How Do You Log Your Travels?

[RandyAbernethy]

My wife and I are currently using 1&1 to host our web site with no automated blogging facilities (although they just added blogging). As we prepare to depart this October we've been looking around at various, more purposeful, systems for logging our travels. I have run across the following systems:

• Blog.com: http://blog.com
  Generic full featured blogging
• Blogger: http://Blogspot.com
  Generic full featured blogging, a Google property with legs, from my random sample of cruising logs seems to be by far the most popular
• Blogware: http://home.blogware.com/
  Generic full featured blogging
• Boater’s Life: http://www.boaterslife.com/boaters-b...84.233.185.htm
  Free boaters blog site (lots of commercial activity)
• CaptainWiki: http://captainwiki.com/index.php?title=Special:Blogs
  Cruising Wiki come blogger, interesting integration of wiki cruising guide and blog host
• CruisersForum: http:// er, you know
  Discussion board with support for frequent posts and discussion
• Expression Engine: http://www.pmachine.com/
  High powered blogging system
• Generic Hosting: Self organized web site with a host provider
  This is the choice for those who don’t use a blogging tool
• LiveJournal.com: http://www.livejournal.com/
  Generic full featured blogging
• Live Space: http://spaces.live.com
  Microsoft’s push to compete with Google, MySpace is nicely appointed, but with a social networking feel
• Open Diary: http://www.opendiary.com
  Generic full featured blogging heavy on the touchy feely
• Sail Blogs: http://www.sailblogs.com (per Tim above)
  Cruiser centric blogging and map tracking with many custom capabilities keyed to cruising
• Tag World: http://tagworld.com
  Designed for the under 30 hipster with a focus on music and pop culture
• Typepad: http://www.typepad.com
  Generic full featured blogging with very professional feel (Dilbert blogs here)
• VOX: http://www.vox.com/
  Generic full featured blogging
• Word Press: http://wordpress.com
  Generic full featured blogging
• Xanga: http://www.xanga.com/
  Generic full featured blogging
• Yahoo 360: http://360.yahoo.com
  Late entry from Yahoo, much like Microsoft MySpace
• Yot Blog: http://www.bluemoment.com/pressrelea...tblog0305.html
  Free sailors blog site

What do you use and why? What are the pros and cons of systems you’ve had experience with? What works best for a long term cruiser?

[swagman]

Hi Randy,
I'd assume most are similar with functionality but just be aware my pals have always complained when I put up too much text and not enough pretty pictures.
So IMHO its important to pick a medium where lots of pictures are possible.
Cheers
JOHN

[RandyAbernethy]

Hey John,

Nice blog (I like the pictures!). I agree whole heartedly with the graphics/type ratio comment. You just visited my #1 must see spot, Petra.

In my brief exploration I have noticed that some of the systems have some nice features like position update, google earth integration and web logging all functional through text only sailmail. Once you get to a WiFi zone you could then update the logs with photos. This seems to offer a nice blend of staying connected and keeping the content visually balanced.

[sv_makai]

I generally like sites with photos imbedded in the text. Many blog sites are just lots of reading and are not organized very well. We got our own domain (www.sv-makai.com) and it is hosted on ixwebhosting.com. It came with 1,000 sv-makai.com email addresses.

We use Frontpage to build and maintain the site. It is easy to add photos and text in a very professional manner. We also thumbnail photos so when the orginal page download is quicker with the smaller pics. When a reader wants to get a better look at the photo they can click and get a full sized photo.

Frontpage has also made it easy to adjust the site based on readers recommendations and to add pages as well as just overall orginazation.

Many of our friends websites are just text. Photos are non existant or on another page. I don't enjoy reading these sites as you have to either imagine what is being described or go to another page.

Your website should be directed to your reader and what would make it enjoyable and easy for them, not what is easiest for you. Otherwise they just will not come back.

We had over 15,000 hits in just a year in our new format. It is not hard and makes for a great site!

[LaLeLu]

http://chrisandsusanconrad.blogspot.com

[coaster]

I wright them longhand on paper in notebooks. I read them from time to time for reflection.

[swagman]

Sorry - did not see www.yotblog.com in the first list. I'ts what we use and find very functional for a semi IT literate peep to use.
JOHN

[Doghouse]

I don't post my travels up for everyone, but I do keep an old fashion log book where I keep my miles, hours, and what I did logged. Yup, I even try to keep the out for afternoon cruises logged.

[RandyAbernethy]

A paper log is a must and more to the business end of cruising in my mind. We are setting out on a circumnavigation next week and finding a good log book was a bit of work. Ultimately we will probably make our own but I thought I'd start with someone else's format to get going with some good ideas. We finally found one we really liked at the Bluewater Books and Charts in Fort Lauderdale (they have the best selection I've found).

I see the web log as more of a social networking piece which allows you to share experiences and adventures with friends and family and soon to be friends. A lot of our close relatives and friends like to see pictures and hear stories of our travels and posting a web site has been easier than trying to use email or other methods. We have been using "One and One" to host and they have a pretty neat web builder included in their $3 a month deal. Unfortunatly the builder can get frustrating as the site gets large and they limit the number of pages you can have. Rather than upgrade I think we're going to follow Bil's lead and try Front Page with a pure hosting solution. I'm also still looking into Sailblogs which seems pretty nice.

[Paul Elliott]

I keep a regular paper log, which is a bound "Laboratory Notebook" where I add column lines and keep the basic information written (not as often as I should, but usually at watch changes).

I have a bit of software on a Pocket PC that keeps a running log of all nav-system data. I post-process this data to make Google-Earth trackfiles of the daily runs.

I also keep a daily journal, and send it, along with the G.E. trackfiles and occasional photos, to the VALIS blog. The blog started out on a commercial blogsite (which was fine), but I eventually installed "Wordpress" on my ISP server, and migrated the blog to this. I use either SSB radio email (Sailmail), or Iridium satphone email (XGate) to send the lournal entries to the blog.

Here is a link to a blog entry, sent during a passage from Hawaii to San Francisco, where I talk about the handwritten log: http://www.sailvalis.com/wordpress_1/?p=121

Regards,
Paul

[AnchorageGuy]

For quite some time now we have been posting our logs at

http://7knots.com./

and click on Captains Logs. It is very simple and can be posted via email anywhere. we post through Winlink and we can do it underway or in some remote anchorage. Once we reach internet access we post photos. All of our friends and family know to go to the site and get the latest info on where we are and what we are doing. If you are looking for a simple easy solution this is it. You must follow the email format in order for the server to scan and post but once you get the hang of it the concept is great. Perhaps cruisersforum might look into a similar service.

[Holding Pattern]

We're very happy with yotblog.

http://www.yotblog.com/HoldingPattern

[ssullivan]

Where is the selection for "logbook?" I find paper has a value much greater than anything you can find online. Computers are great, but they have a limitation. You can't simply sit outside in the sun and thumb through them reacalling all the great memories. In much the same way that reading a paper book beats reading a PDF file, reading a paper logbook (with entries from guests in their handwriting) beats looking at another website.

[SkiprJohn]

I've been keeping a paper log since the 70s. Don't think I'll change (too old). I have a small vinyl notebook that takes 5x8" three hole notebook paper. I enter the date, number of hours and times I sail and include where, wind speed and weather. I mention who was with me. I don't always log in when I'm on someone else's vessel for a few hours but sometimes if it is noteworthy and especially if I do watches. I mention significant events such as fish caught, lessons learned, course and speed when it seems appropriate.
When doing long passages I like Weems and Plath "The Offshore Log." It has space for everything on daily worksheet and passage record pages.
JohnL

[swagman]

It's good to see the variations especially the focus some put on paper logs. We've never kept one - although I've purchased multiple log books planning each year to do so - but never ever got beyond page one!

On a passage we've traditionally just used a conventional ruled pad to note activities / sightings / position / course / weather reports etc - and then transfer what we want to a web blog when we get the chance - or to a paper chart in the event we ever have to.

But I've now learnt as part of the Radio Licensing Regs I must maintain at least a radio log at all times........ So just maybe this will provide the stimulus to get the full paper passage log going at long last. Time will tell.

Cheers
JOHN