Log book with useful columns needed

shmoo

shmoo

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We are going to need a new log book before long. Current one is not too useful. Has columns for variation, deviation and leeway but not for gps position. Doesn't have page headers for fuel and water tank levels or daily and cumulative engine hours. Although we are a sailing boat, use of the engine has been known.

I may just have to rule up a stiff covered exercise book but would prefer something a bit more official and with better paper but WITH USEFUL COLUMNS!

Any suggestions?
 
Have you considered getting a separate engine log book? It would save you having to clutter the navigational log with too many columns. As to the rest, a log book is a pretty personal thing; if you buy a ready made one then it will always be a compromise. I use a hard back lined execise book, so that I can have only the columns that I want. Some of the ready made ones do look quite smart though...
 
It's sad, I know, but I have three logs.

1 A narrative, to record where we went, drank, anchored, re-anchored, etc. Space for photos.

2 Navigation log, with all the techie bits about heading towards, from, CMG, weather, etc.

3 Engine / generator, and battery log. Hours run; filter and belt details; charging history and aberrations.

All in a similar landscape A4 format run off in a spreadsheet. All in one 4 ring binder (2 ring binders tear the paper), with the spare sheets at the back, and the current sheets at the front. Historical and archived sheets get taken home.

I said it was sad, didn't I ?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I said it was sad, didn't I ?

[/ QUOTE ]

mmm 'disaster response manager'

Do you have two copies of each log /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
There are Word and pdf files here that will let you print your own. You get to choose your own paper but you'd have to do your own binding!

Derek
 
Fi ! Shame ! Do you think I'm an amateur ? What was NCR paper invented for ?

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Design your own. Use Word or Publisher, you must have something on your 'puter that will do. Print it out on any paper and just try it, see if it works. Then send it to your local Kall Kwik, Pronto Print etc, after establishing if they can heat bind it. I did mine using a system called Unibind, it looks like a proper book. You want it printed on 100gsm paper.
 
Hardbound A5 notebook from Woolworths. Just rule off what columns you need. Keep engine notes in the back pages.
 
Same as me but ex WH Smiths. Rule 'em up with the columns you want and the widths you want - easy! We only use the right hand page for the log details and write a full daily narrative on the left hand page. Every few pages, we leave a couple of blank pages, and postcards, tickets, local tourist info pamphlets and special receipts for places we've visited are glued in. Makes a really wonderful personal sailing 'memory' that we love reading time and again.

We've done it this way since 1971 with all our boats. They all sit on a shelf in my study and are probably the first things I'd grab if we had a fire! After SWMBO of course! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Design your own, print and store in a ring binder. Mines over 2 sides and is used like a book. Takes a while to get column width etc suitable for your writting size. Can also add sea temp ....
 
I had read somewhere that in "evidential terms" it is preferable to have a bound book, I think the suggestion is that with looseleaf you could re write and remove a sheet, suppose it is only relevant in event of accident, but is a point to consider.
 
Here is one for the chart table I did on an A4 for watch/day/deck log the times you can set to sute your own requiments and then written up later in the ships log.
It is from the mid 80s and I have been using it since.
It is hand drawn and old photo copied many times but has served me well, I do intend to up date it to a comp drawn one.
May be this will do the nudge I require to sort it.

ShipLog.jpg

Hope it gives you some help.
 
A hand written watch log singed and dated by the watch keeper is a legal document as far as I know from my MN days.
It was always a requirement by the Chef Engineers I have been with.
 
[ QUOTE ]
A hand written watch log singed and dated by the watch keeper is a legal document as far as I know from my MN days.
It was always a requirement by the Chef Engineers I have been with.

[/ QUOTE ]Did the chef singe it with the blowtorch he uses for the crème brulée ?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I i gn /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif sir. Take your knitting and go to the front of the class. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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