Diving from your own boat?

[Vassilis Vlachopoulos]

1) Leave someone capable and comfortable to operate the boat (me or someone I know)

If you consider using SMBs, make sure that the person left on the boat can safely recognise them and act accordingly. It is customary for the diving team to carry two SMBs with different colour (usually red and yellow). One would indicate that the team is surfacing safely, doing the safety deco stop (or other obligatory deco stops) and the other could indicate a problem (e.g. OOA situation).

 

[Some X Dry]

Word of caution.....Friend who started diving from his boat. Open bow 21ft Larson. After just one season of diving off it ruined his interior and broke his ladder. Wound up taking out ALL the interior. Rino lining the inside hull, building and installing tank boxs and fold down plastic swivel front seating with rear engine side benches made with the plastic deck material instead of wood. Put down interlocking foam flooring pads trimmed to fit to reduce impact. Used the CG required throw floats for the rear seat passenger padding when under way. Last thing was to build and install an actual pull up dive ladder. Functional and comfortable.. Reduced weight allowed for 4 divers, gear and 2 tanks each.

 

[Ana]

I would suggest to not make any drastic changes to the boat configuration right away.

I like one of the suggestions above to dive off charter boats a few times, make sure to use operations with different types of boats. That would provide different ways of "how to". You'll like some set ups better than others.

Afterwards just like with dive gear, the more you dive you'll find what was a good thing and what turned out to be lame.

For my husband and I it became a bit of an obsession to fine tune everything about the boat. These days we rather dive off our boat better that any other vessel

 

[k ellis]

In addition to all you have already mentioned be sure to check with your local laws too about additional requirements for the local area. Some areas for example requirer larger flags then other areas. I use a 24 foot Pontoon and carry about 4 divers and 1 tank each (We come back to shore to swap out since its in a lake and close by) and also one boat spotter.

It would help too that the spotter be a diver or at least familiar with the practices involved such as recognizing DCS symptoms and be familiar with as another poster said what SMBs mean what. (This is not a universal practice since some colors mean help in diffrent locations while only signaling that a diver is in the water so a passing boat can see from a distance) If there is no color coding in your local area then everyone should go over in the dive briefing what color will be used for what. It is also a valuable idea that the boat sitter be familiar with how to administer Oxygen should it be necessary.

As you decide to do what dives youll be doing make sure to carry the appropriate gear for the dive. Such as night dives youll want extra batteries and perhaps spare glow sticks should you decide to use those. You will want the appropriate markings which I believe (Correct me if I am wrong here guys) a mast with a red light on top, white in the middle and red on the bottom. Id even recommend a light facing up on a dive flag as to illuminate the flag at night.

If you are doing deep dives it would be good to have a tank suspended at 15 feet from the boat for the deco stops as well to allow safe safety and deco stops should a diver be low or out of air.

The list goes on for preparedness. But please please please make sure as with any boat activity you have a plan for where your going and share it with some land based person so should the boat for some reason capsize or even worse (Ever seen open water 2????) Its nice to know some one can notice you missing and call help for you.

Boating diving is a miracle for diving but its not trouble free so good luck!!!!

 

[scubadiveilat]

First thing first! Complete certification.

What level are the other divers?
Consider a course in off boat diving? inform me if interested....
Apart from the 3 points made there are many others.

What is the main reasoning of the question?

Safety
Gear
Emergency
Everyone is aware of procedures and diving off a boat.
Boating practices
Dive Buddy

Some basics!

Have fun and enjoy!!!

 

[Lee Taylor]

Over the past 15 years I have made hundreds of river dives. I typically go with local guys that own boats and charge a bit for expenses. I will give you my perspective for what it is worth.

I saw the ladder mentioned above. Small boats (17-20ft) do not have a ladder that is designed for the weight of a fully loaded diver. River divers will typically ADD weight to make dealing with the current easier. The standard ladder will not last very long.

You will quickly learn (through experience) how many divers are TOO many for your boat.

Flying a dive flag is critical. Although many boaters ignore it, flying a dive flag is very important for MANY reasons. Just DO IT.

If you think staggering, stumbling, wet, slippery, restricted vision divers (wearing heavy clunky tanks) are not going to have an affect on your boat, you are kidding yourself.

The first thing I generally do when diving off a river boat is check the anchor to see that it is dug in.

If at all possible, leave a look-out on the boat.

Make your way to locations in front of the boat so that when you surface, the current will take you to the boat.

Log jams contain fishing line, rope, and vines. Take trauma shears, line slitter, and knife with serrated cutting edge.

Use extreme caution when dealing with boats and boaters. They are deadly. They do kill divers. I have seen it happen.

 

[ajtoady]

I have used my boat and on the list is definitely a sturdy, easy to use ladder. Long enough for a user to gain access and board. The second issue is making sure I have cell service before I dive. If an emergency comes up authorities can be contacted or I can call for a tow if needed. I live on the St Lawrence so cell service usually is not a problem. Ocean diving I could see where the cell phone would not cut it. I also second the thoughts about gear damage, fiberglass is slick and it cracks, be careful.

 

[rhwestfall]

From personal experience, diving off your own boat is going to beat the crap out of it... especially if the other divers aren't family. As said, recreational pleasure boats aren'y really built for diving, and things will get pretty abused. Latters, sun decks, etc. aren't really built for the extra weight. Smaller boats will be impacted by the load (mine is 25' with 330 hp, and still notices the extra pounds on it).

Looking at your pictures, that style stern is a bugger to get over. You are going to have to step on the seat to go over the back (assuming you are utilizing a swim platform). Try to figure where you are going to stow everything 4 divers will have. Tanks become the most problematic, as they need to be up front to balance out the load.

If the floor isn't molded fiberglass, you are going to add to your troubles with the water being brought in with returning divers.

Not saying it can't be done, but be prepared for the extra wear and tear it will do to the boat.

 

[DennisS]

I don't know how hard it would be to remove the rear bolster (sometimes they are just held on with snaps) and stern seats for dive trips. It would make getting in and out easier and provide extra room for gearing up. It's a nice looking boat and you don't want to be damaging the seats if they are easily removed. Maybe mount some roll control fold down brackets under the bolster......

http://www.diversdirect.com/scuba-diving/roll-control-adjustable-rack/

 

[Bob DBF]

It's a good looking boat, keep it that way and take up beach diving.


Bob