Does anyone ask to see your logbook?

[TMHeimer]

I log all of my dives in a paper logbook, mainly to keep up with my weighting and to log the species I have seen. No one has ever asked for it.

How often do you change your weight?

 

[MaxTorque]

My reply to the instructor was that he would know my experience within 20 seconds of starting the dive

IME, you can tell someones experience, or perhaps rather their competence well before they get in the water!

I tend to just watch someone setting their gear up, or even watch them unpacking their bag, it's surprising what you can tell from those simple acts (ie planning, organisation, familiarity, dexterity, confidence, rigorousness, not to mention the state of their gear etc)

 

[Tripp]

How often do you change your weight?

I dive in salt and fresh, in just a swim suit, with a 3mm and with a 5mm, so my logbook helps me remember how to weight myself according to where I am diving, and what I am wearing.

 

[AfterDark]

So, in the 70’s we never (me and everyone I dove with) kept logs of our dives. No one asked, or seemed to care. In fact, I don’t remember ever having to show my cert card to rent gear, buy air or go on a boat. After a long break, I’ve recertified and am diving again. Has it changed in the last 40+ years? I don’t plan on a diving career, just recreation diving on nice days.

Never been asked in 53 years. I was asked for a C-card once in FL which I had left back in RI so I had a straw buyer fill my tank for me. Thru the years I've kept logs on and off they are useful for gear configurations recording and weight needed for which suit/tank combo being used. Also to keep info about sites less dived for a refresher / reminder of the site(s) highlights or hazards.

Now I use them to look back and remember dives and dive buddies of long ago some that have gone on the their reward. Log books are good and useful and worth keeping. I use the PC these days instead of a book. I also post my dives in the NE section SB as a triple backup.

My PDComputer record of dives is what I would show as a log book if anyone asked. I do have a SSI C-card that shows 1400+ logged dives that I got years ago to replace the NASDS card; all my C-cards live in my gear bag these days.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Never been asked in 53 years. I was asked for a C-card once in FL which I had left back in RI so I had a straw buyer fill my tank for me.

You've been asked for your C-card ONCE in 53 years??!! I assume you are doing 100% shore dives or dives from private boats? I am almost universally asked for my c-card when I'm new to a charter. On many charters I am asked every time.

 

[AfterDark]

You've been asked for your C-card ONCE in 53 years??!! I assume you are doing 100% shore dives or dives from private boats? I am almost universally asked for my c-card when I'm new to a charter. On many charters I am asked every time.

That is correct I live in the Ocean State after all and the Bay state prior to that! We have lots of shore access to the ocean and yes I have very few charter dives but many dives from private boats one of which was my own boat for a time.

Also for the 1st 20 years or so of my 53 all I had to do was tell a dive shop owner I live and dive and New England and that was enough. The thinking then was if one can dive NE one can dive anywhere.; which I have found to be true.

 

[SlyStrat]

I've kept a paper log book since 1974.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've kept a paper log book since 1974.

One....?

 

[BlueTrin]

Same experience as above.

If anyone asked to see my actual logged dives (which has never happened) the answer would be "no". Because my log is in my laptop, full of grotesque profanity and embarrassing personal lessons-learned that nobody else needs to read. I guess I'd let them scroll through my shearwater profiles if they insisted on seeing something.

If you use subsurface it can sync with your mobile phone now.

wont censor the profanities though

 

[SlugLife]

If you use subsurface it can sync with your mobile phone now.

wont censor the profanities though

Or lewd pictures. Hey, they're the ones who wanted to look.