Log:
A log is a most useful instrument, not only to register distance, but to tell you what your boat is doing under different sails. There are several logs now made suitable for small craft. By watching the log when you are sailing you can tell whether or not your craft is doing her best. By employing it I have frequently found that a measure that I supposed would add speed has worked just to the opposite. For instance, I have put on more sail, and found by the log that instead of making the boat go faster it has made her move slower. It will also aid you in properly sheeting your sails, so as to get the most effective work out of the canvas. Logs are a great comfort in thick weather, when running for a landfall, as they give you warning of your approach to it, and save a lot of worry. But they must never be implicitly trusted.