Log Books - Maxum Boat Owners Club

9Ball · 09-09-2011, 06:11 PM

I posted a Thread in the Sport Boat section about the longest Trip you had on your boat and David & Carol said they "logged 368 miles" and others stated how much fuel they had used, so it begs the question from me..... How many use a "Log Book" and what do you record, Trips, Fuel, etc...? When I was in Sea Scouts we would record date and Time at every buoy we passed, Fuel, we would find a sandy beach to stop and have Lunch, or camp over nite, we "Logged" just about everything!

I just got my 2nd boat about 3 months ago and haven't logged anything.... Should I?

Todd

seapuppy · 09-09-2011, 06:35 PM

we keep records of all our maintenance activities.....when we first bought our present boat...I bought myself a capt's log and started to post everything into it..trips....places..times, dates....etc...boy that went away with all life brings to you...
it's strictly a matter of preference...but for a smaller boat...I can't see keeping a log unless you enjoy that kinda stuff...but for larger yachts and ships...then yes it makes sense to keep a capt's log for records sake....

I just don't have the time nor energy to do that...

SP

shrew · 09-09-2011, 07:15 PM

ships logs can be used for legal purposes. Take a look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logbook

In the case of inshore and inland waterways recreational vessels it is more of a personal diary. To each his own. Personally, I'd rather live in the moment than spend time writing about it. It comes down to what youre' going to do with the information. How frequently are you going to refer back to it, and how much time are you going to spend gathering and analyzing data as a result? How often do you look at a wedding album?

9Ball · 09-09-2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrew

ships logs can be used for legal purposes. Take a look at this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logbook

In the case of inshore and inland waterways recreational vessels it is more of a personal diary. To each his own. Personally, I'd rather live in the moment than spend time writing about it. It comes down to what youre' going to do with the information. How frequently are you going to refer back to it, and how much time are you going to spend gathering and analyzing data as a result? How often do you look at a wedding album?

How often do you look at a wedding album? HAHAHAHA I ain't gonna touch that subject!!! LOL There is alot more to it I suppose..... but I just wanted to get a idea from some folks if it was really worth it, I didn't think it was but just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything!

TC

seapuppy · 09-09-2011, 08:46 PM

well....when your old and in the retirement home..you can re-read all the adventures you had from your old log books....

SP

dronthelake · 09-10-2011, 05:01 AM

I keep a record on a laptop spread sheet. When we get to the boat on Friday I reset the GPS trip mileage to 0 and when we leave on Sunday I log the miles traveled that weekend and the engine ours. I also note nights, oil changes and other maintenance performed. The totals along the top are for this calendar year.

ccruser1 · 09-10-2011, 01:09 PM

I started a log after our first launch Labor day weekend 2011. It is just a word doc with our daily adventures with some photos attached. Maybe someday my grandchildren will read it and have a better understanding of how their grandparents enjoyed their free time. (what's that?) Of course, there will be lots of pics of them on board too that they can share with their kids as well.
CCRUSER1

gssixgun · 09-06-2016, 06:41 PM

Zombie Thread

But I did not want to start a whole new thread on "Log Books"

After our Inaugural cruise on the "Boomer" we had some of our Dock Neighbors help us get the boat backed into our slip..

Yeah going to have to practice that next year hehehe

Anyway, we were talking with them after, and they suggested keeping a "Log" actually more of a Journal
Mentioning the date, where we went on the lake (Pend Orielle) and who we met along with and type and name of boat they had..

I kept a Journal a few years back when I realized that 25 years in the Nightclub Biz and 15 years of doing Finance had destroyed my ability to write in anything but Block letters
I was more practicing my Cursive writing, then keeping an actual "Journal"

We decided that this seemed like a good exercise in proper writing, and fun to keep a "Captain's Log"

It will be hard for this Ole' Trekie to not start each entry with

"Capt's Log, Stardate ......

shrew · 09-07-2016, 02:29 PM

Log Books are very useful if you are travelling internationally. I've seen many people use them for maintenance recording. I've seen some great fishermen who use them heavily (weather, location, sea state, fish landed, etc).

Recreational use is less popular. It sounds nice, like a wedding album. Everyone wants one, nobody looks at it. We have one. It's moved onto the boat every year. It has two entries from 9 years ago.

Foxy 01 · 09-09-2016, 08:54 AM

I keep one on the repairs I do the cost the date and who did the repairs.When I look back through the years it is almost heart attack material but is an excellent guide especially if you want to sell the boat in the future.Not interested so much in where we have been that is all in the memory bank.

Phillbo · 09-09-2016, 07:06 PM

I log maintenance and repairs only.