Passage plan proforma

phanakapan

phanakapan

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Having seen some useful examples on these fora of homemade'logbook' pages, I wondered if anyone had put together a passage plan sheet/proforma/aide memoire type thing? (i'm trying to be a bit more efficient than odd undecipherable notes on the back of an old shopping list!)
 
Gave up with attachments – here is a summary:

Each page has vessel name and MMSI on header and footer. We only complete the bits we need.

Page 1 is for overall plan and departure port:
From… To…. Date.. Sunrise… Sunset
Weather forecast
Total distance… Estimated passage time
For departure port and standard port: (side by side columns) Tides (HW, LW, time, height, range)
Departure port: VHF, Departure window, departure procedure, Pilotage plan if required; Tidal streams on departure

Page 2 is for en route,
Tidal gate window comments
Leg details - in column format:
Leg #, From (wpt name), To (wpt name), Expected tidal stream (direction, knots), CTS, Distance to next wpt, ETA next wpt, remarks

Page 3 is for arrival port
Left column: VHF, Tides (HW,LW, time, height, range). Tidal streams on arrival.
Arrival window, arrival procedure. Pilotage plan if required.
Right column: Same data as above for alternate port.
Bottom line lists checks to perform pre departure: Customs, Dues, CG, Fuel, Water, Food, Safety, Passports, Checklist completion – above decks, engine, below decks.

More experience will likely tell us what we’ve forgotten and what we really don’t need! At the moment the 3 page format works for us by getting all information in one place.
 
Sounds good- I've been trying to sort something similar out on 1 sheet using both sides, so it can all be seen when put in a plastic wallet for on deck use; but it was all looking a bit cramped- especially as I've got quite big girly writing!
 
I do think a bit too much fuss is made of this. Since the legal need for a passage plan I have not changed what I always did.

Written in a bound book (loose leaf cannot be a legal log as they can easily be replaced after an incident)

1. Date

2. Persons on board and position on boat. Include passport Nos if going X channel. (Passport nos before you set off sorts out those that have forgotten them!)

3. Aim of Voyage

4. Weather Forcast

5. Tides of relevant places (including tidal windows of alternative ports)

6. Read almanac and note any hazards (not for local familiar trips)

7. For X channel work out course to steer to allow for more tide in one direction.

8. Start log, plot position on chart every hour, SOG, COG and wind. Note any changes like sail down/reef down/engine on etc

Basically 1 -5 every trip 6-8 for longer trips/holidays. I believe you should only do as much as the magnitude of the trip warrants eg weekend in the Solent bare minimum but in extreme cases I draw the bearings and major rocks buoys etc on my first trip to St Malo & going round the SE corner of Jersey (effectively reproducing a lot of the chart info) to fix it into my simple mind.

For X channel I also plot my pedicted positions with the effect of the tide as I once got the tides round the wrong way and needed to steer for the tide offset in the opposite direction! With the predicted positions you have a better view of the consequences if you are earlier or later than predicted plus it shows up quickly if you have made an error in your calcs.

As mine is a charter boat I also include in the log engine hrs & log mls at beginning and end of each trip in addition to recordinf engine services/jobs done etc.

I have looked at various standard formats and most appear too comprehensive to me and cannot legally be part of the ships log as this needs to be in a bound book and according to some posters who have been stopped by the French in ink not pencil.

Trust this helps
 
Hi Roger- nice to hear from you.

Some good tips there- I hadn't thought of passport numbers f'rinstance. I have, in fact, always done something very similar to you( I was exagerating about the back of the shopping list) but one of my reasons in trying to get up a proforma is that my other half is, shall we say, crap, at keeping the log and/or doing a plan, or assumes that I've done it, or hands me a totally indecipherable scrawl!

Since we've just bought a boat in Northern Ireland and have a fairly big sail for us, to get her back to Brighton in the summer, I thought I'd have a system that was (hopefully) equally usable and understandable by both of us- even if there were boxes/sections that we didn't always use, putting n/a or something in them would show it had been thought about.
Other reasons for getting a lot of info on a bit of paper-a) in writing it down/drawing pictures it goes in my brain better (like you); and b) I avoid doing too much reading down below to avoid seasickness- so something I can stick in a clear plastic folder for on deck is what I need

Cheers
 
Being a simple mobo'er, I am some times flabergated, when I occasionally, read, or try to read here. Yes I know about the passage plan law, but it only has to be in your head. I understand that a boat doing 3 knots, needs a dam sight more planning than one doing 20 knots. But even before the chart plotter days, I've been, wamming and bamming, up and down the south coast, the Irish sea, the CI's and Britany, oh a bit of scotland as well. In the days we had a log book, it mainly said, weather fine, stopped off at a lovely pub, had lobster, or whatever. Backed up by fag packet. These days we dont even have fag packet for most trips., just sort of aim. I mean Plymouth to Solent ferinctance. Dont take any notice of tide, maybe a bit of wind though, but not much, less it's blowing a bit.

Do you do all this stuff, for enjoyment. You like doing the figures, or is there some other reason. Yes I know tidal currents are far more important to you than me?
 
Roger Oliver has circumnavigated the British Isles twice, single-handed, in his Sadler 25.

The PBO has run monthly features upon his passages/plans in great detail in recent years (between 2003 and 2006) and it is obvious that this sailor is a meticulous navigator and planner, not to mention an accomplished sailor.

If you look at his website and 'click' on 'Articles' then scroll down you will find what you are looking for- and these have stood practical testing so should suit you well I would think.

http://homepages.rya-online.net/oliver/
 
What are the legal requirements for passage plans and log?

Given that off the shelf log books do not seem to fulfill one's needs I was planning to print a word document for a log sheet to keep in a loose leaf file. For passage plans I use a ring back notebook

I will be sailing in Spain. Any idea if the Spanish are as picky as the French?

Thanks

TudorDoc
 
As both the French & I believe the Spanish have compulsary qualifications to achieve the ICC (equivalent of RYA voluntary dayskipper!) I suspect they can be just as strict if they inspect your boat.

I think you have to have third party insurance in Spain.

The aim of a log book is that if its in ink and bound then it can be used in evidence in the event of an incident. Pencil & Loose leaf cannot as it can be ammended post an event.

Passage Plan- Its my understanding that its an EEC directive that all boats should make a passage plan before setting off. The was a lot of criticism of this at the time but providing a reasonable approach is taken what I suggested above I believe covers it. At present there is no inspection or enforcement of this in the UK but again if an incident occurred the lack of a passage plan could indicate a degree of negligence by the skipper if this was a factor eg setting out in forecast bad weather or hitting a known hazzard.

I have never been stopped by the French (or the brief time we sailed to Spain) the Spanish but I have read on here of people who have been boarded by the French and told their log must be in ink and I have witnessed a skipper being driven to the nearest cash point from Cartaret for not having the original ships registration papers on board. I understand that a number still check that Flares and Liferafts are in date (as they would for a French registered boat) but there has been a debate whether they have any legal authority to do that on a British Flagged boat. Likewise many want to see the original purchase invoice showing boat is VAT paid even though that is really nothing to do with them if british customs & Excise are happy!

Others may be able to comment with more knowledge.
 
Our pro-forma log book is only printed on the rhs pages - (makes it easier to write on at sea, I think) so we use the blank LHS pages to record a passage plan... relevant HWs & heights, weather forecast, CTS, Brg & dist for each waypoint, lock opening times plus a summary of when tides change direction eg flowing W til 10 flowing E 10-4 or whatever and a crew list.

All of which I think makes us legal under the SOLAS regs, is useful underway and just about fits on the blank page.
 
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