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#361
 Dive Computer Log vs. Log Book
atomic333 - 3/05/2007 12:42 PM
Category: Training
Replies: 4
Right after completing my OW/Advanced OW certifications I got a dive computer (Oceanic VT3) along with all my other gear. The computer is great as it, of course, logs everything and it`s downloadable. I`m able to log all the data the computer collected and enter the other info-- conditions, dive buddy info, gear used, etc., really detailed information. I can also add pictures to each dive. As a good diver I keep the log current. And as a good techie I back up my data so I`ll always have the log. So, my question is. . . As a recreational open water diver; is it really that important for me to keep up with my original paper log book? And keep it with me? Some captains, I hear, want to see it before you dive. And I`ve seen some dive buddy ads say they want their buddy to have their up to date log book too. Any thought on this??
#735
bushwacker4u - 3/05/2007 10:51 PM
Well you can try this ,take pictures of each dive and put them in a scrapbook fashion along with speciality certs, divetrip reciepts,boat boarding passes, especially things that has your name and or face on it,and all of the things that goes with that dive.but take your computer printout and use it for an intro page of that dive. now if all that you have doesn`t cut it. then the people running the dive maybe so strict that it mite ruin your dive. this is a good test of how flexable they are, and you also build a pretty good scrapbook too. but there is nothing wrong with keeping a log book, you may even want to use each page of the log book in your scrapbook.besides , most people that I have met quit logging dives after reaching a certain level, their cert says what their abilities should be.
#361
Subscribed
atomic333 - 3/06/2007 11:13 PM
Some good points there. I think c cards should and do cover most OW recreational dives. I do like keeping those docs/pics and so I sort of have something it`s just not the PADI log book I started with. Guess I`ll add printouts of my last 10 or so dives and copies of docs/pics that I have and stow them in a dry bag somewhere. I just really enjoy being paper free around water.
#5884
kcdiver - 3/07/2007 7:45 PM
good points brought up. my thoughts for you to also think about would be if you may go further in diving. master scuba diver requires proof of 50 dives and dive master proof of 60 dives.divemaster also requires documenting proof of night diving and underwater navigation. while night diving may work by checking the time of dive, it would be impossible to verify a nav dive. if instructor may be in you future your log book would be need with proof of 100 dives and im sure your computer would not work.so as a rec and tech diver it should not be needed, you never know what the future will bring and you may wish you had logged them later.
#3442
Dorkfish - 3/22/2007 4:35 PM
Plenty of good points here. But the one thing often overlooked is the fact that your paper dive log can actually save your life (or locate you in a worst case scenario). Emergency services has information on when your last dive was, how deep, air composition, water temp, dive time, etc. This information can be the one thing that gets you to a recompression chamber faster than normal or it could dictate the level of first aid care that is administered. Time is critical in the rescue realm.

I try to encourage my computer driven students to always transpose their pc dives to their hard copy at the end of the dive for this among several other reasons.