I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..

I know it is an attempt to appeal to the broadest market.

In the past I have recieved a mediocre logs as launch/christening gifts.
Used them for a guest register and tried to utilize the log pages briefly,
only to give up and revert to the ole standard "record" book.. That
eventually begins to resemble a journal since I seldom put many details in
my log entries.. My excuse: I'm single handing, the log is on the chart
table because I have an open cockpit, course and speed vary every tack, etc.

My typical log entry might be: " Time/date, Underway from xxxxx, enroute to
zzzzz, light wind NNE, motor and main. Various courses and speed. .....
"Time, wind NE 8 knts, secured motor, unfurled #2 jib and staysail. Course
~ 270, on broad reach, spd 5-6 knts.".... "Time, cleared Pt. yyyy, altered
course to 360, close hauled, spd 4-5knts".... " Time, arrive zzzzz,
anchored 300 yards off, in 25 ft, stbd Bruce anchor with ~100ft of chain,
set well in sand/silt bottom"....

In other words, I only enter basic info, for the record, of significant
events.

That is about all the detail I might enter as a voyage progress.. I might
make a single weather observation early on and if I have a crew I would make
those comments at the beginning of that passage entry.

My point. I want a log page that is mostly dedicated to routine simple
entries without wasting half the page with blank spaces for weather
observations and engine readings. I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve wrote in message
...
I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..


That's what I did. Only I did it on the cheap using an Excell
spreadsheet.......printed off a copy and took it to work to make some
laserjet copies. I used a standard punch and a ring binder.
My version was based on the models we used during Power Squadron courses.

Steve wrote in message
...
I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..


That's what I did. Only I did it on the cheap using an Excell
spreadsheet.......printed off a copy and took it to work to make some
laserjet copies. I used a standard punch and a ring binder.
My version was based on the models we used during Power Squadron courses.

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 10:09:42 -0700, "Steve" wrote:

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Yes, it's an Excel file I construed a few years ago when faced with
the same silly commercial products.

Here's the layout and a sample entry:

Date: July 16, 2003
Season's Day of Sailing: 17
Vessel: S/V Valiente, Home Port: National Yacht Club, Toronto

Dst Boat ----Wind---- ----Waves---- Bar
Sea --Clouds-- Volts Bilge ---Boat Check---
Position
Time COG Log Speed Speed Dir Height Dir mB
Temp % Type 1 / 2 Strokes Oil Eng
Rm/Hrs Lat Lon Comments (sail/motor, navigator)

1300 191T 4.2 4,8 12 WSW .5 m SW
1005 19 20 Cu 13..1 N/A 40
101.2 43.34.32 79.23.15 Beer is chilling...

And so on...

Post an e-mail (Hotmail?) addy and I will happily send you the Excel
file. It prints to fit on a landscape-oriented, 8.5 by 11" three-hole
punch paper for a standard binder.

R.

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 10:09:42 -0700, "Steve" wrote:

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Yes, it's an Excel file I construed a few years ago when faced with
the same silly commercial products.

Here's the layout and a sample entry:

Date: July 16, 2003
Season's Day of Sailing: 17
Vessel: S/V Valiente, Home Port: National Yacht Club, Toronto

Dst Boat ----Wind---- ----Waves---- Bar
Sea --Clouds-- Volts Bilge ---Boat Check---
Position
Time COG Log Speed Speed Dir Height Dir mB
Temp % Type 1 / 2 Strokes Oil Eng
Rm/Hrs Lat Lon Comments (sail/motor, navigator)

1300 191T 4.2 4,8 12 WSW .5 m SW
1005 19 20 Cu 13..1 N/A 40
101.2 43.34.32 79.23.15 Beer is chilling...

And so on...

Post an e-mail (Hotmail?) addy and I will happily send you the Excel
file. It prints to fit on a landscape-oriented, 8.5 by 11" three-hole
punch paper for a standard binder.

R.

A Power Squadron friend of mine self-publishes a Log that has everything in
it one could possibly want (although that sounds like it may be too much).
Email me for his address if you wish to inquire.

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com/BDPhoto.html - Photo Contest
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..
...
Steve
s/v Good Intentions

A Power Squadron friend of mine self-publishes a Log that has everything in
it one could possibly want (although that sounds like it may be too much).
Email me for his address if you wish to inquire.

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com/BDPhoto.html - Photo Contest
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..
...
Steve
s/v Good Intentions

http://www.boatmart.co.uk/downloads/...oftware&Page=4
an Excel type log for download from Boatmart in the UK
Hope it is some use.
Brian


"Steve" wrote in message
...
I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..

I know it is an attempt to appeal to the broadest market.

In the past I have recieved a mediocre logs as launch/christening gifts.
Used them for a guest register and tried to utilize the log pages briefly,
only to give up and revert to the ole standard "record" book.. That
eventually begins to resemble a journal since I seldom put many details in
my log entries.. My excuse: I'm single handing, the log is on the chart
table because I have an open cockpit, course and speed vary every tack,
etc.

My typical log entry might be: " Time/date, Underway from xxxxx, enroute
to
zzzzz, light wind NNE, motor and main. Various courses and speed. .....
"Time, wind NE 8 knts, secured motor, unfurled #2 jib and staysail.
Course
~ 270, on broad reach, spd 5-6 knts.".... "Time, cleared Pt. yyyy, altered
course to 360, close hauled, spd 4-5knts".... " Time, arrive zzzzz,
anchored 300 yards off, in 25 ft, stbd Bruce anchor with ~100ft of chain,
set well in sand/silt bottom"....

In other words, I only enter basic info, for the record, of significant
events.

That is about all the detail I might enter as a voyage progress.. I might
make a single weather observation early on and if I have a crew I would
make
those comments at the beginning of that passage entry.

My point. I want a log page that is mostly dedicated to routine simple
entries without wasting half the page with blank spaces for weather
observations and engine readings. I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

http://www.boatmart.co.uk/downloads/...oftware&Page=4
an Excel type log for download from Boatmart in the UK
Hope it is some use.
Brian


"Steve" wrote in message
...
I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..

I know it is an attempt to appeal to the broadest market.

In the past I have recieved a mediocre logs as launch/christening gifts.
Used them for a guest register and tried to utilize the log pages briefly,
only to give up and revert to the ole standard "record" book.. That
eventually begins to resemble a journal since I seldom put many details in
my log entries.. My excuse: I'm single handing, the log is on the chart
table because I have an open cockpit, course and speed vary every tack,
etc.

My typical log entry might be: " Time/date, Underway from xxxxx, enroute
to
zzzzz, light wind NNE, motor and main. Various courses and speed. .....
"Time, wind NE 8 knts, secured motor, unfurled #2 jib and staysail.
Course
~ 270, on broad reach, spd 5-6 knts.".... "Time, cleared Pt. yyyy, altered
course to 360, close hauled, spd 4-5knts".... " Time, arrive zzzzz,
anchored 300 yards off, in 25 ft, stbd Bruce anchor with ~100ft of chain,
set well in sand/silt bottom"....

In other words, I only enter basic info, for the record, of significant
events.

That is about all the detail I might enter as a voyage progress.. I might
make a single weather observation early on and if I have a crew I would
make
those comments at the beginning of that passage entry.

My point. I want a log page that is mostly dedicated to routine simple
entries without wasting half the page with blank spaces for weather
observations and engine readings. I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Steve,
Since I plan to sail a lot this summer, (finally retired), I've given log formats
a bit of thought too. The log page format I prefer is a ruled page with only
4 headings....date (small col), time (small col), events (wide col), and
initials (small col). This way, the date stands alone, with as many "times"
as warrented. The initials of course are those of who made the log entry,
since crew practicing navigation may be aboard.
Example: (hope the spaces hold up)
6/21/04 | 0800 | Departed Bellingham for Sucia Island via Hale Passage,
| | 5-day forecast: blah blah
| | Initial course 200M, winds xxx, sea state yyy
| | Skipper: (name), Crew: (name(s) and address w/ emergency
| | contact numbers....just in case. | NB |
| 0900 | GPS fix dd.mm.xxN dd.mm.xxW, | MB |
| 1200 | Saw orca pod off port bow vicinity Pt Migley Lummi Island
| 1735 | Moored Echo Bay Sucia Island. Wind backed to WNW
| | 10 - 12 kts, Temp 72 with light overcast. Checked stuff box,
| | no apparent leaks.
6/22/04 | | Moored Echo Bay, winds steady WNW
6/23/04 | | Moored Echo Bay, Clear sky, Temps 55 night, 85 day.
6/24/04 | 0625 | Departed Echo Bay for Roche Harbor ETA 1100,
| | via President Channel then Spieden Channel, Initial course 220M
| 0810 | Handheld compass fix blah blah New course 230M
This format allows as much or as little detail as you like, and is compact.
I keep a cheap spiral notebook in the cockpit, and jot notes as I go. I
also update the chart several times per day, usually when I take a fix.
Later, at anchor or docked, I bring the log up to date. I also update a
trip journal with personal "stuff" I want to remember...how the crabbing was,
boats/ships seen, the deadhead I almost ran into, etc. The journal is the
basis for periodic trip reports to friends and family.
Do you think maintenance events should go in this log? Or in a separate
maintenance/equipment/systems log?
Norm B

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 10:09:42 -0700, "Steve" wrote:

I have been thumbing through all the different 'Yacht' log books at the
major marine supply places.

They all seem to be trying to fit all needs, for all people, for all types
of boats, for all types of cruising..

I know it is an attempt to appeal to the broadest market.

In the past I have recieved a mediocre logs as launch/christening gifts.
Used them for a guest register and tried to utilize the log pages briefly,
only to give up and revert to the ole standard "record" book.. That
eventually begins to resemble a journal since I seldom put many details in
my log entries.. My excuse: I'm single handing, the log is on the chart
table because I have an open cockpit, course and speed vary every tack, etc.

My typical log entry might be: " Time/date, Underway from xxxxx, enroute to
zzzzz, light wind NNE, motor and main. Various courses and speed. .....
"Time, wind NE 8 knts, secured motor, unfurled #2 jib and staysail. Course
~ 270, on broad reach, spd 5-6 knts.".... "Time, cleared Pt. yyyy, altered
course to 360, close hauled, spd 4-5knts".... " Time, arrive zzzzz,
anchored 300 yards off, in 25 ft, stbd Bruce anchor with ~100ft of chain,
set well in sand/silt bottom"....

In other words, I only enter basic info, for the record, of significant
events.

That is about all the detail I might enter as a voyage progress.. I might
make a single weather observation early on and if I have a crew I would make
those comments at the beginning of that passage entry.

My point. I want a log page that is mostly dedicated to routine simple
entries without wasting half the page with blank spaces for weather
observations and engine readings. I think I might design my own log page,
with your suggestions, print and bind it into my ultimate log book..

How about some suggestions of what you all consider a simple and effecient
log page??

Steve
s/v Good Intentions