Keeping a Log

On naval and merchant ships, navigators must keep a logbook, even when a computer keeps track of position.
Electronics fail, and a logbook is a record of more than course and distance; it is a place for recording weather
and other ships business. Traditionally, the mate kept the log on a merchant ship.
Recording time is the first step in keeping a log, with an entry every hour or every other hour, on the
hour. Ships time is different from civil or land time, because the day begins at noon rather than at midnight.
Each log entry has the vessels course, either as true or magnetic course. Speed is entered, sometimes followed
by the distance traveled since the last logbook entry. Wind speed and direction follow, along with weather
notes. On a sailing vessel, there could be notes on the managing of sails. At the end of each days entries, the
ships position is recorded with a note that says how it was determined, by dead reckoning only or bycelestial
navigation. Dead reckoning positions are needed even if a celestial observation is not made as it is needed to
solve future celestial positions. A noon sight taken then can determine the vessels latitude and together with a
chronometer, longitude. Today, an electronic position would be noted.
The logbook is a legal document serving as record of the captains actions in case of a collision, grounding or
other accident.

KEEPING A SHIPS LOG

by
Jeremy R. Hood
A ships log can be used for a number of differing purposes. You may wish to
record in it the times that you change the filters on the engine or when you
replace the zincs. You may use a log as a diary to record events and
impressions of places you visit. But the main use of a log is to record
information concerning the vessels navigation.
Even if you are convinced of the reliability of GPS (Global Positioning System)
navigation you still need a ships log to record navigational data and if, heavens
forbid, your GPS should fail, the information in a written log can enable you to
calculate a position and arrive safely at your destination.
Ships logs have been kept since the very beginnings of marine navigation and

were used to help record positions and facilitate the calculation of a course to
steer as the following excerpt from the log-book of the Phoenix indicates. The
vessel was homebound from India in 1687 and had just sighted the Cape of
Good Hope:
"Latt Obserd 32o 16'S Mer Dist 02o 55'Wt Morning Varia pr Ampld 08o 00'Wt SUNDAY
ye 10h faire weathr & very little wind at SE & ESE & sometimes Callme. our Cors by
Compshath been NW runn by logg 24 miles wch dists I alow to be 30 miles because of a
great swell out of ye So ward bord & what we have galed away when or sailes have been
haled up wchupon or Cors steerd gives 18 miles Noward but by Observat we 6 miles more to
ye Noward which I impute to somewhat of a streame we have had these 4 days although in
trying to day we finde none I alow ye W distrue Cors to be made NWt 36 miles
diffr lattd 24 depe 27"
The Captain of the Phoenix has recorded in the above excerpt, details about the
weather, the ships latitude, the magnetic variation, a northward setting current
and the true course that he ordered the vessel to steer. In fact, very similar
information that we need to record when we are making a passage.

Although you can buy ready-made log books which have many columns
already labelled (and a few for you to define) I have always chosen to use a
plain notebook so that I can include the columns that I choose. One of the main
reasons I choose to do this is that I often include different columns in my log
book depending on whether the passage is across an ocean (Table 1), along the
coast(Table 2) or in a bay (Table 3).
Note that all three log books pages begin with information concerning the
starting point and a destination. But I was taught early on that it is prudent to
write From ____ Towards ____ . The use of the word Towards being more
realistic then To given the vagaries of wind, weather, crew and diesel engines!
All three tables include columns for Time, Course, Distance, GPS position and
Notes with other columns added as necessary. When making a coastal passage
you may want to record bearings of lights so the notes column can be
extended, but on an ocean passage this will be unnecessary though columns for
date, barometer and watch error (for celestial navigation purposes) will perhaps
be needed.
From the ships log it should be possible to reconstruct a course followed during
a passage and at sea it will enable the navigator to calculate dead reckoning
and estimated positions. These can then be compared with a GPS position to
provide accurate information about the current, leeway or the combined effects
of both (Figure 1).
Even if you use a GPS to give you a position, course to steer and distance to a
waypoint, a ships log should be kept so that, at a very minimum, the time and
position can be recorded at regular intervals. Then, should the unimaginable
happen and your GPS fail, you will have a recent position recorded which can be
plotted on a chart. Of course, prudent navigators will have done this at the
same time as they recorded the position in the log book but not all navigators

or skippers are so meticulous!

For your log book to be useful, it is essential that the instruments that you are
using to record your information are accurate. The ships compass should be
free of compass deviation (See Telltales Seamanship November 93) or the
deviation should be a known quantity for all headings. The log should be
calibrated to accurately measure distance (speed may be useful to help with sail
trim but aboard a sailboat it is of much less navigational use than distance run).
The ships clock should be reliable at sea.
Just as with all aspects of sailing, planning and preparation make a trip safe
and enjoyable. Plan your navigation, check your instruments and draw up the
columns in your ships log before you leave.