Guide · Maintenance log
Boat maintenance log: what to record and how to keep it
A boat maintenance log is a dated record of every service, repair and part on your boat. Each entry answers five questions: what was done, when (date and engine hours), on which part, with which parts, and what it cost. Below are the fields that matter, a printable template and the three ways to keep the log.
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What to record in every entry
| Field | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 14 May 2026 | The calendar half of every service interval. |
| Engine hours | 412 h | Engine manufacturers state intervals in hours and in time, whichever comes first. |
| Item | Raw water pump, port engine | Tells you which of several engines or pumps the entry belongs to. |
| Work done | Impeller replaced, housing inspected | What a buyer, surveyor or mechanic wants to see. |
| Parts and part numbers | Impeller and gasket, part numbers from the manual | You need the number again at the chandlery. |
| Cost | 86.40 EUR | Adds up to what the boat really costs per season. |
| By whom | Owner / yard name | Separates your own work from work by a yard. |
| Next due | May 2027 or 612 h | Turns the log into a schedule. |
Volvo Penta's operator's manual for its D1 and D2 sail engines states the rule that makes engine hours worth recording: "When both operating time and calendar time is given, the one occurring first is to apply."
Printable template
Print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser's print dialog. The header, footer and buttons are left out of the printout.
| Date | Engine hours | Item | Work done | Parts / part no. | Cost | Next due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paper, spreadsheet or app
| Paper logbook | Spreadsheet | Maintenance app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works without mobile signal | Yes | Yes, on a charged device | Yes, if the app works offline |
| Reminds you before a service is due | No | Only with extra setup | Yes |
| Search across years | Leafing through | Yes | Yes |
| Photos and receipts with the entry | Stapled in | As links | Attached to the entry |
| Lost with the boat or a dead laptop | Possible | Possible without a backup | Synced copy, depending on the app |
A practical setup is both: the app for reminders and search, a printed copy on board as a backup.
Keeping the log in Seaworthy
Seaworthy is a boat maintenance logbook for iPhone and iPad. You photograph the part, the app recognises it on the device and fills in category, serial and model number and expiry date. Each completed task writes a log entry with date, engine hours and cost.
- Search all entries across all boats, including text read from photos.
- Filter by period and category; add manual entries for work done before you started.
- Cost totals per period and currency.
- With Seaworthy Pro: export the maintenance book as a PDF.
- No account; with iCloud, the log syncs through your private iCloud.
Common questions
What should a boat maintenance log include?
Date, engine hours, the item, the work done, parts with part numbers, cost, who did it and when the next service is due.
Should I log by date or by engine hours?
Both. Engine manuals give intervals in hours and in time; Volvo Penta states that whichever comes first applies.
Is there a free boat maintenance log template?
Yes. The template on this page prints on one page and can be saved as a PDF from your browser's print dialog.
Can I keep a boat maintenance log on my iPhone?
Yes. Seaworthy keeps the log on iPhone and iPad, creates entries from a photo and reminds you before the next service is due.