Gear packing for NJ wreck diving

[mje113]

Hey all! I have my first NJ wreck dive on the Gypsy Blood coming up on Sunday. The weather is not looking good so I'm prepared for a wash out.

Whether the trip is on or not, I'm looking for advice on how to pack and haul my gear on the boat. I've read various opinions about milk crates and plastic bins, but not really sure what that looks like. My rental dry suit and undergarments is coming in a big duffel, which seems convenient to get it on the boat, but not sure if that's a good idea or not.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! And any photos of how you haul your gear would be fantastic.

 

[Marie13]

The big NO on boats of any kind are the big rolling duffles or hard sided bags that would be used for air travel. They take up too much space. Drysuits and undies are big and bulky, there’s no avoiding that. I’ve done a lot of Great Lakes wreck diving on mostly small boats. Soft sided bags that can be folded away when not in use are good.

 

[mje113]

Ok great, sounds a lot like the packing rules around sailing then. I have a big sailing duffel (100% soft sided) that should fit everything and be able to be folded up and stored.

 

[Wibble]

You'll develop your own way of kitting up, but mine's like this:

• Your undersuit and underwear including undergloves needs to be in a waterproof bag which, hopefully, you can put in the cabin.
• Your rig/twinset/rebreather tied to the bench
• Your stages/bailouts underneath the bench on the floor.
• A large soft duffel bag containing all your other diving crap** under the bench on top of the stages/bailouts.
• Drysuit bag (with drysuit, drygloves, rock boots) on top of that lot.

**diving crap in the large duffel... (AKA a large climbing rope bag)

• Fins with mask and spare mask stuffed in the foot pockets
• SMB+large reel, spare SMB+spool/reel, hood, lights, knives, computers, spools, wetnotes, compass.
• Water to drink before diving

I found the best ever use for a "leash" was to hook all of that crap together so you can pull it out of the bag in one go and clip it to your rig whilst you take each piece and stuff it into your drysuit pockets; hook onto your rig (as in torches and large reel + SMB). Once finished, throw the leash back in the duffel and drink some water before you jump.

 

[Cio]

1. Set your rig up at home.
2. Put accessories, gloves, hood, mask, computer ect. in a milk crate
3. Drysuit and snacks in a duffle.
4. Arrive 1 hour early.

When you get there.
1. bring your duffle bag and put it down below.
2. Introduce yourself and ask a mate any questions if you are unsure.
3. put your rig on at your car (not fully, like a backpack) grab a bungee on the way to your seat.
4. sit in your spot, remove shoulder straps and bungee your rig to the rail. (There's a proper way to do this, ask a mate or look at the guy next to you. )
5. Go get your milk crate and put it under your seat and fins on top or next to the crate.
6. sign a waver and let them know your runtime.

 

[broncobowsher]

I have a folding Costco wagon that I use to haul stuff from the parking lot to the boat. Many boats will store the wagon at the dock. Maybe a storage locker on the dock, or just lock it up with a bunch of other stuff with a cable to keep it from walking away.

I like milk crates, but some boats have a no hard container rule that includes milk crates.

I'll do a small duffle/backpack with street clothes and other dry stuff.

Best real advise, look at pictures and videos of people on the boat you are planing to dive from, see what is and isn't there. Read up on the web site for the boat and many of them will have a do/don't, how things work list. They are never the same from one boat to the next.

 

[PR_SMITH]

I like milk crates and soft bags.

Gypsy Blood is a great boat; dove a few times with them 10 years ago.

 

[doctormike]

I'm on the Gypsy Blood a lot. Hope you get out! Say hi to captain Jim and the rest of the crew.

Milk crate. Virtually every local diver uses one for mask, hood, gloves, reel, spools, SMB, strobes, etc.. very easy to strip stuff off after a dive and put it in there. Fits under the bench. Seriously, very useful.

I use a duffle for my dry suit and undergarments. Put it in the forward cabin with all the others.

You will be unloading in the parking lot, very close to the boat. No need for a wheeled device. Build your rig the night before, so that you can just put it on in the car and walk it onto the boat, carrying your milk crate.

Arrive at least 45 minutes early, don't be late! Gotta beat the fishing boats...

Don't forget to tip the crew!

 

[mje113]

I'm on the Gypsy Blood a lot. Hope you get out! Say hi to captain Jim and the rest of the crew.

Will do!

Don't forget to tip the crew!

Absolutely, but what would be a fair tip?

One thing I haven't heard covered is tanks... My understanding is you're bringing your own tanks--very different than my vacation diving. Assuming my presumption is accurate I'm renting tanks from a local dive shop, so I just hoof them on?

 

[mje113]

6. sign a waver and let them know your runtime.

Runtime--do you mean air consumption?