Do you keep a log of your sailing? And what do you record in it? Would you be interested in a competition for the best log of a holiday cruise?

I try and keep one - mainly who is on board - where we went to and roughly what happened with a mileage count and wind strength etc.

My better logs are of tall ship voyages where I try and keep tabs on everything we did as a crew and what I was responsible for in my capacity as watch leader.

Logs are great for keeping tabs on what you have done and make interesting reading when you look back at them after a period of time.

My old local yacht club holds an annual 'best log' contest every year - which I happened to win last year.

I have an RYA log book that I genrally forget to take with me and end up filling in all the info months after and have forgotten most the details. I like the idea, but I am not very good of putting it in to practice.

We keep a proper log and it's a pain at times... especially when short handed or busy.

For pleasure I would want to keep at least details of each trip - crew, ports, dates/times, distances,notible events, etc. - especially if you re considering any qualfications that require proof of sea time.

W.

Like most folk (I guess) we let the GPS do most of the logging. But on longer cruises and qualifying passages it's a good discipline to get into. And it's always interesting, sometimes amusing, to look back through them months later.

It's all well and good to let the GPS do the logging but batteries go flat, pcs crash... even our 'big boat' navigation system loses track info if it crashes or we get a power down.

Not so much of a problem if in sight of land etc but if further from home or near to hazards to navigation you could have serious problems.

W.

Clearly you should never rely on one system where it's safety critical. We always carry a backup and a redundant backup - so we've got 3 gps units on board, but until the EU GPS system is up and running we still have to rely on Uncle Sam not pulling the plug on public use of his satelites and rendering all 3 useless because he wants to bomb something. The reality is most folk sail locally, in good weather, know their waters well and do it in sight of land. You can never say never but in risk assessment terms the requirement to keep a log in these circumstances is limited.

think what is essential on most trips other than just across the harbour, is to note your position [however derived] on the chart AND in a notebook, every hour at least for coastal sailing. the notebook we keep gives coordinates and heading and approx. speed normally from GPS, sometimes if we are feeling enthusiastic from DR or bearings. Rather sensible on coastal sailing to keep unrusted those older habits of checking position [doubling the angle on the bow etc etc.] since despite backup GPS it is frankly tempting fate to rely exclusively on these. We also cover our charts with thin foldable plastic that you buy in rolls [can't remember the name but check which is suitable as some are NOT] so can use OHP marker pens and later erase. can use in cockpit if needed/ single handed. this way, next person on watch can see at a glance what's being going on and plan/ change course accordingly. I know one should keep a 'proper log'- we have a general column for sea state and incidents but we are generally too lazy to put in much except the really out of the ordinary.