Importance of Log Book?

[zimmerman.451]

I have been diving for about two years and logged my first 6 dives or so then lost my log book. What are the benefits to logging dives? What is this information used for? Do the logs have to be signed/stamped by a dive shop to be considered legitimate? Any help with these questions would be great! Thanks!

 

[rongoodman]

Certain numbers of logged dives are sometimes required for additional classes, such as for dive master or some types of technical training. You occasionally hear stories about dive operators wanting to see proof of recent or certain kinds of dives. Other than that, it's up to you whether or not you want to bother with it. Some do, many don't.

 

[Donnah]

I use my log book to keep track of which sites I liked and what I saw. Then, next time I am at a particular location, I have an idea of where I would like to go. I also note what weights I used with what wetsuit, what I want to bring next time I go diving, names of good divemasters, etc. I've only had anyone ask for my log book once and what was when we were going to do a deep wreck and I didn't have my AOW yet. Of course, the log book was in the hotel. A quick call to the local dive shop and a "Oh, them? They're fine, don't worry about seeing the log book" saved the dives for us.

 

[Tigerman]

I have been asked for my logbook once, for a liveaboard. Ive been asked for the date of my latest dive on a few occasions. Ive been asked for "one of my cert cards" (in those words) on all my diving abroad. The card Ive ALWAYS been asked for is the creditcard.

I do log all my dives, the reason is just for my own documentation. I dive with wetsuit or drysuit, steel or aluminium tanks, gopro, compact camera or dslr, or any combination of such. With drysuit I dive different types of undergarments based on the conditions - Its just easier to log and read than try keeping all in memory or guesstimating weights.
Also, I keep track of different things in my logbook that may make my selection of lenses easier. If I know there's mainly macro life on a dive site, I dont bring a wideangle lens...

 

[diversteve]

I was asked to show a logged dive once about 7 years ago by a resort destination shop since we were going to do our first dives with them at the end of a week of local shore diving. It was so they would waive their "checkout dive" requirement. Except for my 1981 cert. dives, that was the only other time I've logged a dive on paper. The DM on the only boat dive we did that week signed it - I figured they might know him.

I keep a running total with general info on diverecord.com. I print out a summary in case someone wants to see it. No one ever has. Gives me my total dive count and hours.

If you don't intend to pursue professional certification where a minimum of logged dives are required, your logbook is used for what you want. My buddy religiously logs every dive even though his gear configuration never changes. He likes(d) to collect dive shop stamps at the various locations. I once dove in Hawaii and a Japanese diver on our boat brought colored pencils - her logbook was filled with excellent quality drawings of what she'd seen on the dive - mostly fish. She'd obviously had some art training as they were very accurate.

 

[Freewillow]

I am used to go diving on liveboards in different places in the worl. Almost ALL of them require a minimum of 50 logged dives.......................Your choice :kiss2:

 

[redacted]

When training courses had certain prerequisites, "or equivalent", my logbook served to evidence the equivalent of AOW.

 

[TMHeimer]

There are tons of threads on this.
Reasons to log:
--some courses (DM, Instr., Solo/Self Reliant) require certain # of logged dives.
--some charters apparently want to see it. I have only been asked when my last dive was.

No one has ever wanted to see my book.

What is an "official" dive?--- Most say 15 or 20 feet for 15 or 20 minutes. Don't know where this is written.
What is an official "logged" dive?--- No known rules. Does it have to be signed? Can it be a solo dive? Does it
need a stamp or something? I have never heard of anything written about these things anywhere.

 

[DogDiver]

Wakalla Award and Abe Davis Award require proof of 100 logged cave dives or proof of 100 hours cave diving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kharon]

I log all my dives (in detail) simply to have a record to look back to - if I'm going to the same place again, if I need to have an idea what weight is appropriate, etc. As far as anyone else - effem. I dive solo, I know what I'm doing and I'm ready and willing to accept any consequences of a fup on my part or anyone elses.