Best Way To Log Dives?

[LowVizWiz]

My Uwatec computer is AI, so it does 90% of the work for me. Plus, it beams the logs over infrared to software in my Treo,

What software do you use on your Treo? I take mine on every trip, but mainly for quick pictures before and after dives. Oh yeah I also call the wife to let her know I'm okay too!

Wys.

 

[Packhorse]

I use suunto software and then transfer that to a xcell sheet.
I note date,time,ave depth, max depth, SI,temp,location,buddies,notes.
From that I calculate average dive time, average average depth, average max depth, total bottom time etc.
I log all my dives, even the 5 minute scallop dives or the aborted dives. There is something to be learned from all of them. Even pool dives (not that I have done one since my first dives).

 

[The Horn]

Pack....

I use suunto software and then transfer that to a xcell sheet

.

Check out dive log 4.0.....you can transfer direct from the sunnto and the sac etc are all done for you. nice program for $25

 

[isurus]

(I find that I'm a much better logger now that I use my own pages. I suppose convenience breeds verbosity. )

ditto - I think the act of creating the page itself focusses you on what you in particular want to get out of your logging.

If anyone is interested in doing this there are an absolute shedload of different custom pages buried in scubaboard's archive esp the DIY section. I went through them and added and subtracted bits until I was happy.

I'm thinking now of trying to set it up so I can download the profile for each dive on SDM and print it onto a sticker to insert into the pages I write up post-dive which are mostly descriptive/lists of fish sightings but I never get round to it.

 

[spankey]

for saftey sake and some dive location it is best to log ALL dives as soon as you can. Just say you spend some big $ for a dive trip and they wont let you dive till they see your log book. What do you do then. Also what happenes if you have done 2 dives in a day and on the 3rd you bend or something, your gear and log book are meant to go with you so the medics can see what you have been upto.

but at the end of the day its your choice.

 

[Amadeus023]

This is great stuff that you guys are sharing here! I am curious what software application you guys have used to create your own custom log sheets - Microsoft Excel? I like this idea; however, I also like the idea of the waterproof notebook as well. I was curious which notebook was used - all blank pages?

 

[Santa]

It's definitely a good idea to log right away or you'll log nothing but computer readouts or throw that wreck in with the pool session.

These days I usually just log the basic data and my gear config which changes with the diving.

If there's something to be learned from some event or special considerations for a special type of dive, I put that too.

When it comes to what I saw and what it was like I tend to wind up just putting "atmospheric".

I tend to dislike documenting too much - same goes for taking holiday snapshots. I like them after but when I'm doing them it just pulls me out of the "now" of the experience somehow. I guess if I diving was drugs i'd be a natural stoner.

 

[Santa]

Have any of you ever had anyone insist you show the logbook under pain of no diving?

I mean c-cards sure, but logbooks?

Maybe I've just been in the outback too much. - I hear Egypts' pretty thorough about it though.

 

[isurus]

This is great stuff that you guys are sharing here! I am curious what software application you guys have used to create your own custom log sheets - Microsoft Excel? I like this idea; however, I also like the idea of the waterproof notebook as well. I was curious which notebook was used - all blank pages?

word: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=39445&page=2&highlight=logbook

exel: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=76743&highlight=logbook

I use word.

 

[utnapistim]

I have a Suunto logbook; I bought it after I filled my PADI one that came with the training records.

Usually I fill the log after the dive (for multiple dives it's something to do during surface interval) and I try to write all mistakes that happened so I'll remember not to do them again, as well as the type of dive and any outstanding things that happened (water entry type, any difficult positions etc).

In Sharm El Sheikh I met a diver on a boat who told me what to expect on the day's dives as he had done them a year before and had them logged; that impressed me

It's usefull if you'll want to check average water temperatures next year for this month, or what type of suit you used for certain water temperatures, or your weights with a different configuration.

Also, in some regions it's required by law to have a stamped logbook entry no earlier than six months; If you don't, they will ask you ro do a checkout dive or a refresher course with them (This happened in Eilat, Israel this year for me).