Dive Buddy Signatures

[Mike-G]

Hi all,
I have 156 logged dives and another 40 or so un-logged dives. Of my logged dives, I don't have signatures from my dive buddy(ies) for 30 or so of these. I recently typed all my dives into an xl spread sheet that I made where I list dive #, Date, Location, time, Dive Buddy & Comments. The cool thing about this table is that it has all the information that I am interested in, presented in a quick-to-digest format. The bad thing about it is that if I make it my sole dive log I won't collect any more signatures from my buddies. I know the die-hard divers will say "this is how we learned it (w/ signatures) so this is the only way". What are your thoughts on my possible new dive log? How or why could I regret switching to this format? I know some divers only rely on their computer's download of their dive for record keeping - I keep a lot more information than this.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[H2Andy]

i haven't collected a single signature on my log, and i've logged every single dive i've ever made

it's just never been an issue

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I get some signed some not. Just depends. Even trade E-mails sometimes.

 

[ekewaka]

I see from your profile that you are PADI certified. If you ever want to be a PADI divemaster or instructor, then you will need some minimum number of logged dives. I think it is 60 for divemaster, and 100 for instructor. I can't think of any other reason to get signatures.

 

[J.R.]

About a year ago I decided to get back into diving. I pulled out my old NASDS card from 1970 (yellowed, cracked... bad shape all the way around) and looked up the SSI stuff for replacing it... imagine my surprise when one of the questions they asked was "how many logged dives do you have"...

I called em' and asked what this "logged dive" stuff was all about (... back then I don't even recall having counted em'... let alone logged them...). The lady on the other end apparently had run into this before and said, "Well... put down a reasonable number that you think you did..."

... I told her that, conservatively, I had 70 plus...

We seemed to be good... they processed the info... and, right there on my SSI replacement card it says, "70 or more logged dives"...

Now, I wouldn't EXPECT any certifying agency to go with this if I decided to go with DM, etc... they're OLD dives from back in the days when we all died on every dive because we were doing it wrong... but it does indicate that there is at least SOME flex in a less than perfect system.

I do log my dives... mostly for my own info... my wife is my dive buddy so I don't know how "valid" a bureaucrat might feel about these dives... but, hey... I'm only in this for the fun and the beer anyway...

 

[SteveC]

I don't have any dives signed by anyone. I feel that my log book is for my reference only. I really doubt that down the road anyone will care much about a signiture.

 

[cummings66]

I don't have many signed dives either, and it's not necessary to be signed if you go for the pro level from what I was told. What is necessary is to prove you made the dives by virtue of having logged them. Logging and signing are different things from what I gather.

Could be wrong, but that's what one dive shop told me.

 

[chewie]

i have lost count after my 100th dive. it's an important practice especially if you go to other areas. they might want to see your logbooks along with your c-card. it's also a record for you to recall what types of diving you have undergone & what particular things you've seen or experienced.

 

[sambolino44]

Why not just keep both? I've started asking for buddy or DiveMaster signatures at the dive site, and some operations have a stamp. You know, for souvenirs. At the dive site, I can record comments-type details while the memory is still fresh. When I get home, I run through the dive profile on my computer and record the data in my logbook. If/when I find or create a computer log I'm happy with, I'll probably still keep my paper logbook for the stuff that won't fit in my computer, like signatures and stamps, and for recording stuff on-site that I might forget. Note that you have more unlogged dives than I have total. Just offering a suggestion.

 

[ekewaka]

Search for old logbook threads. About once or twice a week some one complains about boats that require a minimum number of logged dives, and all of them have to be signed and notarized. I have never had that problem. Probably because I have never done a boat dive.