Are Logbooks necessary?

[Ltfdrebbin]

I'm sure by now you realize that I'm pretty new to sailing.
That being said- we just got a boat and I'm wondering what is the purpose of the logbook?
Is it a health record of the boat?
An odometer for boat and crew?
A diary?
More than that?
Do we have to keep one? Do we want to keep one?

Our boat is used, and it did not come with a logbook, although the previous owner mentioned that he had one.

Thanks for your advice.

[cr180]

Sure you will get a wide variety of responses. The fact you are asking the question indicates you are skeptical. My experience for what it’s worth: Have logged every time boat has moved, every time have taken on fuel, and every maintenance activity for my own benefit. Over the last 15years, find that I refer back from time to time about where we have been, fuel consumption, and periodic maintenance.

[boatman61]

Traditionally it was a diary of the days activities on board, watch changes, courses steered, position, sail changes, daily run etc.
You don't Have to keep one..
You may Want to keep one for a variety of reasons..
Too 'Organised' for me personally..

[Celestialsailor]

A maintenance log can be very helpful.

[Reefmagnet]

You certainly want to keep a maintenance log. I always kept a trip log that noted the forecast, and actual conditions, engine start and finish hours, start and finish times and any notes of interest, things that broke etc for the trip.

[requiem]

All of the above?

For day sails it's a convenient aide-mémoire. For example, I keep a small notepad and will jot down the tide, weather, and other details before heading out, along with any other notes such as passengers or interesting events.

For more extended cruises it's also part of the navigational record; should things go pear-shaped you should be able to use it to derive a position estimate. Regularly noting the barometer reading may also help develop your weather sense. The value of regular entries is being able to spot developing trends.

My preference would be to keep a separate maintenance log, to make it easier to track recurring items without having them jumbled in with everything else. Similarly, it's wise to keep track of consumables (fuel, water, battery) so you don't find yourself unexpectedly low and can spot issues early.

[sv Grateful]

I don't know where or how far you'll be sailing, but some of the reasons we've been glad to have kept a log include:

- During sundowners with other cruisers discussing routes or destinations, "Honey, what was the name of that beautiful anchorage just south of Bodrum where we stayed last June? You remember, the one with the turtles."

"Stand by, I'll look it up in the log."

- We've recently been involved in an event that will involve insurance. I'm very happy to have a detailed log that substantiates our statement.

- I have presented my log to sceptical French Customs authorities in Guadalupe to verify our movements over the preceding month.

Also, as mentioned above, when on long passages a record of weather changes and position is a good back-up to modern nav and as tools.

[Joh.Ghurt]

For short hops in the afternoon, I usually don't bother much. Just note the engine hours used on this day. When underway along the coast, I also document the positions of anchorages.

On offshore passages I find a log-book an important safety-measure in case the electronics go tits-up. It doesn't take much effort and also allows to document breakages and accidents. I also note regular stuff like bilge checks and watch changes.

And forget about those fancy-schmancy preprinted logbooks you find in chandleries. They never have the columns you need or the space you need. Go with normal note-books.

[Dogscout]

Convenience.

By date I record; departure location and time, arrival location and time, engine hours.
Keep a chart of estimated fuel based on engine hours, liters/hour, by date, and fill ups.
Maintenance log on engine.
Maintenance log of things installed and replaced. ex electronics, pumps, batteries, solar, etc.

I dont really note weather unless its significant. I will note when people come and go if we are traveling. A crew list is necessary most places and I note it in the log.

A Moleskine with graph paper works well for me.

[Chotu]

I keep a positional log only.

I actually fill out the waypoints ahead of time for a trip with some bailout courses in case of emergency.

That way, even if a lot of items fail, I can work my way through my intended route on chart plotters, paper charts, or even just gps position to gps position using a phone’s gps with no navigation app.

It ends up showing the position of the boat, the anchorages, etc.

[GordMay]

There’s a number of different records, you might keep:
A Ship’s Log, including position [Lat/Lon] wind speed and direction, our heading and speed, & the barometric pressure.
A Maintenance Log, including recording the status [engine hrs, fuel & oil levels, etc] of each system each day, and any maintenance/repairs performed.
A Ship’s/Captain’s Journal: A sort of diary, where we write our thoughts, memories, and keep notes on what we’ve done, people we’ve met, etc.

An earlier CF “Logbook” discussion ➥ https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ook-28892.html

“How to Make Your Sailboat Log a Legal Document” ➥ https://www.skippertips.com/public/1707.cfm

“Sailing log book templates” ➥ https://www.google.ca/search?sa=X&so...&bih=620&dpr=1

[Lodesman]

According to SOLAS:

Regulation V/28 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended, requires all ships engaged on international voyages to keep on board a record of navigational activities and incidents which are of importance to safety of navigation and which must contain sufficient detail to restore a complete record of the voyage, taking into account the recommendations adopted by the Organization.

Personally I think it's a good idea to keep a log; I also have a separate maintenance log. As a legal document it's conceivable that Customs/immigration agents could ask to see it prior to admitting you to their country. I don't know if this happens in practice.

[Ltfdrebbin]

All good responses and I appreciate you all taking the time.

[Shrew]

IMHO Not for coastal cruising. All my maintenance is done in May and October. Some things I only do in May, some things I only do in October.

[tweitz]

I certainly dont think it is essential, but I find it very helpful. Even for daysailing, I typically write a paragraph or two at the end of the day -- date, conditions, who was on board, where we went, how far we traveled, how long we were out, max speed under sail, and any notable items. I usually start my Navionics app on my iPhone when we get underway, and at the end of each day I hit "save" for the track and it gives me duration, average speed, distance covered and a map of our route. I also include things like a sketch of my bimini frame at the end of the season to help me set it up in Spring, and any maintenance notes. I keep the logs in a notebook with a leather cover, and have them for about 20 years. I also like looking back, especially when the boat is on the hard and I can remember those great sails.