Log Book question: probably the 100th time on this board

[ippy01]

Let me acknowledge right away that this is a question that has probably been answered a million times on this board -- but I couldn't find a good, relevant thread despite many searches.

The question is: how absolutely necessary are log books? I feel guilty asking this since I can hear my Instructor's adamant insistence on maintaining a detailed log. But, I find it to be a hassle, and not beneficial in any meaningful way. I enjoy diving because I love the water, love nature, like divers, and generally enjoy the sense of being in a different world. I get my fill of tracking, documenting, reporting, measuring, etc. at work every day. For me, diving is about getting away from all that stuff -- and a log book seems inconsistent with the simple joy of diving.

I have a tough time believing in the merits of a log book. It's just not that tough to remember details like amount of weight, water temp./comfort with x type wetsuit, etc.

So, my real question is: will my lazy ways ever come back to bite me? I have never been asked for my log book on the many, many dive trips I have taken. Does anyone ever really ask for log books?

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Get a few more dives/scenarios under your belt. The look back is invaluable.

 

[Hyper-limits]

So, my real question is: will my lazy ways ever come back to bite me? I have never been asked for my log book on the many, many dive trips I have taken. Does anyone ever really ask for log books?

It possible that it will catch up to you one day, but only if you take a course and the instructor ask for your log book. I'm pretty lazy myself when it come to logging dives all I write is where, how long, how deep and my buddy names. I don't care to know how cold the water was, anyway it is always cold up here.

 

[Diver0001]

Let me acknowledge right away that this is a question that has probably been answered a million times on this board -- but I couldn't find a good, relevant thread despite many searches.

The question is: how absolutely necessary are log books? I feel guilty asking this since I can hear my Instructor's adamant insistence on maintaining a detailed log. But, I find it to be a hassle, and not beneficial in any meaningful way. I enjoy diving because I love the water, love nature, like divers, and generally enjoy the sense of being in a different world. I get my fill of tracking, documenting, reporting, measuring, etc. at work every day. For me, diving is about getting away from all that stuff -- and a log book seems inconsistent with the simple joy of diving.

I have a tough time believing in the merits of a log book. It's just not that tough to remember details like amount of weight, water temp./comfort with x type wetsuit, etc.

So, my real question is: will my lazy ways ever come back to bite me? I have never been asked for my log book on the many, many dive trips I have taken. Does anyone ever really ask for log books?

I don't like keeping logs but I do keep them. I think I've logged about 20% of my dives and what's in my log book ranges from very cursory up to and including detailed site descriptions. I never log pressure groups or put little check marks beside bits of gear. My log book is totally geared towards capturing only the most relevant information. In my case that's mostly site descriptions and route descriptions but also tank pressures and firsts.

I think you should keep a log for a while at least. If you want to take certain courses, like DM or instructor then you'll need a record and it's worth logging your first couple of hundred dives to establish a base of experience. After that then you should log a few a year as a minimum so you estabilsh that you're still active. This will help you avoid some dive operator making you take a refresher course when you have better things to do.

R..

 

[jbd]

The only thing you really need to log is training and experience if you are thinking of becoming a DM or instructor.

I do agree with BIGSAGE136, it is often nice to look back on what you have done, sometimes just for the fun of it and sometimes to see what gear you used the last time you were at a site and plan to return quite sometime later.

What you choose to log is up to you in regards to detail and types of dives. If you don't recording a whole bunch of stuff then just put down the things you are pertinent.

In addition to the "normal data" I write comments evaluating the dive and my performance if I think there is something I might need to know in the future and will probably forget if I don't write it down.

I did my first dive of the year a few days agao and it has been several months since I have been in the water. Looking at my SAC for this dive it was abnormally high. I have notes indicating the reasons, which will serve to focus my attention on the relevant issues, when I dive next time.

Sometimes the dive doesn't need anything more than the "data" i.e. depth, timeand location.

 

[lamont]

i'm seriously thinking of ripping out the rest of my logbook pages and going to a format where i can just list date, time, max depth and bottom time, with maybe half of the line left for a comment on where it was or if it was a class or whatever... get something like 30+ dives listed per page.

 

[Dee]

i'm seriously thinking of ripping out the rest of my logbook pages and going to a format where i can just list date, time, max depth and bottom time, with maybe half of the line left for a comment on where it was or if it was a class or whatever... get something like 30+ dives listed per page.

I know several people who keep their logs in a simple spiral notebook. Each dive is listed, some just have more details than others. You aren't restricted to space and can put what you want.

FWIW....I still log every dive. Local dives usually get a simple date, time, location and length of dive since they are almost identical. Dives on dive trips get more attention.

 

[Queen]

I logged religiously for the first 10 years I dove, then I slacked of and finally stopped logging altogether for the next 8 or 9 years. Now after a hiatus I want to get back into regular (as opposed to vacation only) diving and take some additional courses...I'm finding the instructor would like a little more than "yeah I did that type of dive back in '87 or so". Guess I'll buy a new log and at least record the basics.

 

[tkrock]

You could always buy a dive computer and let it do the work! Get a download cable and every couple of months download the info and print it out.

 

[Dyno Bill]

I also was in the habit of logging all of my dives but after probably 7-10 yrs into the sport I was also using a spiral notebook. Then I just sort of quit mostly because it seemed like a form of a dipstick and I Really Dont like them. I only do personal diving any more so I just dont seem to have the interest in keeping a diary. Just my slant on it.
Bill