logs

[divermatt]

I'm big on diving, but not big on diving logs--I'm usually into the challege of a dive, the awesome reefs, the amazing sealife...but I do not keep a log. I've recently been thinking of getting my Divemaster cert. I have more than 80 dives of all kinds, and I love helping people learning the whole diving hobby.
How much of a problem is it that I cannot prove how much time I've spent underwater???

 

[alcina]

There is a requirement for your instructor to sight the relevant dives, so you'll need something.

 

[divermatt]

yeah, but I've "done the time" and I'm serious about the hobby--is PADI too into the logs? I mean do they really need the type of diver that writes down every experience? I'd rather learn from an experienced diver than some ************ who never did anything he was afraid to put in a precious little book.

 

[Bruciebabe]

I'm big on diving, but not big on diving logs--I'm usually into the challege of a dive, the awesome reefs, the amazing sealife...but I do not keep a log. I've recently been thinking of getting my Divemaster cert. I have more than 80 dives of all kinds, and I love helping people learning the whole diving hobby.
How much of a problem is it that I cannot prove how much time I've spent underwater???

It's not just for your divemaster. Throughout your diving career you have to prove how many dives you have done and often how many of a certain type. How many cave, how many past 30 metres, how many on twins etc. Also every time you go to a new dive school, resort, diveboat or club they need to see your logbook to get the measure of you as a diver.
Then there is the importance of your log book to yourself. I dive all over the world. When I return to a place I take with me the log book pages from my previous trips there. That way I can look up what happened on individual dive sites when I previously dived there. Also I know water temperatures, weighting etc ahead of the dives.
As you get more advanced or more specialised there is more information that it is useful to record, decompression profiles, gas mixes and student rosters for instance.
PADI say a dive is not over until it is logged. Quite right, a complete record of your dives is essential.

 

[alcina]

Your log doesn't need to be an epic novel but it should record the essentials. Much like a pilot's log - though not as thoroughly examined by others!

Yes, as far as I am aware, almost every agency requires you to show them logged dives - the number and variety may vary.

As a dive professional you will be encouraged, if not mandated by standards, to keep a log of your working dives. It's good practice.

Keeping a log has nothing to do with getting out there and gaining experience...

 

[utnapistim]

I'm big on diving, but not big on diving logs--I'm usually into the challege of a dive, the awesome reefs, the amazing sealife...but I do not keep a log. I've recently been thinking of getting my Divemaster cert. I have more than 80 dives of all kinds, and I love helping people learning the whole diving hobby.

there are more uses for keeping a log than prooving your experience. for example it was usefull to me a little back to see at what point (water temp. range) during autumn i switched to full suit instead of shorty, last year.

i also usually log the dive plan as discussed before a dive; after the dive i can check how well i stuck to it (and i still have to work on that).

How much of a problem is it that I cannot prove how much time I've spent underwater???

methinks that depends on what you can agree to with an instructor, but i'm not an instructor ( yet )

 

[utnapistim]

yeah, but I've "done the time" and I'm serious about the hobby--is PADI too into the logs? I mean do they really need the type of diver that writes down every experience? I'd rather learn from an experienced diver than some ************ who never did anything he was afraid to put in a precious little book.

i put in my log especially the failures! those are what you actually need to remember.

i also fill the log within 30 minutes after the dive and write details on it: what i'd need for a save-a-dive kit, if the site has something worth visiting again, if anything went wrong or what i need to improve.

I missed a dive because I skipped the buddy check (and this is now in my logbook) for example.

I also fixed a loose tank strap underwater once and while doing it I descended to 30m without meaning to; the plan was to go to 20m max. this is also in my logbook now.

I also went past the objective once because we didn't plan the dive properly; it's in my log also;

I could probably go on, and I have around 60 dives.

To me it's not a question of if I should keep the log; It's a just a very usefull tool.

 

[Oceandvr]

I'm big on diving, but not big on diving logs--I'm usually into the challege of a dive, the awesome reefs, the amazing sealife...but I do not keep a log. I've recently been thinking of getting my Divemaster cert. I have more than 80 dives of all kinds, and I love helping people learning the whole diving hobby.
How much of a problem is it that I cannot prove how much time I've spent underwater???

Why the aversion to the log book? It just backs up your experience and can be quite useful as the other SB members have stated. I'm not at the divemaster level (yet), but it's my understanding that they assist instructors -- so, you may have to show new divers how to fill out those log books.

I fill out two logs...one for myself and one for work. I like being able to look back at the site description, what additional gear I used (if any), the vis or temp, how much dive time I have accumulated, etc.

 

[Web Monkey]

I print the pages from my computer, annotated with site and condition info.

It's not much work, and gives much more detail than a hand-written log (ascent rates, temperature at each depth, air consumption, etc).

Not sure if that would be acceptable, since there's no buddy signature, but it's hard to argue that a dive didn't happen when you have data points ever 10 seconds for the whole dive.

Terry

I'm big on diving, but not big on diving logs--I'm usually into the challege of a dive, the awesome reefs, the amazing sealife...but I do not keep a log. I've recently been thinking of getting my Divemaster cert. I have more than 80 dives of all kinds, and I love helping people learning the whole diving hobby.
How much of a problem is it that I cannot prove how much time I've spent underwater???

 

[xSandman3]

I print the pages from my computer, annotated with site and condition info.

It's not much work, and gives much more detail than a hand-written log (ascent rates, temperature at each depth, air consumption, etc).

Not sure if that would be acceptable, since there's no buddy signature, but it's hard to argue that a dive didn't happen when you have data points ever 10 seconds for the whole dive.

Terry

It's perfectly acceptable by PADI. When I had to prove dive count for DM, I just printed and submitted my last dive for my instructor, and just did the same for my IDC last week.