Dive log books...

[LariatAdvance]

What does one do when one has been certified for 15 years, has about 70 dives and say 40 hours of bottom time and loses a log book over the years?

Do you just start over from scratch with "zero" dives and "zero" bottom time in the new log book, or just carry on in the new book by bringing the "unverifiable" data over from log book #1?

Seems like when you show up to the dive shop with a new log book with zero and zero, you get the "Oh, we require a minimum of 5 "verified" dives and at least 2 boat dives" thing, regardless of how many decades you've been certified. Then on the other hand if you showed up with log book #2 and not log book #1, it would be just too easy for a person to make up all the data they claim carried over to log book #2.

I think the "money trail" is they want you to go thru their "Refre$her Cour$e" so you can accumulate the check out dives and boat dives as the "verified" dives all over again. Obviously common sense would dictate if you were actually certified, you woulda at least done the check out dives and required boat dives already for the certification or you wouldn't be certified.

I'm not sure what the PADI requirement is, but my dive shop does several check out dives on the rock jetty and then two dives from the boat in the ocean to certify you.

Do I just start out at zero again or do I carry on in log book #2 with data I can't prove.
(not that that really means anything. Anyone could fake a log book and sign some nonexistent dive buddy signature). I just hate to lose all that bottom time. It's like losing your high school trophies when your house burns down. LOL

 

[lermontov]

what certs cards do you have some courses require min number of dives or experience that might help

 

[RainPilot]

Prevention is better than cure, so I would recommend going to a online type logbook if possible. The irony of the whole issue is that, like flying, so many things are based on number of dives etc etc as prerequisites but it is an entirely honor based system. If you have a dive 10 years ago signed by random buddy X who you only ever met on the boat, how on earth can that ever be verified? I would transfer your existing dives as best you can remember the totals etc to a new log, when in doubt remove dives not add, and you should be fine. Most of the entry requirements are best satisfied with a in-water skills check anyway imo. Dive number is not always or even often a good indication of skill level ime

 

[CT-Rich]

I don't own a shop or run a charter, but I haven't been asked for a log book in 36 years ( maybe I have forgotten....). I would just start a new log book from where you left off. When I started keeping a log book again I just discounted the dives that I never logged and only counted those I had in old books. I doubt any one will contradict your claim of 15 years and 70 dives. In my log I keep track of total dives and dives, year to date. For a dive charter that may be the most relevant information. What have you done lately?

Losing the log, to me, is more of a personal loss. It is a scrap book of adventures as well as info about dive sites and gear configurations.

 

[RandomGuy1]

70 dives over 15 years is not a lot of diving in the grand scheme of things, especially if most or all of those dives were a long time ago. Depending on when those dives were a refresher course / checkout dives might not be that bad of an idea.

 

[KeithG]

carry on with log book #2.

we have never been asked to produce a log book. we have been asked
- how many dives do you have?
- when was you last dive?
and our verbal responses have always been good enough (any one can fake a paper logbook).

Lately the dive ops have been more interested in when our last dive was. one operator "suggests" a refresher if it was more than 1 year ago. they do not enforce this.

 

[LariatAdvance]

Thanks. Thats about what I thought. I'm going to take the refresher anyway this month, it's offered free at the shop for student who were originally certified there. I figure it can't hurt to sit thru the dive tables instruction and the book stuff again. And also to go to the pool and "re-adjust" how much weight I'll need. I've gained a pound or two or three or four or....over the last decade.

Most all my dives were local on the rock jetty, basically about the same depth and same place, so re-creating them won't be a chore. The rock jetty hasn't sank any lower My dives on the Indra wreck are pretty generic also.

I'll just continue where I left off.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

carry on with log book #2.

we have never been asked to produce a log book. we have been asked
- how many dives do you have?
- when was you last dive?
and our verbal responses have always been good enough (any one can fake a paper logbook).

Lately the dive ops have been more interested in when our last dive was. one operator "suggests" a refresher if it was more than 1 year ago. they do not enforce this.

It always brings a smile when I get asked that question ... because the typical response is "day before yesterday" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Chris Fotache]

I just became certified this weekend, and was wondering how come all your diving history would be tied to that book which is easy to lose, can get wet and ruined... It's 2016, isn't there a certified online equivalent??

 

[Lorenzoid]

I just became certified this weekend, and was wondering how come all your diving history would be tied to that book which is easy to lose, can get wet and ruined... It's 2016, isn't there a certified online equivalent??

This is a very frequently discussed topic on SB. Try typing in Google something like site:scubaboard.com electronic logbook