Keeping a Ship’s Log: Essential for Safety and Compliance

Keeping a navigational log onboard is not just good seamanship—it’s a legal requirement under Regulation V/28 of SOLAS 1974. British registered vessels must comply with this regulation as enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

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⚓ What is a Ship’s Log?

A ship’s log is a detailed record of your vessel’s journey. Traditionally kept on paper in a numbered logbook, many sailors now use electronic logs. Whether paper or digital, it must be maintained carefully—errors should be crossed out, not erased, and pages should not be removed.

The log must be maintained continuously, not only while underway but also when at anchor or alongside.

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🗺️ Why Keep a Log?

The primary purpose of keeping a log is to ensure safe navigation and passage planning. The log serves as a legal document recording vital information such as:

        • Position fixes and courses steered

        • Weather forecasts, wind speed, and direction

        • Ship’s heading, speed, and barometric pressure readings

        • Watch changes and number of persons onboard

        • Changes in sail plan and vessel status

        • Routine maintenance checks during the passage

        • Battery voltage, engine running hours, fuel and water consumption

Many skippers also include crew safety briefings and passage plans in the log’s first entries, adding an extra layer of safety and clarity.

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⚓ The Log as a Legal and Practical Tool

In case of incidents or investigations, your logbook serves as an official record of what happened, when, and how. It helps clarify decisions and actions taken onboard, providing evidence that proper procedures were followed.

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🛰️ Navigation Backup in the Digital Age

With modern GPS and chartplotters, keeping a manual log might seem old-fashioned. But should electronic navigation fail—due to power loss, signal disruption, or equipment malfunction—your log provides a critical backup.

Regular log entries (ideally hourly) including position, heading, weather, and sail plan, give you a reliable last known position to navigate from using traditional methods like compass bearings and celestial navigation.

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📘 Additional Logs on Larger Yachts

On larger or commercial vessels, maintaining additional logs—such as a defects book, maintenance schedule, and medical log—is standard practice to ensure all aspects of vessel safety and operation are recorded.

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👨‍✈️ A Handy Crew Routine

Keeping an hourly log also provides a natural pause during night watches, giving the crew member on duty a brief moment to warm up, get a hot drink, and stay alert.

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⚓ In Summary

Keeping a thorough and accurate ship’s log is essential for legal compliance, safe navigation, and efficient vessel management. It keeps you prepared for emergencies and helps maintain good seamanship whether you’re cruising in Malta sailing waters, embarking on a sailing adventure in the Med, or training for your RYA Day Skipper or Yachtmaster exam.