Diving off your own boat

[scubadevita]

Can someone give advice on what safety equiptment one should have when diving off their own boat? Are there books, websites or instructional training that could better prepare me for this?

We have a 32' Trojan in Key Biscayne, Miami FL.

I also wanted to know if there aren't any mooring buoys, should you anchor or drift?

Thanks!

 

[Genesis]

I do this all the time..... from both a 45 Hatteras and until recently a 22 Pursuit (now a 22 Glacier Bay)

You want someone topside who can run the boat at all times.

O2 on board is, for me anyway, mandatory. So is the usual safety equipment (VHF + all the usual mandatory stuff, and for me anyway, an EPIRB)

If there are no mooring buoys, then whether you anchor or shotline the site depends on what's on the bottom. If its sand or mud (safe to anchor), shallow enough, and sea conditions are suitable, then go ahead and anchor. If not, then you should shotline the site and hang back from the line until the divers surface.

The latter requires considerable skill on the part of the skipper to avoid turning a diver into hamburger!

NEVER board a diver with engines running. NEVER. Even with inboards. Transmissions DO fail, and DO "drift" on inboard boats. PROPS WILL TURN DIVERS INTO HAMBURGER!

 

[matt_unique]

I keep 02, vhf, gps, depth gauge (reads bottom topography), tri-lens radar reflector (for offshore sites/safety increases radar signature), life raft, tools (for diving and boat needs), cell phone as a second communications device, and this year a 3.3 HP kicker/dinghy engine. The Coast Guard requires a number of items for safety but as a boat owner I'm sure you're versed on that. I think an EPIRB would be great but not in the budget as of yet.

Definitely keep someone on board who knows how to contact the Coast Guard, can locate and provide the 02, and operate the boat in case they need to start it and pick you up (assuming you are anchored or moored). If you use a ladder tie it to something so you don't loose it in bad seas. Keep extra line on board in care you need to tie up a diver or gear. Although many do it, don't anchor on the wreck itself (or reef) to help preserve it. Anchor to the side of the wreck instead.

--Matt

 

[lhpdiver]

My wife and I are just up the coast from you in North Broward. We try to get in 2-4 dives every weekend. We have a 25 ft Whaler with twin 225s (our little rocket). About half our dives are off our boat. We go out by ourselves and anchor but we stay inside the third reef. I am very aware of where the boat is, how the anchor is set and direction of current while we are in the water. I always trail a line and tie off the ladder. If strong current or rough seas we will opt for moorings in shallower water. Actually these have been some of our most interesting. Sometimes we've been surprised at how much conditions can change while we are under. We have surfaced and found the ladder in the water . I can probably get from any of our sites into an inlet within a half hour. We have a gps, cellphone, vhf, depth sounder, tools, and first aid kit. At worst there is sporadic boat traffic should we ever not be able to get back to ours and I wouldn't look forward to it but we could probably work our way to shore if we had to. I do plan on putting O2 on board and although I have a lift bag on my BC, I should get a sausage. I've never seen any of the educational stuff you ask about. We did take the power squadron boating class a few years back which didn't touch on diving but we learned as much from our fellow students as we did from the instructors. Oh and we are SeaTow members. That and the DAN insurance are two of the best bargains around. Hope this isn't too much info.

 

[scubadevita]

I appreciate all your time in responding. The boat is well equipt, except for the O2. Where can I purchase some Oxygen?

Also, does anyone use a "shotline" when diving on a reef?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You can get an O2 kit from DAN or put one together locally. Getting the O2 tanks filled can be as easy as getting it from the local dive shop or in some areas can require a prescription to get it filled by a medical supply company.

A word of advice if you have to go the medical supply route, they often exhange tanks rather than fill and return a specific tank. I don't recommend this as med supply companies are often notorious for poor tank maintainence. I know where my tank has been and I prefer to keep it. So unless your tank is already a real dog, you may want to specify that your tank be returned to you after it is filled. A large DAN sticker as well as your name on the tank will help identify it as a customer owned tank and prevent your tank from getting lost somewhere among hundreds of company owned tanks.

 

[divedeep]

I appreciate all your time in responding. The boat is well equipt, except for the O2. Where can I purchase some Oxygen?

Also, does anyone use a "shotline" when diving on a reef?

no i don't thing you need one

 

[matt_unique]

One of my buddies researched whether it was cheaper to build the kit yourself or pay for the Dan package. He determined it was just about the same money. For the convenience factor of the good package I would suggest Dan.

--Matt

 

[Genesis]

The big advantage of the DAN kit is the custom Pelican box.

It keeps the stuff from getting trashed by the marine environment. On that basis alone I think its worth a significant increase over the cost of the components.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I keep handheld VHF and GPS units in a Pelican case onboard in case of an electrical problem on the boat. I also have a cell phone, but the area where I do most of my diving is a dead zone for cell phones. I need to get a DAN O2 kit. I keep a 40 cu ft tank of O2 on the boat except when I'm making a long deco dive. In those instances, the divers I have with me also have 40 cu ft of O2.
I also keep an emergency responce card in my first aid kit. I've taken rescue courses, but in an emergency I can't be sure if I would remember the proper treatments for shock, heatstroke, etc.
The most important piece of equipment, besides the two radios, onboard is my Vessel Assist card. It's cheap insurance, as little as $79 per year. If you ever need a tow and don't have coverage it can cost $500 or more.