Why do I need a log ?

I think people want to complicate things too much. I seldom sail out of sight of land and mostly in waters that I know well. I am not "passage making", at best I would describe it as pilotage. I don't think I am untypical of the majority of people on this forum - I potter about locally in my boat - I am not a master mariner on an epic voyage. Keep it in perspective.

If you are not sure, look at a chart, an almanac and tidal flow charts. Take into account weather, tide, abilities and boat. If it makes you feel better, stick a cross in a circle on your chart every now and again. But the vast majority of the time a log and a passage plan are pointless and would not prevent the majority of accidents which are caused by incompetence or stupidity.

As for the coroner, he would have to prove that having a passage plan or a log would have prevented any specific occurence, which is most unlikely.
 
Please don't take me out of context, (to all not ony individual)
I am not advocating anything here, I sail round the Solent quite happily without a written passage plan. And usually without a log. I know the area very well.

If I sail Solent to Cherbourg I would log departure from needles (say) and an hourly gps fix put on the chart, that I think is sufficient.

My point really is though, you should know your position at ALL times if that is in your head then fine, if you dont know it though, you should definately log it.

The Coroner is an extreme example I grant you, however I dont believe it is that unlikely. A solicitor will attempt to discredit you in any way possible to win the case against you.

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If you are not sure, look at a chart, an almanac and tidal flow charts. Take into account weather, tide, abilities and boat.

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You have just described a simple passage plan. No matter how short its still a passage. Pilotage I will grant you and not navigation as such, no need for a log book, I agree with you. But by looking up the tides, the weather, and making a decision based on these then that is your passage plan. Write those down on paper and you are done.
 
I don't keep a log every time I set out in my car so I don't see why I should every time I set sail. I like to enjoy things without all the officious nonsense.
 
I have several reasons:
1. Plotting our position and filling the log is my wife's favourite bit of watch-keeping.
2. It makes spotting changes (barometric pressure) or errors (position) easy.
3. It adds a welcome routine to watch keeping.
4. Once the season/cruise is over it provides a handy reference.
5. It keeps all your notes in one place and in a consistant format.
6. It is a legal requirement (I think).
7. When all the electronics have failed you still have a record of where you were an hour or less ago.
8. It is can serve as a referee in an argument, e.g. when my wife tells me that we rounded Cape Nightmare at two in the morning in a force 7, I can refer her to the log to prove it was 01:30 in a gentle force 4.

Maybe I am just an old f--t, but I could not embark on a passage of more than a couple of hours without feeling obliged to keep a log.
 
Log in columns outdated

Thanks to all for your posts on this. Consensus seems to be that you must keep a record of progress but regularly updated positions on a chart with projected course and noted details would do the job if you got into an insurance hassle or prosecutioh. For selling the boat, Nige, your album of photos would be better as a record of proud achievements. The passage plan is written in the notebook mentioned in my post and I should have said that outlying dangers, overfalls etc are hi-lighted on the chart. Seems to me that I'm covered.
 
Achievements ????

I wish !! ....

My digi camera gets a fair old bashing - such that I now have a hard drive dedicated just to photies !

One day I will sort them out - but it will take ages ......

Best photo has to be my Russian Lass taken on Superanne with Cedov "Tall-ship" in background ..... sunny, but choppy day in Solent .... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I have sailed extensively and used GPS/plotters for 10 years but have no waypoints pre-entered in them, ever. I dont see why you need them. Perfectly ok for those who choose to use them ,but perfectly ok for those like me who choose not to.

This passage plan stuff is nuts. You have to comply witht he law I know so that's that. But it is quite wrong to suggest that a voyage that has been preplanned is instrinsically and for that reason safer than one which hasn't. I mean you could come out of Lymington and only THEN decide to go left to Cowes or right to Poole, and that is no less intrinsically safe than if you had made a firm decision one way or the other earlier on. If you choose poole you could go north or south of the shingles based on what you decide when you get to Hurst, it's no less safe than if you had decided a few hours previously. And so on. Making thse sorts of decisions early is no less safe than making them later.

If you just get in your car and drive for an hour, mindlessly, that's no less safe than if you get in the car with the express intention to go to a specific destination by a specific route, that you decided and wrote down the previous day. Safety is about making the right decisions, it has nothing to do with WHEN you make the decisions
 
Re: Log in columns outdated

I often wonder how often those who make a fuss of recording every detail check their car's tyre pressures (at home with a footpump, cold of course) brake fluid level, screenwash level, tyre tread depth, oil, water, clean the windows, windscreen, headlights and tail lights, all before setting out to Tesco (or Sainsbury for that matter).

Most of these actions have a much greater influence on safety than any of the comments on navigation.
 
Re: hmmm

When working commercially I always filled in logs. On my yacht I mostly fill in the log when on passage. But probably not if I am just out for a couple of hours sail from my marina.

On passage it provides a useful record if there is a problem/failure with navigation or engines or systems in general. If you are ever in an unfortunate accident it can be used in your defence (if you have one!).

I can't imagine not filling out a log when on passage, and I have often referred to entries. It might seem of little use to some but the record of changes in the entries can serve to build a picture of growing problems, bad weather etc.

I suppose the use of a log stems a lot from sailing before the days of GPS. Unfortunately, imho, the ease of GPS and chart plotters has meant that many rely on them to operate all the time. Well they may - but breakdowns do occur on small scales (flooded vessel - electronics gone) and larger scales - GPS or DGPS systems scrambled in case of some war/catastrophe).

If your vessel were foundering due to fire or flooding then you will probably have lost your on board systems (GPS, chart plotter could well have failed) - this is where your up to date log book comes in very handy when giving you a Mayday position. Of course some of you will have hand held GPSs too and EPIRBS no doubt - but at the end of the day I am a big fan of using all available means and in my case using all available means has saved lives.
 
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