BoatLog: Voyage LogbookSupport
Trip did not start on its own, did not close when you got back, or the fuel numbers look off? Nine times out of ten it comes down to your mooring setup and location permissions, and the answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send us an email and a person will reply.
FAQ
The log does not start when I head out.
First check you have saved a mooring. BoatLog decides you have departed by measuring how far you are from your saved mooring, so with none set there is nothing to depart from. Then check location access is set to Always. On While Using, the track stops the moment the phone goes in your pocket. There is also a short delay before departure is confirmed, so on a day when the record matters, just start the trip by hand.
I am back on the mooring but the trip is still running.
The app looks at both your distance from the mooring and whether you have settled there, so tying up at a ramp or harbour you do not normally use, or leaving the app closed for a while after you get in, can hold a trip open longer than you expect. You can close it by hand any time, and adding the spots you use regularly as moorings means they close themselves next time.
How much battery does it chew through?
GPS runs the whole time you are underway, so it does use a fair bit. For a full day out, plan on a power bank or the boat's own supply. Recording stops once your return is detected, so GPS is not left running afterwards, though it is worth a look after a long run offshore to confirm the trip has closed.
How is fuel consumption worked out?
From the fills you log and the distance run between them, the same idea as brim to brim. Filling right to the top every time is what makes the numbers settle down; a fill you forgot to log, or one you only part-filled, will throw a figure out. There is also consumption per engine hour, which tends to be the more useful number when the day is spent trolling or sitting on the anchor rather than running somewhere.
Does it work offshore with no reception?
Yes. Track recording relies on GPS alone, so it keeps going well outside mobile coverage. Weather data is the part that needs a connection, so the conditions can be missing for the stretch you spent out of range, but the track itself, the distance run and your speeds are all still recorded.
Will this keep me safe out there?
No. BoatLog records and reviews trips; it cannot call for help or raise an alert for you. The float plan and the notifications about staying put are there to help someone notice sooner, nothing more. Carry a VHF, wear your lifejacket and log on with the volunteer marine rescue group exactly as you would without this app, and confirm survey and registration dates with the official source rather than the reminder.