Pat knows, we packed 20 on ours more than once last year... too crowded, I even opted out of taking my students on a few of our trips just to make space for the other guys.
Diving in the Panama City area
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mike_s
Contributor
Dive Locker had 17 on their boat when I called them on Wednesday or Thursday. adding two more for 19 (plus anyone else they added) would have been a little crowded on a 35' Newton.
Ended up going out with PCDC just purely based on time schedules (I had to be back earlier and could only do a 4 hr trip). Went out with 20 divers on PCDC's Island Diver (65') and it wasn't crowded at all. Everyone had plenty of room to spread out. But of course that is a bigger boat also.
Ended up going out with PCDC just purely based on time schedules (I had to be back earlier and could only do a 4 hr trip). Went out with 20 divers on PCDC's Island Diver (65') and it wasn't crowded at all. Everyone had plenty of room to spread out. But of course that is a bigger boat also.
Dive Locker, and Im sure the others also, can set you up with one of the smaller boats too. Pats, Capt Logan, a couple of others. Max 6 people, same basic dives.
All to true,
We try to split the trips and have in fact decided to "try" to limit the fintastic and the narcosis to 15 people. It's not that we want to pack that many people on a boat, it's just hard to turn down the people who call in at the last minute and want to go diving... I mean these guys are here for vacation and telling them "no, you waited to long and theres no room on the boat" when really there are 5 more spots is kinda hard to do.
Todd
We try to split the trips and have in fact decided to "try" to limit the fintastic and the narcosis to 15 people. It's not that we want to pack that many people on a boat, it's just hard to turn down the people who call in at the last minute and want to go diving... I mean these guys are here for vacation and telling them "no, you waited to long and theres no room on the boat" when really there are 5 more spots is kinda hard to do.
Todd
mike_s
Contributor
I called Dive Locker a few weeks ago and they had I think 17 already on their trip but were willing to add us on.... I thought it would be pretty crowded.
While as a diver we don't like a crowded boat, for a shop/boat, it's hard to turn down a couple extra paying divers when Saturday and maybe sunday are the only profitable days to run, especially with Diesel being almost $5/gallon.
Mike,
Saturday, and Sunday both, we ran both boats anyway. The most divers were on our offshore and it totaled 13 divers and one rider, four others went on Narcosis, which ran with a family of four, plus two other divers. Please sign up, I promise we won't run with more than capacity, and most of the time, we try to split the trips so it is comfy for everyone. On days when we have 40 divers wanting to run though, we will pack them to capacity, but that makes it hard on our crew, I mean 20 divers is a lot of people to try to keep happy on one boat for four or five hours. Sorry we didn't get you out there, but I hope you'll give us a shot later on.
Todd
Saturday, and Sunday both, we ran both boats anyway. The most divers were on our offshore and it totaled 13 divers and one rider, four others went on Narcosis, which ran with a family of four, plus two other divers. Please sign up, I promise we won't run with more than capacity, and most of the time, we try to split the trips so it is comfy for everyone. On days when we have 40 divers wanting to run though, we will pack them to capacity, but that makes it hard on our crew, I mean 20 divers is a lot of people to try to keep happy on one boat for four or five hours. Sorry we didn't get you out there, but I hope you'll give us a shot later on.
Todd
Especially when you have 11 booked and a family of 5 wants to sign up..........
Well just because I want everyone to have a good time when they come diving in Panama city and all the other boats seem to be too crowded, I just put my down payment on my 36' Newton! But only because I care about everyone else
. It will be just like the Dive Locker's two boats except for a closed in cabin, some bunks (so I can do overnight trips with friends) and some different electronics. The great thing about these boats is that it costs the same to run as my current boats so we can still run with 3 people which is going to be common for me since I am without a shop to funnel me business. Name ideas anyone? Off topic-
Todd, would you consider starting a thread about the details of what happened to Shawn Ward on the jetties today? Thats a story that needs to be told and I know I don't have all of it.
RaginCajun
Contributor
Here's a rather general question about the diving in Panama City Beach:
Do most of the charter boats leave from a commercial dock where they're already docked and ready to roll or do most operators have you meet them inland somewhere where they trailer the boat to St. Andrews park and launch there?
Here's why. Last summer I dove with one of the local PCB shops where I arrived an hour early as directed ready to ROCK, then I waited on the others to show, wait for them to get their rental gear taken care of play tiddly winks or whatever, then we all took separate vehicles to the gas station, where the Capt filled the boat, then we caravanned to St. Andrews park ALL paid to get in, then launched the boat and finally set out for the Black Bart and Bridge span 17. The return was a repeat and we all had to meet back up at the shop to get our gear off of the boat. --- Is this common?
Here's my point of view. Don't waste my time. I'd rather jump on and off with my gear. That's my responsibility, all other responsibilities are the Capt & crew which I paid to take me diving.
It's not entirely a gripe, but more a matter of information and protocol.
Do most of the charter boats leave from a commercial dock where they're already docked and ready to roll or do most operators have you meet them inland somewhere where they trailer the boat to St. Andrews park and launch there?
Here's why. Last summer I dove with one of the local PCB shops where I arrived an hour early as directed ready to ROCK, then I waited on the others to show, wait for them to get their rental gear taken care of play tiddly winks or whatever, then we all took separate vehicles to the gas station, where the Capt filled the boat, then we caravanned to St. Andrews park ALL paid to get in, then launched the boat and finally set out for the Black Bart and Bridge span 17. The return was a repeat and we all had to meet back up at the shop to get our gear off of the boat. --- Is this common?
Here's my point of view. Don't waste my time. I'd rather jump on and off with my gear. That's my responsibility, all other responsibilities are the Capt & crew which I paid to take me diving.
It's not entirely a gripe, but more a matter of information and protocol.
mike_s
Contributor
most of them leave from commerical marina dock. PCDC leaves from Hydrospaces old location at Capt Anderson's Marina
I do know I've read of one operation that trailers to St Andrews to launch, but I didn't know how they handled the entrance for the other divers. But I can't remember what shop they were associated with. I think it might be DiveLocker, but not sure. The $5 is prob not easy to get around unless you ride with the boat captain to the launch. but all that really seems like a hassle to have to do all that when you're already paying for the charter, unless you got a really good rate.
The stopping at the gas station would have really ticked me off. He should have gassed up the boat the night before, now while his paying customers are waiting for him twiddling their thumbs in the parking lot.
in my opinion, this is a case of a boat owner not wanting to pay slip/marina fees to reduce his overhead. This puts hassles on his customers. IF they charter fees are reduced to compensate for the hassles, then that's one thing. If they are the same as the competition, then they hopefully make it up somehow by taking you someplace better. (but not the Bart and a bridge span...)
Sounds like you were on one of the six packs, and yes, the Capt should have fueled the night before. Always annoyed me too when we would stop to fill up the boat on the way to the water. We now run out of St Andrews Marina and everyone has to come to the shop and then go over there to get on the boat, but there is no fee for parking. Also, the boat leaves at nine, if you aren't there, well, then you don't go.
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