Best Way To Log Dives?

[REII]

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.

The only time I have ever been asked to show my log book was before I got my AOW certification. I wanted to do a wreck dive in the FLA Keys and the dive operator required AOW for anything over 60' or proof of experience at the deeper depths.

TOM

 

[Santa]

Last place I went in Indonesia they didn't even to do liability releases because they knew they we're so far away from everything that noone would ever be able to mount a lawsuit anyway. They we're good enough guys though - and for the record didn't do courses. Guess they just couldn't be bothered.

 

[BKP]

I dive an Atmos II (not air-integrated)... keeps about 30 dives in memory...

I write down the starting/ending psi for each dive... that's it (just for SAC). At home (or the hotel), everything gets downloaded to the Aeris 2.x log (MUCH better now that they've upgraded -- keeps multiple records of gear changes (helps you remember your weighting, if you're changing gear, etc.), lots of detail, if you want it).

If I need a physical copy, I can print it out....

What can I say... I'm a geek... can't escape my fate...

 

[CompuDude]

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!

ScubaPro/Uwatec has a custom version of AquaDiveLog available right from their website. Runs on the Palm platform, including Treos. They call it TravelTrak on their website, for some reason, but once it installs you have ADL.

http://www.scubapro.com/support/software/software_traveltrak_palm.asp

Free. But useless unless you have a Uwatec computer... even more useless if you don't have one of the newer ones with the IR interface.

 

[TheRedHead]

If I see something spectacular during the dive, like eagle rays or a whale shark, I may log it during the SI. Otherwise, I jot down the dates and site locations after the dives and fill it in when I download. Most of my logs are for my personal use. I often write mini reviews of different dive operators for future reference.

 

[plot]

my logbook doesnt even have a place for other people to sign, or for there divers cert # or whatever else...

I just scribble down the basic information about the dive, the date, water temp, location, max depth, time, who my dive buddy was, etc. and I normally do it the night after I dive. My computer (and most others probably), have a logbook you can access from the thing... no software needed... and it'll tell you all the info you need to know.

 

[CJ Waid]

Depends on YOUR goals. I am trying to make it up to the instructor level, so I log dives religiously, accurately, and as fully as possible. I even write down important, funny, or interesting stuff my dive buddies do. I always do my dive tables (after the dive unless I really need to do them before hand, like multi deeper dives) This has given me a sense of security when it comes to knowing for real how deep I can go and for how long, I also use the Navy dive tables so I know how long and how deep I can really go.

It is a good practice to log your dives the best you can.

But, if you are just going to go diving, and don't want to become a dive master or instructor or anything like that, than I would just suggest that you log your dives and do the tables, etc. until you feel comfortable that you are knowledgable enough where logging your dives wont make you any smarter, then why bother, unless you just want a good record of what you have done, you never know, you might want it someday when you are old and can't remember your kids names, you can look at that and at least remember your dives.

 

[cummings66]

I log my dives on paper after I return to the motel room, campsite, or home. Whichever works out best. Even though my computer has a pretty good memory capacity, it's a VT3, I don't trust a computer to not reset or lose the dive log data. Plus they ALL have a limit of so many dives then they roll over and you start losing dives.

When I get home the first thing I do is download the logs from the computer and then finish my paper log. I just don't trust them forever.