A compulsory document from the semi-offshore navigation
First of all, it is mandatory by law. The text of Division 240 regulating recreational boating is clear on this point: "Section 240-2.07 of Division 240) describes the logbook as "a logbook containing items relevant to the monitoring of the navigation and safety of the vessel."
But it is much less didactic about its content, unlike the previous version of the regulation.
A little history...
For a very long time, the main interest in keeping a logbook was to help with dead reckoning. Remember that there was a time that people under twenty years old cannot know when we did not have GPS on board... nor in our pockets
Navigation was based on coastal and astronomical bearings, and in the absence of coasts or stars, dead reckoning reigned supreme.
So, it was necessary to follow his navigation with rigor, making a regular point on the map and recorded in the logbook, to which we added the events experienced, otherwise we would be quickly lost.
Then, about twenty years ago, the first GPS units arrived in our boats and greatly changed our relationship to positioning. We could know our position at a few dozen meters, what a revolution!
Thus, the logbook was no longer an essential tool for navigation, but became a safety aid to regain control in case of GPS failure.
But with breakdowns becoming rare and GPS units piling up in our pockets and on chart tables, our relationship to the logbook has really changed. Nowadays, you just have to look at your screen to see your exact position and heading on an electronic map.
In 20 years, the abundance of GPS has made the rigorous keeping of the logbook unfortunately a bit obsolete. But let's not forget that this logbook remains an indispensable witness of the navigation carried out by the crew and their boat.
So, let's not hesitate to take up this old habit and enrich it with experiences that make the cruise happy, like a moment shared with dolphins, a shimmering sunset or a memorable chicken basquaise.
