The folks from “Rite in the Rain” were at the Pacific Marine Expo, and I picked up a brochure, an all-weather pen, and another pocket-sized spiral notebook…thanks guys!
See, I use these products every day. Into my pockets each morning go my keys, wallet, coin purse, cell phone, and my little Weems & Plath-branded Rite in the Rain 3″ x 5″ all-weather spiral notebook.
Aboard Two Lucky Fish, my log is maintained in a Rite in the Rain #146 4″ x 6″ spiral notebook.
There are all sorts of fancy logbooks available at The Armchair Sailor, but after looking at so many of them, I decided that if it’s too fancy, or if the form is too complicated, it might actually discourage me from writing something in the log.
If I’m just dropping something off at the boat, should I use up a whole page in my fancy log book to record that? What if I spend several hours working on the boat, but I don’t start the engine? I had a feeling that a log that was too formal would become an impediment to record keeping.
Instead, I opted for this simple notebook, and I couldn’t be happier with that decision. If I write two lines about an overnight trip, that’s OK. If I write a whole page about diagnosing a leak, that’s OK. If I let one of my children write their observations from an outing, that’s OK. I don’t have to write anything long, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. The only expectation I’ve set is that I try to write something in it every time I’m aboard the boat.
My Rite in the Rain vessel log is compact and durable. If I don’t get a chance to complete an entry, I can stick it in my pocket and finish it up anywhere, and then add it to my Bring-To-Boat bin for my next trip to the marina. When it’s full, I’ll buy another one just like it, and file the old one. When they are older, the kids will appreciate being able to read dad’s old log books, I suspect; my father didn’t keep a log of our family boat trips, and I now wish that he had.
Sometimes, simpler is better, especially when the simpler solution is of high quality and well-suited to the task. No kickbacks from Rite in the Rain…I just appreciate and use their products.
And this brochure! Dang, they make all manner of specialized all-weather paper products:
- Copier and printer paper (they even have paper for ink-jet printers)
- Military and public safety notebooks
- Soccer notebooks
- Sportsman’s journals
For fun, check out the Clearance Rack at Rite in the Rain: Log scale books (one is shown above), surveying forms, ski-gate judge cards, and other products I can’t even identify. If you just want waterproof scratch pads, there are lots of inexpensive options there.
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Damn, not sure how I missed em. I use the product all summer long aboard the “Remedy.”
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