Diving from a Jet Ski

[Texasguy]

I have considered it. Storage rack can be made to hold tank(s), pulling yourself onto the jetski without fins, not a major problem (do it from the rear, not to overturn). However, biggest problem is leaving the damn thing unattended. It is $8000 of quick fun that is easy to steal. Yet, the worst part, leaving you far from the shore. Yes, you can get a satellite emergency beacon to initiate a rescue, gps tracker built into the jetski in case of theft... Though, overall, these are all less then perfect solutions, not sure I want to be stranded far away from the shore, doesn't matter if the damn thing drifted away or got stolen.

What ya gonna do? Post a divers down flag on the ski while you are diving? A note explaining that the owner is coming and the jetski is not abandoned... Anyone on a passing by boat will wonder why the jetski is all by itself.

Another thing you got to be aware of, you always store the tanks well attached to a fully inflated BCD. Otherwise if could be a sudden splash and bye-bye tank. Same goes for any other accessory that does not float and has tendency to come off. Remember, being on a jetski is akin to holding on to the side of a boat. Everything that drops, drops into the water, not on the deck. Plus, imagine the ride in waves, each hull landing is a potential to lose some gear. In some ways it can be alleviated but never fully.

A kayak seems better suited for diving than a jetski, at least it is cheaper to fully lose, takes you further than you can casually swim on your own but not far enough to make a loss of ride home a life threatening experience. Easier to store gear too. Not perfect but better.

 

[cbm369]

Thanks for all the responses, some good points in this thread

I will probably still just go with the kayak, the jet ski is just something I was thinking about and wondered if there were others that had good/bad experiences with them.

Most of my diving is shore diving, so the kayak would simply be an extension of that along with fishing out of it as well. Maybe once the wife and I relocate to S Fla, in a few years, I can look into the purchase of boat.

 

[Katch]

Get a rigid inflatable. They're fun, very stable, hold a lot of gear, comfortable surface interval and easy/lightweight to tow. I'll be towing mine to Florida next week with my Jeep:

my boat @ Tampa

• Katch
• Dec 13, 2017

Tampa, Venice, Ft Myers and Key Largo


Steve

 

[Texasguy]

Those are expensive.

 

[Katch]

Those are expensive.

I bought it used and fixed it up. Cost me around $2k (with a crappy motor). I put in about $2k fixing the boat (recoating the tubes) and adding electronics. I also ended up getting a new 70HP Yamaha last year ($8k new with rigging). AB Inflatables are considered top line in rigid inflatables too.

I don't think they cost much more new than a new big jet ski (but I'm not sure what a new jet ski cost)

 

[tekkydiver]

You could have had a lot more boat for the 14k you put in to an inflatable.

 

[Katch]

You could have had a lot more boat for the 14k you put in to an inflatable.

I disagree...for the purposes I use it for.