If we go back in history and follow some of the Captains that undertook long voyages at sea, it is clear from their records that keeping a log not only becomes a good reference point for the future but it also ensures that no critical boat maintenance manages to slip through the cracks.
In today’s modern world, a log book for your boat is equally important to determine when the engines need servicing, when the boat needs to come out of the water to be cleaned and when the hull requires a refurbish and paint.
A log book is a definitive account of the conditions you experienced at sea and what maintenance you undertaken on the boat.
Not only are these log accounts good for future reference, they also add value to the boat when you decide to sell it as the purchaser can see details or maintenance, servicing and repairs done to the boat.
Service record
A well kept log book is a great way to keep the services of the outboard motors up to date. By logging the hours, you will know exactly when the time is right (per manufacturer’s specification found in the manual) to complete the next service on the motors. There is no real need to have a separate engine service log as the servicing details can be kept within the main general boat’s log.
Performance
Adding in how the boat performs in different conditions and any other remarks that were highlighted on a particular trip will make for easy reference in the future.
Notating problems with performance is another good way of ironing out any anomalies that occur with the motors.
Keep it small
There is no need for an elaborate encyclopedia-sized manuscript-type log book as space is always at a premium on boats. Keep your log book simple, small and ensure that is has a durable cover to withstand the elements that are always present in some form or other when boating.
Try and keep the log book near the helm as this is where most of the entries will take place.
