Sailblogs.com provides a collective place for sailboat cruisers to keep track of and share their journeys through easy-to-use blogs. (blog, of course is short for weblog, a web-based journal. Wait, does that make a ship’s log a ‘slog’? Nevermind).
An ‘online’ cruising log has its advantages including the safekeeping of your entries (web server) as well as the ability to share your trip with family and friends as you go. You can also upload photos, embed videos, provide maps and coordinates – all while posting your updates from anywhere in the world. (This way, your former cubicle-mate can get a real-time shot of your sun-kissed snarl).
So at this point you may be thinking: “Yeah any blog can do this – so what’s the big to-do about SailBlogs?” Fair enough. We just didn’t get to good part yet.
1. Community – SailBlogs is also a social community. You’re able to browse other blogs, comment and interact with other sailors, and (like those other social networks) you can even “friend” other sailboat travelers. There are member groups within the site and you’re able to contact individual members/boats directly. Even if you don’t sign up yourself, you can browse and enjoy the sailboat cruising life. Helpful if you’re about to set sail yourself or looking for a behind-the-scenes sailboat review.
2. GPS Tracking - This is a “big to-do”. SailBlogs uses the XPlot Manager, a tool that manages your tracks and positions as well as importing/exporting GPS data. This data can be fed to the SailBlogs overview map (see photo) and a Google Earth plug-in file, allowing automatic updates of your current positioning to Google Earth. I know, what part of ‘sail away‘ did we miss. Hey, this is cutting edge stuff, but respectfully optional. 
3. SailMaps - An account with SailBlogs automatically gives you an account with SailMaps, a brand new sister site to SailBlogs. SailMaps is designed for loading and sharing GPS tracks with other travelers. A simple upload from a GPS device, you’re able to personalize a track with comments and photos. The bonus – gain valuable insight from other’s tracks. As of this writing, SailMaps hasn’t fully launched, but it’s sure to be worth the admission.
Speaking of admission, SailBlogs is absolutely FREE to join, or you can upgrade to a paid membership and enjoy extras including: ad-free blog pages, direct video uploads, the Google Earth feed, photo-gallery option, remote posting via email, and a host of other good stuff.
Check out SailBlogs for yourself here: SailBlogs.com
