Possible to buddy dive from own boat?

[DwayneJ]

Diving is unique for everyone - Local geography, conditions, types of diving are different for us all.

My buddy and I dive mostly for lobsters in lobster season - 50-70ft of water. All of our diving is night diving 2-3 time a week with mostly one and sometime two dives each trip from a boat anchored 1/4 mile from shore in large kelp forests. We always use two anchors to point the boat in the direction of the swell. If the boat were to drag an anchor, guaranteed it will get stuck in kelp. We have not dragged an anchor to date. We dive together stay together and our dive plan is always an out and return on a specific compass heading and best case is we will surface within 20-40ft from the boat and worst case if there is any current, we will surface 100-200ft from the boat. We leave the radio on the boat on, we have an underwater sonar on the anchor line as a backup to our compass. I carry a gps which I use to take a fix on the boat before I jump in the water. We both have tank lights, primary dive lights and backup lights. The boat is equipped with a chart/gps plotter and sonar.

We have had little luck with "buddies" on the boat - They fall asleep. They get drunk. We invite the guys from our local dive store and maybe 1 our of every 5 dives we have a third diver with us.

Best equipment to have on board the boat other than safety equipment - rubber mats on all your walking surfaces so your dive gear does not crack the fiberglass,shower on the transom to rinse off after a dive, and clips on the swim desk so you can take off and attach your catch bag and BC/tank when getting out of the water.

I'm interested to hear what type of diving others do?

Dwayne

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

My wife and I, both Advanced Divers with approx 100 dives, will be moving to the Keys for 6 months, and living on our sailboat. We have always been diving on vacations, and always with a company with a divemaster as leader of our group.

We wonder how, or if, we can both dive from our boat safely? That would leave no one on our boat or dingy which I know is not recommended. How do others do this, and would a long tether from the boat or dingy provide any benefit? Worried about currents separating us from our boat. Thanks in advance.

You've gotten a wide range of answers. Here are my 2 cents as a diver, boat owner, ex-Merchant Marine deck officer:

1. "We wonder how, or if, we can both dive from our boat safely?"
Answer: YES. But it depends. It depends on your experience and judgement as both a sailor and a diver. In calm, low/zero wind & current conditions you should be able to securely anchor / moor your sailboat. The experience and judgement comes into play when there is a bit of wind or current, or if weather conditions change during the dive... and your safety in those conditions drops quickly. Every day is different, and every dive is different. In anything other than good weather and very mild condtions, I'd want someone left onboard.

2. "How do others do this, and would a long tether from the boat or dingy provide any benefit?"
Answer: You've been given some good answers above. Sure, a long tether from the boat would help you get back to it in case of a dragged anchor or parted mooring line. And I think a long tag line off the stern is great idea.

3. "Worried about currents separating us from our boat."
Answer: That is just one of several things to worry about. Another to think about: If you or your buddy is injured or incapacitated, could you get him/her back into the boat BY YOURSELF? You should think about how you might be able to do this, or acknowledge that you would not be able to... either way you have to consider it.

Having someone onboard while you dive is always the best answer, but you can reduce the risks to a "manageable" level with some forethought and honest assessment of your abilities.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[spt29970]

OK. Can you please cite a verifiable article where someone got killed and it was directly due to them leaving the boat unattended?

By definition, we will never know that a fatality was due to the boat being left unattended since there are no (living) witnesses, but here is a pretty clear case

LEGACY OF THE DEEP / Kawika Chetron lived for his time spent at sea, and his time there spawned a treasure of ocean images

 

[Going The Distance]

Ive got to agree with Walter " that kind of thinking will get you killed" Just because it the tropics doesnt mean nothing will go wrong. Look are were the post are coming from, too few from Florida. Ive dove the keys countless times off my boat, two anchors always, 30ft+ of tag line , portable marine radio in b/c plus more safety S#$% than you can think of. But the ONE time you come up short of the tag line and your heart skips a few beats remember what was said. Your best bet; 1 first learn the water, wind and currents and how quick it can change, 2 post on S/B and you will prob find someone down there willing to do some dives and watch the boat. Enjoy the Keys and safe diving..

 

[MaxBottomtime]

My buddy Tim and I made fifty dives together from my boat, always leaving it unattended. When Tim dived from his friend Steve's boat, they would dive solo, leaving one of them on the boat. Tim disappeared one day diving at Farnsworth Bank, Catalina Island. He was the second diver to die on Steve's boat. We'll never know if a buddy could have saved him, but having someone on the boat didn't.
Leaving a boat unattended is a risk that you need to judge dependant on the conditions, area, your experience and rescue skills. We're divers. We already weigh the risks each time we get in the water. I wouldn't dive if it was windy or the current was too strong. We always descended the anchor rode, set the anchor and if necessary, ran a line from the anchor to the wreck so we could find the anchor later. Free ascents in the open sea are scary.

 

[rwerner]

Here in the Keys we have the luxury to dive only on calm days, and that is one of your keys to success. With calm seas the chance that your boat will lose its mooring is extremely unlikely. Also, our best diving is on the reefs with mooring balls, which is even safer.

We also have very low currents in the lower Keys. I have over 400 dives on Looe Key and have seen currents only a few times. So where you chose to dive is as important as when.

So, calm day, current free reef, mooring ball = successful, safe day. Of course always try to have a friend on board, and if you will be living in the Keys you will not have trouble making friends or finding someone that wants to go for a day on the water with you.