What log book to get?

[purbeast]

I ended up just getting that one on Amazon for $20 or so because I had to order some other stuff for my son, so I guess that's going to be my first log book!

 

[Kimela]

In the beginning you'll keep track of everything and collect dive stamps for fun! Eventually it will come down to one very important question: "How much weight and what sort of suit was I wearing when I dove this water temperature last time - and was it adequate?" (maybe that's two questions?). At minimum, keep track of that from the get-go. Oh, and it's fun to watch your air consumption improve - so you might want to keep track of that too. Have fun!!

 

[W W Meixner]

I need to pick up a log book before I go on my OW checkout dives and I'm just wondering if people have any that they recommend. It seems like water proof ones are the way that I would like to go so that it doesn't get wet and ruined. But even googling that, there are so many and so many seem to have charts and stuff on them that I don't think are very useful. Then I see some that have binders but they are like 10"x7" which seems kind of large, but maybe that would be nice because I can hold the C-card in there and a pen too, tables, etc.

What advice would you all give a noob as far as log books go lol?

PB...

That answer is as broad as it is wide...there are any number of choices...all the agencies have their own...and numerous others have been created...

Find something that you're comfortable with and one that fulfills all your requirements...write notes in the margin...write on the back...or ad addendum's if needed...even photos...

I travel with my complete log book...but unless an operator wants to see it...the small three ring...nylon zip binder which holds the individual pages as well as all of my C-Cards stays either at the house or in the hotel room...for the dive boat I take a small spiral wound pocket note pad and a good pen with gel ink...

I have a master copy document and make individual one sided photo copies as needed...

Modern dive computers record and log all your individual dives...there's no need to drag your log book around with you...you can recall the information on the computer and complete your log book when you get home...or back at the hotel...

My personal feeling is that your logbook is an important document...and should be guarded with the same care as you would protect your drivers licence or passport...I've fully recorded every dive I've ever made...all the details...including the particular gear that was worn for each dive...breathing gas mixtures...even personal notes...like...I saw my first rebreather diver today...I'd like to try that...or accompanied by Great Barracuda with eyes the size of saucers...

Your logbook is a permanent record/history of your life beneath the waves...no record...no history...

I've seen divers turned away in North Carolina...claiming the sun...the moon...and half the stars in the universe...none of which could be verified...they were refused the charter...

Dive Safe...

Warren

 

[Dan Bowkley]

Another big +1 for Subsurface. I've been using it for maybe three years and I'm almost done copying all my old paper logbooks to the new system. I should switch careers into data entry at this point! But, it's synced with the cloud and my phone so I can take my dives with me everywhere without needing a pallet jack. Pretty handy. And printing off an actual hard copy is trivial.

My *ONLY* gripe with Subsurface is there's no easy way to stamp a page.

 

[doctormike]

I've seen divers turned away in North Carolina...claiming the sun...the moon...and half the stars in the universe...none of which could be verified...they were refused the charter...

I always thought that this was an urban legend, but I'll believe you if you say you saw it. Just never saw anything like that myself, not even in NC.

This wasn't for training, right? A dive operator really refusing to take a diver who doesn't keep a log? Lots of people don't keep logs, did this dive op really not want their business? Did he verify the logs that he did receive? I think that a lot of them might be spreadsheets made with a heavy use of the "fill down" command!

I can understand requiring a certain level of training, and a statement as to when your last dive was, or how many dives you did in the past year.

And to the OP, I love MacDive, but Subsurface looks good too.

 

[W W Meixner]

I always thought that this was an urban legend, but I'll believe you if you say you saw it. Just never saw anything like that myself, not even in NC.

This wasn't for training, right? A dive operator really refusing to take a diver who doesn't keep a log? Lots of people don't keep logs, did this dive op really not want their business? Did he verify the logs that he did receive? I think that a lot of them might be spreadsheets made with a heavy use of the "fill down" command!

I can understand requiring a certain level of training, and a statement as to when your last dive was, or how many dives you did in the past year.

And to the OP, I love MacDive, but Subsurface looks good too.

Hey Doc...

I saw it twice as a matter of fact...one was at Olympus...and the second time was with Diver Down...Sadly Bobby Cox has since passed away...this particular charter was the last time I was on the U-352...June 26...2011...the first dive that day was on the Papoose...I was accompanied by the biggest Great Barracuda I ever saw...he was beside me as I shined my light through the portholes...hoping for a meal...the sea was like glass that day...I miss Bobby...he was a good guy...

Dive Safe...

Warren

 

[doctormike]

Hey Doc...

I saw it twice as a matter of fact...one was at Olympus...and the second time was with Diver Down...

OK, I'm interested in this story (I have dived with Olympus as well, on the U-352, was never asked for my log).

So they showed up and were turned away? Or they wouldn't let them book? Seriously, I always wondered about how those things go down...

 

[W W Meixner]

OK, I'm interested in this story (I have dived with Olympus as well, on the U-352, was never asked for my log).

So they showed up and were turned away? Or they wouldn't let them book? Seriously, I always wondered about how those things go down...

Hey Doc...

It had to do with AOW depth experience...and how many open ocean dives they'd logged and they had no written verification that they'd logged any...with the one diver...boasting like he was ''Gods gift to scuba diving'' didn't help...

I made my first trip to NC in 2008 and dove with Al Voigts crew...''Atlantic Beach Diving''

At that time I had no Open Ocean Dives logged either...but I had my logbook and had lots of 130' deep Great Lakes dives logged...that's what got me by the first time...Amy Brougham...who was an owner of ABD at the time stamped my log book as verification at the end of our multi day charter...

After that there was no issues...I always travel with my log book and I'm happy to make it available to any operator who wants to see it...I always clear this up prior to the dives as I do not take the logbook on the boat...On the boat I have a small note pad and gel pen...as well as the information logged on my computer...and transfer all the information to the logbook post dive at home or in the hotel room...

Since that time I've logged numerous north Atlantic trips...as well as the Pacific...Adriatic...Mediterranean...and all over the Caribbean...so there's lots of open ocean dives logged now...hopefully more to come...

Dive Safe...

Warren...

 

[Blasto]

I need to pick up a log book before I go on my OW checkout dives and I'm just wondering if people have any that they recommend.

That's a really important question. I have refused many a teammate because their logbook layout just wasn't anywhere near being up to the latest frontend design tendencies!

 

[doctormike]

Hey Doc...

It had to do with AOW depth experience...and how many open ocean dives they'd logged and they had no written verification that they'd logged any...with the one diver...boasting like he was ''Gods gift to scuba diving'' didn't help...

I made my first trip to NC in 2008 and dove with Al Voigts crew...''Atlantic Beach Diving''

At that time I had no Open Ocean Dives logged either...but I had my logbook and had lots of 130' deep Great Lakes dives logged...that's what got me by the first time...Amy Brougham...who was an owner of ABD at the time stamped my log book as verification at the end of our multi day charter...

After that there was no issues...I always travel with my log book and I'm happy to make it available to any operator who wants to see it...I always clear this up prior to the dives as I do not take the logbook on the boat...On the boat I have a small note pad and gel pen...as well as the information logged on my computer...and transfer all the information to the logbook post dive at home or in the hotel room...

Since that time I've logged numerous north Atlantic trips...as well as the Pacific...Adriatic...Mediterranean...and all over the Caribbean...so there's lots of open ocean dives logged now...hopefully more to come...

Dive Safe...

Warren...

Interesting! So they were turned away at the boat? Or weren't allowed to book ahead of time? Had they traveled to the area?

I'm asking because we are working on some issues like this with our dive club.