Logbook Columns Question

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Babylon

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My last logbook is almost full and I've decided to buy a standard A4 bound notebook ruled feint and make up my own columns. I'm interested to know (assuming both electronic and trad navigation) what column headings people use and what isn't really essential.

The full options are:
TIME
LOG
COURSE
DEVIATION
TIDE
WIND
LEEWAY
TRUE COURSE
COG/SOG (electronic data)
POSITION
BARO
DIST OFF (what is this?)
ENGINE (on/off)
REMARKS

Also do people prefer to mark up tidal height information in the logbook, or elsewhere as part of passage plan?
 
I also use an A4 book. Along the top I have -
Date
From
Towards
HWD (High water Dover as this is what my tidal atlas uses)

The columns are -
Time
Log (which hardly ever works after about 4 weeks from launch)
COG
SOG
CTW
DTW
Lat
Long
Baro
Wind
Engine (on/off)

On the facing page is -
Remarks
 
It must take you ages to write all of that down once an hour. I don't think you really need all those different courses and headings. If you are plotting DR/EP and electronic positions every hour you can easily work out what leeway you make under given conditions, after the event. What you should ask yourself about each item of data is why you need a record of it.
 
For non tidal sailing I use:
Time
Wind
Heading
Log reading
Position
A column for notes (I enter the letter M if motoring)
Engine Hours

I also have a column for distance run but only use it to calculate the daily total.

The reason I don't have a column for pressure is that pressure changes here are usually gradual and wind speeds much more dependant on the heating or cooling of local land mass, and whether or not the meltimi wind is blowing down the Aegean.
 
The only rigid columns I always use are lat and long. Depending on the type of passage, all columns mentioned above may get noted plus others. For instance if on a long passage where a windshift would be significant, I might note true wind speed and direction hourly in an attempt to track it and be on the right side of the shift. Likewise distance to waypoint might be recorded if it was part of a decision making process that I might want to revisit. Stuff like HW dover tends to go on passage planning pages. Because I work out passage plans in the log, I don't rule up lots of pages in advance, just enough for the passage.
Probably not the proper way of doing it, but it keeps the essential info in one place.
 
The only rigid columns I always use are lat and long. Depending on the type of passage, all columns mentioned above may get noted plus others. For instance if on a long passage where a windshift would be significant, I might note true wind speed and direction hourly in an attempt to track it and be on the right side of the shift. Likewise distance to waypoint might be recorded if it was part of a decision making process that I might want to revisit. Stuff like HW dover tends to go on passage planning pages. Because I work out passage plans in the log, I don't rule up lots of pages in advance, just enough for the passage.
Probably not the proper way of doing it, but it keeps the essential info in one place.
 
The choice is now yours. Include the columns you have actually used in the past and for any info you have had to write in the remarks column regularly. You don't have to rule up the entire book, you can do a few pages and then change things a bit in the light of experience.

The basic tidal data is useful, ie just times of high and low water and the heights, if you refer back to the log at a later date. More detailed info can go into the passage plan info which may not be something you will want to keep for ever as you will with your log books .
 
If you're likely to do any passages whilst running a watch system a final column to be initialled by whoever makes the log entry can be handy.
 
I don't bother with most of that stuff. But I have a column for 'sail'. I put sail changes in the remarks col, but in the 'sail' col I draw a cartoon of the boat with the appropriate sails up. Makes it nice and easy to glance through and gives an opportunity for artistic crew to add works of art complete with dolphins and mermaids. Can also add a prop with appropriate ) ) ) effects when the engine is running. (As with sails, I put engine on or engine off in 'remarks')
 
[ QUOTE ]
The choice is now yours. Include the columns you have actually used in the past and for any info you have had to write in the remarks column regularly. You don't have to rule up the entire book, you can do a few pages and then change things a bit in the light of experience.

The basic tidal data is useful, ie just times of high and low water and the heights, if you refer back to the log at a later date. More detailed info can go into the passage plan info which may not be something you will want to keep for ever as you will with your log books .

[/ QUOTE ]
All good advice - thanks for the contributions!

I've ruled up a few pages with enough columns for basic trad navigation and space for tidal info and weather forecasts at the top. As my experience grows with longer passages, and if/when I begin to rely more on electronics, then the logbook can evolve.
 
I am still in the FileoFax era

NavLog.jpg
 
For general use - I use a Page a Day diary - that way already dated. Plenty of room for text .... even columns if needed.

I started also to use a pre-printed Log-book - but really find it's not necessary all the info it asks for.
 
Years ago, I set up a proforma on a spread sheet and print that out to use in a loose leaf book. You are welcome to a copy if you want.

Start entries are the obvious ones date, port leaving, port towards, weather forecast, tides at departure port destination port and standard port(s), percent of springs, and tides at any tidal gates.

then there are lines for any regular hourly entries (or when you change course): time, baro, weather comments, position, log distance run and speed through water, TRK and VMG, engine on/off, other comments.

at the bottom of the reverse side of each sheet is a total for the distance run and the engine hours.

works well. after initial tinkering, I've been using the same thing for more than 10 years. I navigate using paper charts and a gps so I could possibly miss some bits of the above list since I invariably mark the position on the chart when I do a log entry. But just in case I cock up the chartwork, the base data is there.
 
All those Ws are fine untill you get to Newhaven or Le Harvre!

A couple of columns suggested to me by my YM examiner were:-
1) Battery Voltage.
2) Number of pump strokes to dry the bilge.
Just to give early warning of any developing problems.
 
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