Logging quick little jollies?

[Refueler]

I think after all the years of having to write up logs for each bit of kit we used on ships bridge ... I sort of found it nice to go on my boat and say f**** it ...

I had to laugh one time ... had a guy sail on my boat in Solent ... and we were going from Langstone to Bembridge .... as is usual and I knew he was an experienced yottie with his own boat ... I let him take the boat once we came of the pontoon ... there you are mate .. all yours ...

First thing he said - What course to steer ?

Hang on mate - with me pointing at Bembridge ... course ?? Its there we're going ...

What course ?

Now I don't know what the game was ... but it just so happened I had a good idea that it was about 210 ... so

OK mate ... 210 and when you hit the fort .... I'll think of another !!

It was one of the most annoying jaunts ever ...

Didn't you plan the trip ... are you going to keep a log ....

When he saw I did not have an RPM display for the engine or fuel gauge ... I gave up and when we met the other guys in Bembridge I was glad when he asked to swap with another guy ...

To me - I go sailing to enjoy it ... to get away from all the crap we have to endure at work etc. That guy just carried his crap with him .....

 

[Refueler]

Didn't Brown Son & ferguson, Glasgow, used to publish them?

They also published, if my memory serves me correctly, "The Malim Sahib's Hindistani"?

Brown Son and Ferguson as far as I know are still around ... Chart Agents and Publishers ... as to whether its still possible to get a Clutha I do not know ... but I have seen similar copies of it by other publishers ....

 

[bdh198]

...To that end, may I suggest that keeping a very simple log or diary or notebook of what went well and what didn't - for each and every trip - would serve you well. This should be kept very private, and serve as an aide memoire. It is especially important to note the cockups and deteriorations, whether yours or someone else's.

That's where the learning really lies....

That's precisely where I find the value of keeping a personal log. If something goes wrong or I mess up I put a note of what happened and what I want to learn from the incident.

It's very easy if something goes wrong, particularly if it's you who has messed up, to think "that's a bit embarrassing" and brush it to the back of your memory or tell yourself "it was a one off" and not really my fault. But keeping a record of it and then looking back at the log of the experience helps to reinforce what hopefully you've learnt to do differently. I'm often surprised just how many "lessons learnt" I come across when reviewing my personal log, and which had some how 'slipped' from my memory!

 

[Stemar]

I may not keep a log, but the "learning experiences" are seared into my brain ...

 

[zoidberg]

That's precisely where I find the value of keeping a personal log. If something goes wrong or I mess up I put a note of what happened and what I want to learn from the incident.

Yup!
It's also v. valuable after sailing with others - and I'd certainly encourage sailing with others to 'broaden experience' hugely. They may well not get everything right, but you'll observe other approaches - good, bad and comical - and if you survive, you'll amass a wide range of 'lessons noted'.... but keep them very private.

 

[Jungle Jim]

I have never kept a personal log so my yachmaster examiner just asked about where I had sailed and asked a few questions about the places that I would only have known if I had actually sailed there. With his bs filter suitably passed we moved on to the practical stuff.
I wouldn't discount any learning on a 6.5m boat either, I learned much about boat handling on a laser dinghy, and much more on a 21ft keelboat and all of it has been useful on bigger stuff. I credit much practice of bringing a dinghy onto a tidal slipway on a river with an onshore wind for my first very proud experience of successfully bringing a 44ft charter yacht onto a mooring on the Hamble.

 

[LadyInBed]

I log everything in the ship's log (just an A6 ring-bound notebook), doesn't matter how long or how short. Then, each winter or thereabouts and just out of personal interest, I summarise all passages as one-liners onto the extra sheets of A4 that now puff up my old RYA logbook, and update my total mileage.

Same here but I use Filofax 'Day Log' and put my annual summary on a spreadsheet HERE
Day Log HERE

 

[Refueler]

I have never kept a personal log so my yachmaster examiner just asked about where I had sailed and asked a few questions about the places that I would only have known if I had actually sailed there. With his bs filter suitably passed we moved on to the practical stuff.
I wouldn't discount any learning on a 6.5m boat either, I learned much about boat handling on a laser dinghy, and much more on a 21ft keelboat and all of it has been useful on bigger stuff. I credit much practice of bringing a dinghy onto a tidal slipway on a river with an onshore wind for my first very proud experience of successfully bringing a 44ft charter yacht onto a mooring on the Hamble.

Its funny that you mention small boat experience. Its same with ships.

I spent years on big ships - then spent time on sub 1000ton coasters ..... the difference was huge. First one - we are in Whitehaven ... I'm Ch.Off ... Master goes ashore .. as he steps of gangway - he says to me ... When finished loading ... put her over there so sister ship can load .. I'm of for a pint ... see you later.

He was NOT JOKING ....

When finished loading - couple of shore guys appeared for the lines .. I rustled up a couple of AB's and an engineer - we moved the ship.

About hour later when tide was good to leave - Master re-appeared ... Well Done mate ... we'll go now ...

I learnt more about handling on those coasters than all the years on bigger ships.

 

[Babylon]

I wouldn't discount any learning on a 6.5m boat either, I learned much about boat handling on a laser dinghy, and much more on a 21ft keelboat and all of it has been useful on bigger stuff. I credit much practice of bringing a dinghy onto a tidal slipway on a river with an onshore wind for my first very proud experience of successfully bringing a 44ft charter yacht onto a mooring on the Hamble.

Steady on! You can't go around saying stuff like this about the value of learning boat-handling on dinghies and keelboats - you ought to be met with howls of protest!

 

[Stemar]

I reckon any time spend on anything smaller than a car ferry is useful experience - even the car ferry's useful reconnoitring of a port you might want to visit.

 

[doug748]

I reckon any time spend on anything smaller than a car ferry is useful experience - even the car ferry's useful reconnoitring of a port you might want to visit.

Tilman was thrilled to sign on an experienced hand for one of his ocean adventures; the chap had made 15 Atlantic crossings. I paraphrase the great man's remarks:


-------- True, his sea time was was restricted to playing the trombone in the band on the Queen Mary but many are the callings of the sea. --------


: -)

 

[zoidberg]

That's a brill quotation.

I'll file that away for t'future...