Dive Logbook: Paper, or Computer ? [Poll]

[Asheron]

Both.

I use the digital DiveMate program for most dives, but when they get to complicated or I have a lot of written notes/maps like cave diving I keep a written and then attach the pages in picture format to the digital log.

 

[maj2]

Dive computer to PC, and then synced to my phone.

I do still have my old paper log book though. Last entry on paper was November 2002. All electronic since then.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As a long-time paper dive logger, I finally tried using an electronic log. My conclusion is that an electronic log is fine for recording cold, hard data. It doesn't feel as personal to me as paper. Sometimes I just like to flip through my paper log book as one would a scrapbook of memories, recalling trips, places, people, dive boats, etc. Although most electronic logs have places to write notes and even attach photos, it just doesn't feel the same to me as seeing my own handwriting. And occasional margarita stains.

 

[stuartv]

Subsurface. Subsurface It's free and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux and has at least an Android app. Not sure about an iPhone app.

I have a paper log of my first 50-ish dives. But, they are also in Subsurface along with all my other dives I've ever done.

Subsurface has free Cloud storage and automatically syncs to my phone, tablet, and laptops. So, I am not worried about ever losing my log. I often download my dives from my Perdix to Subsurface-mobile on my phone, via Bluetooth, before I even leave the dive site. Then they are just there when I get home and open up Subsurface on my laptop.

Subsurface will import directly from every computer I've ever owned, so my Subsurface log has all my dives, even though I've owned a total of 7 different computers now, I think (counting the 2 on my CCR). When I download the same dive from 2 different computers, Subsurface automatically detects that they are the same dive and merges them together so it only shows as one entry in my log. But, I can pick it and toggle to view the profile from any of the computers that I downloaded that dive from.

I don't print my Subsurface log, but it does support that and I believe it has several different templates you can choose from to control the format of how it prints. And you can even customize or do your own from scratch (if you're of a programmer mindset).

Paper and hand writing is cool. But, I don't have the patience to do that and then copy or scan it, and I'm not willing to risk losing my log info by only having one copy of it. So, electronic is the only way to go, for me.

 

[drbill]

I upload my dives to my computer and also have a dive log on my web site (along with scans of my c-cards) in case I am traveling and need to prove my certification and/or number of dives to a dive operator.

 

[kmarks]

I'm a mess of logs all over the place. I dive with two Suunto computers (Vyper Air and a Zoop as a back up) and connect both to my desktop when I get home to upload the data through DM5. There is currently an error with DM5 and the Zoop that makes the data for every second dive after two days in a row useless because DM5 imports the dives over 5x deeper than they really were. Everything from DM5 is then synced to my Suunto Movescount account, so I have access to the DC data no matter where I am.

While I'm on vacation, I keep a daily journal of everything I do, including my dives, on my Chromebook (which, unfortunately, can't talk to my DCs through Subsurface). When I get back home, I transfer everything I've written about the dives, like who I was with, where I was, what we saw, etc., into my PADI paper logbook, which I have added several pages to recently, and to my SSI online log book. I leave my phone on the boat or shore while diving, and it collects GPS data that I sync with my camera, so I know roughly where each picture was taken.

So I have DM5 and Movescount, with raw data only and no notes. DM5 is only on the computer at home, Movescount is online. These only have depth, time, temperature, cylinder pressure, SAC, etc. Then I have my PADI paper logbook, which I bring with me every time I go on a dive trip because it also has my physical cards in it and my SSI online logbook can be accessed from my phone or any computer and has electronic versions of my SSI cards in it. Those both have most of the same information, like what exposure suit I was wearing, how much weight I was carrying, cylinder pressures at the start and end of the dive, depth, time, SAC, etc., as well as notes.