Logging and Certifications

[jbird71]

I am PADI AOW certified, and am currently at 50 dives - the first 23 of which were logged. I stopped logging after that for a variety of reasons and its a part of diving that doesn't particularly interest me. (Call me a Zen diver if you will, but taking notes sort of diminishes the experience)

I am now getting much more into diving as a hobby, and am working on some more certifications. I am planning on completing my wreck and deep diving certs this year before a trip to the Red Sea. Over time I plan on getting into some more technical diving, and I am wondering if the "X logged dives" is a rigid component of training?

 

[Van Isle]

Some agencies/tour/boat/trip operators require "x number" of logged dives to participate others don't, and some you can get by with showing the right attitude and/or equipment and/or cert card. So the answer is "it depends."

I have been required to show my logbook to do an "advanced" boat charter in Mexico.

VI

 

[rsldonk]

With PADI, you need to have 50 logged dives to even begin DM training and 100 to finish. Otherwise, depends on who you dive with and what dives you are doing.

 

[vjanelle]

They're just words on paper and as such you can talk to the individual instructors about it. Some people might be rigid assholes and be strict about it, some might require you to do a checkout dive, etc. If you think you might get the prior, at least let the ink dry on the paper before showing off you dive count, or start a new book with some # above what they're asking for - but don't get yourself into a situation you don't think you can handle - ie don't claim you've done X deep dives if you haven't. Be honest if you haven't been in the water for a while. Your individual skills compared to what you say your experience is will be very apparent, especially in a liability situation.

Also, for padi you only need 20 logged dives to start the DM training, and 60 to finish. You need 100 to pass the start the IDC/do the IE, at the course director's discretion.

 

[Damselfish]

There's no requirement to write a book - if you're not into taking notes, don't. If you'd like a log just in case, you could always keep a fairly minimal log just site/date/time/depth. Or if you use a computer that supports it, download and print from that every so often and stick it in a notebook.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I am PADI AOW certified, and am currently at 50 dives - the first 23 of which were logged. I stopped logging after that for a variety of reasons and its a part of diving that doesn't particularly interest me. (Call me a Zen diver if you will, but taking notes sort of diminishes the experience)

I am now getting much more into diving as a hobby, and am working on some more certifications. I am planning on completing my wreck and deep diving certs this year before a trip to the Red Sea. Over time I plan on getting into some more technical diving, and I am wondering if the "X logged dives" is a rigid component of training?

I logged my first couple thousand, then got lazy... but with the advent of downloading computers, I now actually keep track. If you have an air integrated one, you get all kinds of neat information, and it takes almost no work. Nice to see your profile, water temperature, your breathing rate, etc, etc. Great way to learn a slow accent.

 

[JerseyMike]

I am PADI AOW certified, and am currently at 50 dives - the first 23 of which were logged. I stopped logging after that for a variety of reasons and its a part of diving that doesn't particularly interest me. (Call me a Zen diver if you will, but taking notes sort of diminishes the experience)

I am now getting much more into diving as a hobby, and am working on some more certifications. I am planning on completing my wreck and deep diving certs this year before a trip to the Red Sea. Over time I plan on getting into some more technical diving, and I am wondering if the "X logged dives" is a rigid component of training?

Did you dive with a dive computer for all of the dives? If so, you can take the dive data off of that and write them down.

 

[jbird71]

Did you dive with a dive computer for all of the dives? If so, you can take the dive data off of that and write them down.

For a majority of my unlogged dives I used a Suunto Gekko. I think I can download the dive data (which I agree would be great to have), but after doing some investigation it appeared that I needed a special cable. In hindsight, I should have purchased a better computer that made this easier.

After reading the board for awhile I am curious about things like my SAC rate and would definitely like to keep this data. I'm just not into the "Saw 3 nice fish today" aspect of logging.

 

[jbird71]

but don't get yourself into a situation you don't think you can handle - ie don't claim you've done X deep dives if you haven't. Be honest if you haven't been in the water for a while.

I think this is why not logging has never been an issue for me before. I enjoy a challenge, but am not a reckless diver. I am mostly a travel diver, and my SOP is to do an easy first day of diving to refresh myself, and never start with something challenging.

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

They all need download cables...... You simply have to print them off. Or scroll through them and write them down.Yes, you will have to show a minimum neuber of dives for different courses.