Log Book & Maintenance Log

SBH2OMan · Nov 23, 2010

Not Parker related, but I've almost cleaned up the new (to me) 2320 and plan to take her out later this week for the first time. I want to start a maintenance log and a general log for outings (and keeping track of any issues that come up between me and my partner). Does anyone have recommendations on a good log book (or separate captain's log and maintenance log) to keep on board? There seem to be a lot of options.

I don't want to go with a loose-leafed binder for aesthetic and practical reasons. I know the diving log books I have used have coated paper that doesn't immediately turn to mush if it gets a few water droplets on it..

Thanks,

Brent

Brent · Nov 23, 2010

I use Google Docs and make printouts and export it and email as an attachment

Elvis' Dad · Nov 23, 2010

That's a great idea, can I get a copy of your format as a template?

Brent · Nov 23, 2010

It is free-form journal format entered by date or action item and I enter comments, tips from CP and other sources, thoughts, web links, pics, etc at the bottom of the page
In other words it would look useless to another person but ideal to me b/c of its lack structure. I also Evernote mainly b/c I can use it off line easily on the iTouch without wifi and sync later.

SBH2OMan · Dec 2, 2010

Some good ideas - thanks. I use Evernote for a lot of other things, but its free-format note taking isn't really what I'm looking for. I went ahead and created a form that has a built-in "pre run checklist" and "Post Trip Checklist" on it along with names of crew, weather conditions, and general navigation notes (including the ability to make notes for a GPS waypoint that is just a randomly assigned number on the chartplotter, but will have a note on the page like "hot rockfish bite" or "bitch reef" (a nickname for a reef I found). Also a place to make notes for needed service or broken items needing replacement/repair. I print off the pages and put them on a clip board for now. Maybe once a month I'll archive them off the boat or scan them into a giant searchable PDF file.

Since I have a partner in the boat, we both need to stay on top of this stuff and we'll use it to communicate issues about the boat without having to email each other.

I also started a separate running maintenance log on a spreadsheet in Google Docs where we also maintain our financial ledger for the partnership (who spent what on which items and when).