Logbook

The digital logbook from Logbook Suite

For iPad as well as for the Mac Logbook is the only digital logbook on the market which meets the official requirements of a logbook. But Logbook is very popular with Windows users too.

Logbook is just perfect for skippers who have used printed logbooks so far, but want to make use of the advantages of a digital logbook. This is, apart from the optional automatic recording of navigation data, the automatic analysis of the nautical data, for example. Using the trips and the overview Logbook automatically calculates totals for relevant data as well as average values—both for each day, for a whole trip and for all entries in the logbook. Of course your Logbook can be printed. This is a nice gift for every crew member to keep the trip in good memory.

During the journey you can enter the nautical data into Logbook just like in the traditional logbook on paper. It is up to you how often and how detailed you type in your information. Logbook provides for each day a page with several tabs for the nautical information, weather information, technical notes and for your personal diary with photos. Besides, Logbook offers a special view where you can put in detailed information on your yacht. This makes it easier to find all important information when needed.

Logbook can be configured to suit both sea and inland waterway travel.

To easily enter the navigation data even under very bad conditions Logbook provides a special view with large fields for data entry while crusing.

With the Auto-NMEA function (included in the Pro license) you can, if Logbook is connected to a GPS or NMEA data source, also let Logbook make the entries quite automatically by itself.

In Dark Mode, which is available from Logbook 6.0 (only with Pro license ), Logbook shows dark screens with red text. This display is particularly suitable for the glare-free use of Logbook at night.

Using Logbook with NMEA connection

Logbook offers functions to capture navigation data from GPS/NMEA data sources and enter them in your logbook—either by pressing a button or fully automatically.

Whenever you want to make an entry in your logbook, you can capture the current GPS/NMEA data and have it entered in the logbook. All information that is not provided by your GPS/NMEA data source can to be entered manually.

Or you activate the Auto-NMEA function and let Logbook make your entries automatically. Possible are hourly entries (at the full hour) or every half hour, entries at a course change larger than the set angle or at under- or overrun of preset speeds.

On the PC Logbook supports NMEA0183 data sources connected via USB, Bluetooth or WiFi. Pure NMEA2000 data sources are not yet supported, but most multiplexers provide NMEA0183 data anyway.

On the iPad, Logbook supports both NMEA0183 and NMEA2000 data sources connected to the iPad via WiFi, Bluetooth or cable adapters. The connection between Logbook and the data source is established via our iPad app LogbookNMEA connect, which can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store. On our Support site we provide a list of the hardware for which there are ready-made setting sets (get there by clicking on the bottom button in the right column or on Smartphone at the bottom of this page). Please contact our support if you want to use hardware that is not listed here.

Depending on the type of data source, the following data can be entered automatically into your logbook from data source (NMEA0183 or NMEA2000):

board time and time in UTC
position
course over ground (COG )
speed over ground ( SOG)
wind direction and wind speed
LOG or TRIP
engine speed (for 1 or 2 engines)
air pressure, temperature and humidity
on the tab Weather: water temperature

If your iPad is connected to a NMEA2000 network it can also read the engine operating hours (if available in the network). Please note that GPS mice or the internal GPS of the iPad does not provide wind data.

On the iPad, the NMEA function can also read data from the integrated GPS and from the integrated barometer. LogbookNMEA connect then calculates course and speed over ground from the iPad GPS data.

In demo mode (if there are less than 5 days in the logbook) you can also test the NMEA function and the automatic data entry in you logbook. As soon as more than 5 days have been created, the NMEA function is only available if a serial number for the appropriate NMEA license (PC or iPad) has been entered.

Screenshots and Printouts

The screenshots and examples for printouts will give you a taste of Logbook—but convince yourself and load your free trial version!

Logbook Suite, Logbook Titlepage — The decorative cover sheet

In the view Ship's data you can enter all information about your ship

Logbook Suite, Logbook Engine — On the tab Engine you can record for up to 2 engines the operating times and distances traveled.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Technical Batteries — The sheet Batteries is useful for monitoring your batteries.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Journal — The tab Journal is for your personal diary and up to 4 photos per day.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Image show — The slide show provides a lager displaying of your photos stored in Logbook.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Tracking — Creation of a Google track from the positions recorded using the Auto-NMEA function

Logbook Suite, Logbook Trips, Daily analyses — The view Trips shows a summary for each day.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Trips Graph Distances — Graphic showing the total distances as well as the distances under sail or engine during a trip.

Logbook Suite, Logbook Printout Trips — Printed page showing one trip

Logbook Suite, Logbook Printout Navigation — Printed page with the navigation data of one day

The Logbook as evidence

We hope that this case will never happen, but unfortunately there might be a situation where you have to use your logbook as evidence.
In some forums you can read about this topic: “Throw your logbook overboard if you are involved in an accident. Then no one can prove anything against you.” But that is the worst thing you can do. Because that disqualifies you as a skipper and puts you on a worse footing from the start.

A well-kept logbook is considered proof of good seamanship – and this is one of the basic requirements for a skipper. The more you have noted in your logbook during the voyage, the better.

In the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea there are only vague statements about how exactly a logbook for recreational boating has to look like and what has to be recorded in it. There is still no mention of digital logbooks, although these are declared as allowed in other places.

The key requirements are that it must be a bound booklet or book. Loose sheets are not permissible. Pages may not be torn out. Furthermore, it must be recognizable if entries have been changed subsequently. The logbook must not be written with erasable pens.

Logbook has integrated numerous functions that transfer these requirements to the digital world, ensuring that your logbook is evidential: Deletion of days, trips and navigation entries is not possible, several independent time stamps show where entries have been changed subsequently. Automatically created navigation entries are marked with a color. The time stamp then shows whether the entries were added directly by the person responsible (e.g. the sail position) or whether they were edited later. With his signature, the skipper confirms the correctness of the entries.

Our license system for Logbook

Depending on which features of Logbook you want to use and on which devices you use Logbook, we offer different licenses.

The full versions

As a new Logbook customer you start with a full version. First you decide with which range of functions you want to use Logbook:

Basic: unlimited use of Logbook,
only manual data entry
NMEA: unlimited use of Logbook,
transfer of NMEA data from a GPS/NMEA device or from the integrated GPS
Pro: unlimited use of Logbook,
all functions of the NMEA license plus Auto-NMEA function of automatic recording of NMEA data as well as automatic logbook entries,
DarkMode for display at night

Then you choose on which device type Logbook should be used. You can choose between: iPad, Mac or Windows, iPad and Mac or iPad and Windows.

The upgrades

If you already own a license for Logbook, you can upgrade it at any time — both the range of functions and the supported device types. For this we offer:

Upgrade to NMEA: Select the device type for which you want to upgrade an existing Basic license to NMEA support
Upgrade to Pro: Select the device type for which you want to upgrade an existing Basic or NMEA license to the functions of Logbook Pro. If you already have an Auto-NMEA license, you can upgrade at a reduced price.
Upgrade for second device: With this upgrade you can extend your Logbook license for use on an additional device type. As with the full versions, you can choose between Basic and NMEA functionality for your second device.

By the way, the total price is always the same, no matter if you directly purchased a full version for your desired feature set and devices, or if you start small and then increase your license through upgrades.