New divers and computers

[SFScuba]

I bought a computer as my first purchase besides Mask/Fins/Snorkel. Probably the best purchase I've made. Every dive trip my wife and I have been on since certification, we would have been off the tables if we were following them.

One thing I've notice a lot of people do with computers is just jump in the water. I feel like you still need to plan your dives, even if with a dive master. All computers have a plan mode. So, even if it fails once you're in, you should no what your NDL limit was for your planned depth.

 

[Fastmarc]

I am a gadget person, so when I started my certification course and found out about computer, I knew it was only a matter of time that I have one.
That said, I decided that it would be my last purchase as I thought it would be in my best interest to learn how to use the tables properly and even now that I have the computer, I still refer to them to keep it fresh.
Having the computer definitely improved the quality of my dives as due to the nature of most of my dives, they are rarely at one depth, so the computer take advantge of this and gives me more bottom time (we move from deeper to shallower).

 

[sewcopp]

There seems to be a tendency running here. If people buy a computer first they are the ones that do not seem to dive at home. They are the vacation divers. Computers are light and easily portable and allow you to track any dives no matteer where you are. Do all the vacation divers log their dives directly after the dive. I mean within hours so everything is fresh in you mind and your dive buddy is still there.?

People who do a lot of their diving at home and want their own gear seem to buy computers close to last. I guess to have the same gear on every dive and know how it's going to respond. Do these guys log their dives soon after the dive?

That's another part of the dive computer that I've noticed makes us (Me included) lazy. But it is ahrd to get our buddy's signature on the dive if we wait until our computer is full before we download it.

Will dive shops take this into consideration when looking at a computer generated log book? No verification from a buddy. Okay vacation divers how do the shops respond to unverified logbooks?


Sue

Don't take me the wrong way I think dive vacations would be fun I just like to know where I'm from. I mean really know. Actually I like where I'm from and tend to have my vactions locally, within about 1000 km.

 

[vondo]

There seems to be a tendency running here. If people buy a computer first they are the ones that do not seem to dive at home. They are the vacation divers. Computers are light and easily portable and allow you to track any dives no matteer where you are. Do all the vacation divers log their dives directly after the dive. I mean within hours so everything is fresh in you mind and your dive buddy is still there.?

People who do a lot of their diving at home and want their own gear seem to buy computers close to last. I guess to have the same gear on every dive and know how it's going to respond. Do these guys log their dives soon after the dive?

That's another part of the dive computer that I've noticed makes us (Me included) lazy. But it is ahrd to get our buddy's signature on the dive if we wait until our computer is full before we download it.

Will dive shops take this into consideration when looking at a computer generated log book? No verification from a buddy. Okay vacation divers how do the shops respond to unverified logbooks?


Sue

Don't take me the wrong way I think dive vacations would be fun I just like to know where I'm from. I mean really know. Actually I like where I'm from and tend to have my vactions locally, within about 1000 km.

I bought my computer about first (after MFS and wetsuit). Yes, I am basically a vacation diver. I don't have a regular buddy either. So to answer your questions, I write things in my logbook about the dive no later than the same evening andsometimes just after I get off the boat or when I get back to the shop. I grab maximum depths and "pressure groups" off the dive computer then, and note what I saw, impresions, tank pressures, etc.

When I get home, I download the dives and type my comments and other data not logged into the electronic logbook too. So I have two records.

As for someone caring whether I have signatures (maybe half do), I have no idea. I think I've only been asked to show a c-card once or twice and never been asked to show my logged dives.

 

[TekDiveGirl]

There seems to be a tendency running here. If people buy a computer first they are the ones that do not seem to dive at home. They are the vacation divers. Computers are light and easily portable and allow you to track any dives no matteer where you are. Do all the vacation divers log their dives directly after the dive. I mean within hours so everything is fresh in you mind and your dive buddy is still there.?

People who do a lot of their diving at home and want their own gear seem to buy computers close to last. I guess to have the same gear on every dive and know how it's going to respond. Do these guys log their dives soon after the dive?

That's another part of the dive computer that I've noticed makes us (Me included) lazy. But it is ahrd to get our buddy's signature on the dive if we wait until our computer is full before we download it.

Will dive shops take this into consideration when looking at a computer generated log book? No verification from a buddy. Okay vacation divers how do the shops respond to unverified logbooks?

You NEED to have somebody sign to verify your dives? Oh CRAP!

Back to the drawing board for me...

That said -- I have not ever (outside of an instructional situation and having to show specific experience and the instructor didn't seem to care that my dives are not "verified") had anybody ask to see my logbook in order to let me dive.

 

[getwet2]

There seems to be a tendency running here. If people buy a computer first they are the ones that do not seem to dive at home. They are the vacation divers. Computers are light and easily portable and allow you to track any dives no matteer where you are. Do all the vacation divers log their dives directly after the dive. I mean within hours so everything is fresh in you mind and your dive buddy is still there.?

People who do a lot of their diving at home and want their own gear seem to buy computers close to last. I guess to have the same gear on every dive and know how it's going to respond. Do these guys log their dives soon after the dive?

That's another part of the dive computer that I've noticed makes us (Me included) lazy. But it is ahrd to get our buddy's signature on the dive if we wait until our computer is full before we download it.

Will dive shops take this into consideration when looking at a computer generated log book? No verification from a buddy. Okay vacation divers how do the shops respond to unverified logbooks?


Sue

Don't take me the wrong way I think dive vacations would be fun I just like to know where I'm from. I mean really know. Actually I like where I'm from and tend to have my vactions locally, within about 1000 km.

Not too concerned with the dive buddies signature I'm more concerned with the log stamp from the dive shop. I do write in the log book, usually the same night while I'm having a beer and usually just the observations from the dive. The actual depths and times and other stuff I'll get from the computer once I get home and download it.

Last trip I was on they did want to see the C-card and just glanced at the log book, I think that was more to see the date of your last dive then your experience.

 

[Puffer Fish]

You NEED to have somebody sign to verify your dives? Oh CRAP!

Back to the drawing board for me...

That said -- I have not ever (outside of an instructional situation and having to show specific experience and the instructor didn't seem to care that my dives are not "verified") had anybody ask to see my logbook in order to let me dive.

I'm with you TDG - there are two aspects of this that are important:

1. What is "verification" for? To prove the dive is not fake? If so, how would someone know if the signature was real? I would, in general, rather see a dive computer printout, than a log book. Assuming the printout was not fake, at least one knows the computer went on a dive, and how the dive actually went. Actual depths, actual details, how good was the safety stop are all shown. All lot can be revealed in the computer log that is not in the paper information.

2. At some point, specific dives are no longer important. I stopped worrying about each dive somewhere around 1980, but with the computer detail, I do keep and check how I think I did versus what I actually did. If it was not for the computer, I would not even bother. Rather than make me lazy, I actually do more work now.

 

[Fastmarc]

Hmmm....
I'm just checking and the log book I got with my NAUI certification only has a space reserved for signitures for the required training dives. There is none for the others, though you could get it signed anywhere, I guess.

 

[Charlie99]

Okay vacation divers how do the shops respond to unverified logbooks?
Sue.

Never been asked to show a logbook. Ever. Not even when taking courses. The instructor just asked me about my diving experience --- how many dives, what type of dives, what types of gear, etc.

Most vacation dive spots have requested a C-card, but a good percentage just had me fill out a sheet saying what sort of cert I have, and never asked to see it.

Locally, I was never asked for a cert card when getting fills in either Maui or Northern California. I have had some, but not all places ask for a nitrox card when getting nitrox fills.

I wouldn't worry about whether or not you have signatures in your logbook.

 

[Somethin-Fishey]

You can have all the printouts and signatures you want. Affter 5 minutes watching you get ready and 10 minutes in the water, you can tell the NOOB's. I dove for years under a US Navy cert, I recently got my C-card. I went on a cruise and listed certified in 2005, and 2000+ dives only 2 months after I got a little piece of plastic.

My computer keeps my last 100+ dives....I can scroll thru them if they want to see them that bad....