Ineligible log entries

[Lorenzoid]

when you go for a Coast Guard captains license you need to show proof of days at sea - on a summary form that you complete. They don't want to see deck logs, and they certainly didn't follow you around with a gps to verify that what you report is accurate.

That reminds me that bareboat charters want to see a log before you rent a boat. So, the idea of keeping logs does span more than just scuba.

 

[admikar]

I keep a traditional paper log to log my treasured dives, mostly because I find it fun. I guess I started doing it that way because that's how we were shown to do it in OW class, but it was a natural fit with my love of paper and books. I'd gladly use parchment paper with calligraphy and a wax seal. Unfortunately, no one has ever asked to see my log book, including for courses for which there was some prerequisite number of dives. How dare they take my word for it when I have gone to such trouble!

Pictures, dude, pictures!

 

[boulderjohn]

For my log book, I use a traditional small three ring binder, and I stuff it with blank paper. If I don't have much to say about a dive, I don't say much more than the time and depth. If I have a lot to say about it, I can go on for a page or more. This is especially helpful when doing a training dive--I can write as much as I feel I need to about the student's performance. This is especially helpful in a tech class that can have weeks between dives.

I do sometimes upload the log from the dive computer to my laptop, but not often. I find it to be much more trouble than writing a paper log. As an instructor, I do a number of setup dives, for example dipping down to put some equipment in the water that will be used later in the class. The computer considers that as a dive, but I don't, so in the electronic log I have to delete it.

 

[NYCNaiad]

I've had a few places ask to see my log book because the dives I was doing were considered more advanced.

Perhaps the instructor from the OP's post has been involved in or seen some kind of crazy legal madness which makes him leery. Either way, it does seem a little excessive.

Anyway, I do keep both a paper copy AND an electronic copy of my logbook. And, I'll probably continue to do so for the short-term. For me personally, it's much easier to sit down with a paper copy of my log (while sitting on shore or on the boat) and document my dive buddies' names and certification numbers and jot down notes about the dive that I'll later transfer to my electronic log. I have a terrible memory so, it helps me keep track of things I might otherwise forget when I get around to updating my electronic log. This may not be a big deal if you're diving with the same person or same people all the time. But, if you dive with new people or a lot of different people, it's not feasible to drag your laptop or tablet on a dive boat with you. Plus, I think it's kind of cool to have stamps from different dive shops and charters. I know this is probably just a noobie phase I'm going through and may not continue it for long.

Just thought I'd share a novice's perspective. Hope this helps.

This wasn't just a newbie phase for me! I continue to keep logs & I enjoy jotting down my gear, what happened, dive buddies names/numbers & getting the dive shop stamp. It's not only helpful to see trends & what I've changed in terms of gear & weight over a long period of time, but it's pretty cool to walk down memory lane & be able to answer other diver's questions about locations. "Oh yeah, I first saw a whale shark on the X dive site in the Maldives. What's my favorite dive site in the Solomons Islands? Well, it was Y & here's what I saw."

 

[JamesBon92007]

I dove for years before I ever even heard of a log book.

Nobody has ever asked to see mine. They just look at me and figure anyone that old who is still diving must be OK or they'd be dead.

 

[Scuba Scott]

Have you ever had a dive you considered logged refused as ineligible by an instructor you looked to learn under?

I had one prospective instructor tell me he only accepted dives recorded in paper logs, signed by a DM or higher, and stamped by a dive shop.

Insane!

I may have some that are illegible but not ineligible. Most of my logs don't have signatures at all because I print buddy's name in so I can read it. I also like to collect email addresses. I have not one single dive signed by a divemaster although I dove with a few divemasters or instructors and checked the buddy box because that was their role on the dive. The only instructor signatures are from training dives.
In spite of all this a course director did not pause for a second to consider my log book valid to prove I had more than 100 dives.
I have 3 dive shop stamps, not on log pages but on pages I use to collect stamps... just for fun. Haven't been to a shop with a stamp for over 20 years. I hope to get more but not because I think it will prove anything.

If you are going to fake a log book it takes no more effort to fake a DM signature than it takes to fake Joe Buddy. Stamps are a laughable requirement because they simply don't exist in some dive shops.

Instructors are allowed to meet or exceed standards but you apparently found one who wants to intentionally drive business away by being an idiot. The free market will eventually remove him or correct his behavior.

 

[TMHeimer]

I may have mentioned/asked before about "required number of logged dives" for this or that. I believe at least with PADI what is an "official" logged dive is not described in any detail at all. Perhaps that it's to 15' for 20 minutes or something like that--but nothing about even HAVING a buddy, much less signatures, stamps, etc. Paper log or computer? If computer/print out how does someone sign it--after you go home to print it out? And if non-signed computer print outs are "legal", why then would a non-signed paper log not be? I'm not even talking about faked logs--WHO does than anyway and WHY? Someone please revise what I say if you know more.

 

[boulderjohn]

I may have mentioned/asked before about "required number of logged dives" for this or that. I believe at least with PADI what is an "official" logged dive is not described in any detail at all. Perhaps that it's to 15' for 20 minutes or something like that--but nothing about even HAVING a buddy, much less signatures, stamps, etc. Someone please revise what I say if you know more.

PADI only has minimum requirements for a dive with instructional dives. It has no requirements for logging dives outside of training.

In the cases where you are required by PADI to have a certain number of logged dives to BEGIN a course, it is up to the instructor to verify that you have those dives. Most do not get all that anal about verifying those dives because it really doesn't matter. What matters is how you END a course--can you do all the required skills?

There is a process that some people call "tea bagging." A tea bagging diver needs to have a certain number of dives, so he or she jumps in the water, stays down for a while, comes up, gets out, jumps back in, stays down for a while, comes up, gets out.....

Those are all technically legitimate dives, and they can be signed by a DM and stamped by a shop. That's why instructors are usually more interested in the skills you display in the class then in the ink in your logbook.

 

[Scuba Scott]

I may have mentioned/asked before about "required number of logged dives" for this or that. I believe at least with PADI what is an "official" logged dive is not described in any detail at all. Perhaps that it's to 15' for 20 minutes or something like that--but nothing about even HAVING a buddy, much less signatures, stamps, etc. Paper log or computer? If computer/print out how does someone sign it--after you go home to print it out? And if non-signed computer print outs are "legal", why then would a non-signed paper log not be? I'm not even talking about faked logs--WHO does than anyway and WHY? Someone please revise what I say if you know more.

Logged Dives
To credit as a logged dive for course requirements, the dive takes
place in open water and specific information about the dive (i.e.
date, time, location, depth, profile, etc.) is recorded. Training
dives for PADI courses (in open water) qualify as logged dives.
--PADI General Standards & Procedures



For training dives it gets a little more specific:

During open water dives, have divers spend the
majority of time at 5 metres/15 feet or greater, and
breathe at least 1400 litres or 50 cubic feet of
compressed gas or remain submerged for at least 20
minutes.
--PADI General Standards & Procedures

 

[nolatom]

I doubt I'll get into a situation (such as wanting to be a DM or instructor) where I would have to prove it. But I can see how an evaluator who's supposed to verify a certain number of dives, would want to look at the pages, or computer entries, would feel professionally obliged to do so. Or to be criticized for not doing so if things went south and lawsuits and "discovery" (aka your/their lawyer asks for every written thing having to do with any possible part of whatever you're arguing over, and wants an "adverse inference" if no one can produce it) were to ensue.

For reasons well-stated by others, I keep a paper log and it's useful to me when I plan a dive in similar conditions or place and want to see what I wore/breathed/commented on the last time, or to remember the name of a good boat or a helpful captain, DM, or even deckhand.

But I pity whomever would have to read all these log pages. I write them on the boat on the way in, so-- If it's fairly calm, you may be able to read them. If it's rough out, you won't, and maybe I won't either ;-)