoy it. Dont always keep it up to date as things happen, sometimes complete it at days end. I actually thought pretty much every one maintained log books.

They can be fun reading years later as you recall details of a trip from some time ago, on a boat you no longer own, with people you may no longer see. I take lots of pictures and videos too. I try to get first time guests to sign the guest log at the front.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Religiously! Any movement of the vessel goes in the deck log. We also keep an engine room log and a maintenance log. 
It's been years and years since I saw a realistic small sailing craft logbook, so I have a ruled lined *bound* book about the size of a big paperback for the deck log. It had a faux leather cover that has worn off, but it's still got a year or two of empty pages. The ER & maintenance logs are 4X6" blue hardcover ruled *bound* books.
We make columns on the left page and the right is ruled lines for comments, either related to the log entry or personal. 
Day sailing deck log entries are most often begin with departure and end with arrival with all pertinent information on the voyage. Sometimes, for reference purposes, we will log rounding a point or a mark and we can look back and check another voyage's probable time/distance, related to wind and sea conditions.
At sea the deck log entries are every 4 hours w/o fail plus the occasional noteworthy entry. Each watchstander is responsible for the log entry after their watch. Personal comments are encouraged and can be hilarious in hindsight!
Teen girls call it a diary; we call it a log book, lol.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

We keep maintenance, repair, and fuel logs that will remain with the ship whenever she goes on to the next owner/custodian and a Deck/Trip log for our travels that will remain with us/in our family. Ours are all 8-1/2x11 pages in Landscape format printed on both sides with comb-bindings.

Our Deck/Trip log includes: dates, times of entries, est'd positions (lat/lon), log reading, heading/courses, speed, engine hours, wind and sea conditions and barometric pressure. On the facing page, there is a comment section for the name of the Logger and observations/comments beyond the foregoing statistics including, for example, records of radio contacts if meaningful and notes about fish caught or tasty one-pot dinners or whatever. We make entries beginning at the commencement of a trip; and hourly thereafter when on a transit or whenever there is a course change. Although some might think it unnecessary given electronic charting, we always keep a paper chart open for our locale and mark positions in 2H lead pencil as they are noted in the Deck/Trip Log, just-in-case. After a trip, we occasionally append photos to the comment pages which makes the Log a pleasing memento in the future. On the shelf above our desk are yellowing Trip/Deck logs going back 38 years that we will occasionally pull down and thumb through...and sometimes laugh over.

FWIW...


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Religiously!

After I have been at sea for more than a week and stark raving Crackers with boredom then I might look for the Logbook hoping a Playboy mag is underneith.


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