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In the interesting, recent thread on teaching seamanship, Carl Herzog wrote:

> It's been my experience that the average coastal cruiser is extremely lax in
> keeping an accurate log. And yes, it is a skill I hound on. Offshore folks
> are generally a little better about it.


Canadian Power Squadron courses are strong on keeping a logbook with
entries on the hour, when changing course, when changing speed, when
changing sails etc. etc. I suspect that the training offered by the
USPS, RYA and so forth is similar. However, the average sailor or
powerboater then emerges into the real world, where the bulk of his/her
time on the water is spent in enclosed waters near home, where course
and speed changes are continuous and where the only "navigation" is by
conning ("pilotage" in the UK). Few of the rules for when to make a log
entry are applicable and the sensible yacht skipper will generally be
too busy keeping a good lookout to be spending time jotting down notes
for future entry into a logbook kept on the chart table down below.
Hence, the training in evening classes becomes irrelevant to everyday
experience and gets forgotten when the individual pushes out into
coastal waters, where proper maintenance of a logbook is necessary.

Meanwhile, the advent of GPS and electronic charts allows the casual
user to "con" his/her vessel anywhere on the world ocean -- getting
instant information on present location, heading to destination etc.
just as we would expect to do visually while in harbour. While the
electronics continue to work, maintaining a logbook can seem as
irrelevant as it does when swinging around an anchor.

Maybe we need standards for logbook use which emphasize starting routine
logging when taking a departure from the outer end of the harbour
entrance, not when dropping the mooring lines, and which are adapted to
the realities of the electronic outfits that so many people seem to
think are essential to recreational boating.


Trevor Kenchington


--
Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         Gadus@iStar.ca
Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555

                     Science Serving the Fisheries
                      http://home.istar.ca/~gadus

   

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