Recommend me a log book

[Graham_Wright]

Having completed our maiden (sea) voyage (see Bristol Channel forum), I would like to start to keep records. Something virtually indestructible with sensible headings for entry would suit.

Any recommendations please?

 

[colind3782]

I've moved from paper to an Excel spreadsheet. You can configure it as you wish and I keep a tab as a maintenance log too.

 

[duncan99210]

We use this one https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/333248194862. One lasts us about two years cruising. We don’t use all the columns but use it as a memory jogger for where and when.
When the Admiral was in journal keeping mode (for a number of years.....) we used a page a day diary as both her journal and as a log book. Cheap ones fell to bit, we had an Aspinal one with embossed leather cover one year (£90+ bit very nice) and finally found a Staples premium weight one worked well. Journal writing has no ceased so we’re back to the log book suggested off eBay.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Having completed our maiden (sea) voyage (see Bristol Channel forum), I would like to start to keep records. Something virtually indestructible with sensible headings for entry would suit.

Any recommendations please?

There's a choice of hardback books to use, well made but not indestructible. There are pocket size ones done in waterproof paper which are the strongest, but a bit small. Doing it on a computer doesn't work on a small boat in rough weather at night, blundering about in sopping wet oilskins at the change of watch, plus real paper is a record of a passage like no other, with the different handwriting and comments, neat pages, gaps where it was too rough to write, (filled in later when you are safely in harbour), tea stains, bloodstains, etc etc. Old log books are wondrous things, even if you weren't there!

I just looked at mine, happy memories which I had forgotten even though it was just a few weeks ago..the logbook is by Fernhurst books and recommended by me, it's been wet and kicked on the floor a few times with no damage..
The pro forma page tells you how to use it ( if you want)

The entry "198kHz noisy noise" means I couldn't get the shipping forecast when I expected, we were 2 up going through the N Sea oil fields at 7 knots in rough weather, sparse entries in the log but enough.
The other extract is from earlier in the summer, when each entry mentions a crew member's brief dalliance with Vilde, a Norwegian maiden from the local dinghy club :encouragement:

 

[Minchsailor]

I use an A4 notebook, but one with heavier weight paper (90gm). Have half a book shelf of them now.

 

[JohnGC]

I use an A6 Moleskien ruled notebook similar to this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Moleskine-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=8883701003

Pros:
Adjust the log to exactly what you want.
This can evolve as necessary.
Very good quality paper and a pleasure to use.

Cons:
You need to add the static information each time (EG headings for the hourly entries).

John

 

[Poignard]

We use this one https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/333248194862. One lasts us about two years cruising. We don’t use all the columns but use it as a memory jogger for where and when.
When the Admiral was in journal keeping mode (for a number of years.....) we used a page a day diary as both her journal and as a log book. Cheap ones fell to bit, we had an Aspinal one with embossed leather cover one year (£90+ bit very nice) and finally found a Staples premium weight one worked well. Journal writing has no ceased so we’re back to the log book suggested off eBay.

That's the one I use. Good to see the price has dropped considerably since I last bought one.

 

[stephen_h]

Have a look at this one http://sailingkittiwake.com/sailing-logbook/

 

[Buck Turgidson]

RYA do a variety. I have one for the boat and a separate one for me.


Friday 12th July
0000 to 0600 1nm. Comment "lol! #worldsworstsailor"
0600 to 1200 1nm. Comment "see above"

Those memories are well worth the price of the book and the effort to use it.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

....Those memories are well worth the price of the book and the effort to use it.

Totally agree 100%

 

[GHA]

Totally agree 100%

In praise of both ....
If you're running opencpn then the konni logbook plugin does a great job, auto records most data coming in like lat/long/wind/sog etc etc and can export to a web page file so you can save your favourite passages in dropbox or wherever. And still allowed to use paper as well if you want! Personally I've gone over to just konni living aboard as it works so well with start/end transferred to the boat paper logbook now and again. But still have the logbooks from the last boat and this one, nice to flick through though so is the electronic version

 

[James_Calvert]

https://www.marinestore.co.uk/Merch...Nf3yQ7vb4gFO6iTQn9cI4QR97M-aP1xBoCc2YQAvD_BwE

This is the one that works for me.

Probably the dullest one so far mentioned, aside from the exercise books and similar.

In use I write everything I want instantly to hand on the totally blank left page. So it's essentially my passage plan with the underlying data: times of tides, slack waters at headlands, distances and expected passage times, pilotage stuff, useful VHF channels, whatever.

On the ruled right hand page there's a left hand margin and a number of unlabelled columns extending from the right hand margin. And a useful space in between. This is where I log events, courses steered, log readings, GPS or other fixes, weather conditions, whatever.

I have the one linked to, which is loose leaf but firmly bolted together by a couple of brass fasteners. Nothing's going to fall out of that version.

There's a newer model which has a ring file mechanism. I'd avoid this.

 

[LadyInBed]

A long time ago I designed my own using Excel spreadsheet and printed Filofax size loose leaf sheets, I still use them.
I archive them each year and put a yearly summary onto a spreadsheet.

 

[Rocksteadee]

I like to keep a book.
Keep an eye out for Reeds at the end of the previous year as they sometimes do a free log book

 

[vyv_cox]

A long time ago I designed my own using Excel spreadsheet and printed Filofax size loose leaf sheets, I still use them.
I archive them each year and put a yearly summary onto a spreadsheet.

Almost the same as me. Mine are A4 sized, bound with a plastic comb. Each season I make one up for the coming year with a photo taken from the previous season as the front cover. I have all mine back to the 1990s. Also I transcribe much of it into a spreadsheet each winter.

 

[[70521]]

I use the RYA boat log and an spreadsheet for personal use.

The spreadsheet also has a tab for the boat with information taken from the GPS track plus engine ours.

 

[ShinyShoe]

Bookshelves worth of space!
Presumably at home or that's loads of extra weight on board.
I love the touch and feel of paper.
I love looking back at old scribbles etc.

But...

OpenCPN has a logbook plugin.
A file. Or rather as many files as you can shake a stick at. On a memory stick. Virtually weightless. Portable. Backups online. Searchable.
The only disadvantages... They don't have the same feel as the genuine hand written entries. The scribbles - rather than the "rigid log" do not get captured.

I do wonder - will our kids / gran kids look through our digital archives - photos, logs, live letters or whatever else like we might our grandparents...

 

[Graham_Wright]

https://www.marinestore.co.uk/Merch...Nf3yQ7vb4gFO6iTQn9cI4QR97M-aP1xBoCc2YQAvD_BwE

This is the one that works for me.

Probably the dullest one so far mentioned, aside from the exercise books and similar.

In use I write everything I want instantly to hand on the totally blank left page. So it's essentially my passage plan with the underlying data: times of tides, slack waters at headlands, distances and expected passage times, pilotage stuff, useful VHF channels, whatever.

On the ruled right hand page there's a left hand margin and a number of unlabelled columns extending from the right hand margin. And a useful space in between. This is where I log events, courses steered, log readings, GPS or other fixes, weather conditions, whatever.

I have the one linked to, which is loose leaf but firmly bolted together by a couple of brass fasteners. Nothing's going to fall out of that version.

There's a newer model which has a ring file mechanism. I'd avoid this.

I ordered one from the Marine Store website with brass fixing. The ring binder version has just arrived. It wouldn't last five minutes on my ship and will be returned. Furthermore, the rings are steel and will rust in no time!

 

[James_Calvert]

That's a real shame.

Can they supply the older style one?