What Is a Sailor’s Logbook? A Modern Guide with SailTies (2025)

A sailor’s logbook isn’t about legal obligations — it’s about personal memories, learning from experience, and sharing your journey with others.

Unlike a ship’s log, which is a formal and legal document updated every hour with engine status, crew watch rotations, and maintenance, a sailor’s log is for documenting your own voyages. That’s exactly what SailTies is built for.

If you're a recreational sailor, weekend cruiser, or adventure charterer, SailTies makes logging your sailing life easy, visual, and shareable.

TL;DR – Why You’ll Want a Personal Logbook

• Capture memories – Record special moments, wildlife sightings, mishaps, and wins
• Track your growth – See where you’ve sailed and how far you’ve come
• Plan better trips – Remember good anchorages and sketchy fuel docks
• Share with your crew – Collaborate on logs, stories, and photos
• Stay organized – Keep notes on maintenance or repairs (if you want to)

What’s the Difference Between a Ship’s Log and a Sailor’s Log?

Ship's Log (Legal):

• ✅ Required for commercial use
• ✅ Hourly entries
• ✅ Engine and navigation status

Sailor's Log (SailTies):

• ❌ Not required for commercial use
• ❌ No hourly entries needed
• Optional: Engine and navigation status
• ✅ Personal notes and memories
• ✅ Multimedia (photos, maps)
• ✅ Crew collaboration
• ✅ Prove experience for charter, crewing and training

A ship’s log is for maritime compliance.
A sailor’s log is for your sailing life and that is where SailTies comes in.

What Can You Log in SailTies?

Each time you sail, SailTies creates a log of your voyage. It automatically logs

• Departure and arrival info
• GPS route and position pins
• Key Stats (Distance, average speed, duration)
• Weather and wind notes (Plus)
• Speed analytics (Plus)

You can then very easily add:

• Photos and videos from the trip
• Wildlife sightings and special memories
• The vessel
• Crew members and shared stories
• Maintenance notes if you like — though SailTies isn’t a technical maintenance log, it’s helpful for reminders

You don’t need to update it hourly. Just log each voyage, and add what matters to you.

Sample Log Entry in SailTies

Trip: Day sail with new sailing Friends Crew: Marta, João, Lena
Location: Cala Saona, Formentera
Key Stats: 24nm - 5 hours - 4.2 knots average speed Notes: Anchored over sand in 4m. Best swimming spot ever!
Photo: Sunset from stern, shared by Marta
Weather: 12 knots SSW, gusting 15 knots Top Speed: 6 knots

Why Use a Digital Sailor’s Log?

Traditional paper logs are great for nostalgia, but digital tools give you:

• GPS tracking of every trip
• Cloud backup of your log history
• Photos, videos, and notes in one place
• Shared logs with crew or family
• A timeline and milestones of your growth as a sailor

How to Log a Voyage in SailTies

• Tap “Start” when you leave the dock
• Put your phone in your pocket. Enjoy the sailing.
• SailTies logs your GPS track automatically
• When you get to your destination tap “Stop”
• SailTies enriches your voyage with stats and weather automatically.
• Add photos, notes and the vessel from the trip
• Tag your crew so they get the voyage on their profile and can contribute too.
• Share your voyage with family and friends.

SailTies brings modern tech to an old sailing tradition — without losing the joy of storytelling.

5 Reasons to Keep a Sailor’s Logbook

1. Preserve Your Best Memories

Your log becomes your sea journal — full of sunsets, stories, and lessons.

2. Plan Smarter Voyages

Log your anchorages, fuel stops, and tricky approaches for future trips.

3. Improve Your Sailing

Review what worked and what didn’t. Wind strength, trim settings, or timing.

4. Stay Connected with Crew

Everyone logs in one shared space. No paper logbook stuck in a drawer.

5. Keep Notes to remember

ANy helpful notes such as “port winch squeaking” or “Remeber to return to Rockys for lunch”

FAQs – Sailor's Log with SailTies

Is SailTies a legal logbook?

No. It’s a personal sailing log — not a ship’s log required for commercial or international compliance.

Should I use it even if I sail casually?

Yes. It’s great for fun sails, racing, deliveries, and keeping your own sailing expericne in one place..

Can I log maintenance too?

Yes, though SailTies isn’t designed as a maintenance system, you can include repair or inspection notes per voyage.

Do I need to log every hour?

No. Unlike legal ship logs, you just log the trip — and only the details you want. In the backgrond SailTies

Want to Log Your Sailing Life?

Download SailTies and start documenting your voyages the smart way.
No paperwork. No stress. Just your sailing story and experience — beautifully captured and shared.

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