Module 14 - Passage Planning
Navigational Records and Passage Logbook Entries
Quick answer
A navigational record should capture enough detail to reconstruct the passage: time, position, course, speed, weather, log, engine hours, fixes, and changes of plan.
- Record fixes and estimated positions at useful intervals.
- Log course, speed, weather, visibility, and tide-relevant observations.
- Note decisions and changes, not only routine numbers.
Keeping a proper navigational record (log) is critical. It creates an audit trail of your decisions, helps you fix your position if electronics fail, and provides evidence if there is an incident.
A basic log entry includes: time, course steered, log reading (distance), wind direction and strength, barometric pressure, and position (fix, DR, or EP). Note any significant events — sail changes, crew changes, sightings, weather changes.
Key points
- Log: time, course, log reading, wind, pressure, position
- Record at least hourly and at every course change
- Note significant events (weather changes, sail changes, sightings)
- A log provides evidence and backup if electronics fail
Common mistakes
- Only writing a log after the passage from memory.
- Recording GPS positions without times.
- Skipping changes of plan that would matter in an incident review.
Common questions
What should be recorded in a navigation log?
Record the time, position, course steered, speed or log reading, wind, pressure, weather, fixes, course changes, sail changes and any significant safety events.
How often should a passage log be updated?
For Day Skipper level passages, update it at least hourly and whenever there is a course change, position fix, weather change or other significant event.
Why keep a log if you have GPS?
A written log preserves your decision trail, helps recover position if electronics fail, and makes it easier to monitor whether the passage is still matching the plan.
Keep revising this topic
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026 by Day Skipper Revision
Connect records to passage monitoring
Good records support the monitor stage of passage planning and make navigation decisions easier to review.