I don't see any issue with leaving the boat and diving... we leave our boat at anchor for weeks at a time with no issue. Properly anchored and assuming no hurricane or failed equipment... or a stolen boat... the boat will be there when you get back.
Purchasing and diving from a boat
- Thread starter jgoodstein
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Glock Diver
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And what if the divers don't come up the anchor line, for whatever reason? (low viz, get disoriented, current change, can't find the anchor, OOA emergency, etc).
What if the currents on the surface are too strong to swim against, and there's nobody on the boat to come get you?
All good concerns. We have never had an issue with any of these... with the exception that once in a while we don't find our anchor line. However, where we dive we don't have issues with heavy currents, bad viz, or whatnot. Your mileage may vary.
And what if the divers don't come up the anchor line, for whatever reason? (low viz, get disoriented, current change, can't find the anchor, OOA emergency, etc).
What if the currents on the surface are too strong to swim against, and there's nobody on the boat to come get you?
thats the Bad thing about diving w/ no one in the boat. You have to pay attention to the details or you will be Sh*t Out of Luck. You cant just jump in and be oblivious to whats going on around you, and if you dont keep it straight,the partys over
no excuses
Contributor
I dive from a 17.5 ft RIB and have dove both with/withou someone on board. I much prefer to have the GF on board while I am diving, its much more relaxing when I do not have to worry about the boat leaving. I have a extra heavy anchor designed for a 22'-27' boat and have 17' of 3/8" chain also. I have never had my boat move on me but I like it when I come up and am a distance from the boat and all I have to do is wave my hand and the boat comes and pics me up. The GF does not like to go in an open boat when its raining and snowing, guess thats why I am looking for a bigger boat with a cabin and top lol
Glock Diver
Contributor
Almost everything in life is a risk, including recreational SCUBA diving. I just try to minimize the risk as much as possible.
I too have lost the anchor line, and surfaced away from the boat. Sometimes the current was OK and I could swim to the boat, and sometimes the current has changed and I can't swim against it. Then I was glad there was a captain aboard!
If I am solo diving from my boat then I do not get out of sight of the anchor line. If viz is decent I still have a good area to explore and just shift to macro photography instead of usual preferences.
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Tying off to a mooring is no garrentee. I've seen them with chain links that were almost worn through! I've also seen them with quick links that weren't closed. While I use them from time to time, I always inspect them on the way down. For anyone new to boats and boating, I highly reccomend taking a U.S. Coast Guard boater safety course. Little things like knowing the rules of the road, proper anchoring, how to approach a dock in current/wind all come in handy. You might get a break on insurance if you take the course as well.
moregooder
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I live in the mid west and must road the boat a minimum of 5 hrs to get to good diving so my needs may vary some from coastal diving but i find them necessary comforts all the same.
Have a 25' tri hull pontoon, not vary sexy but dame piratical for diving
A full sunbrella top with roll up sides for sun wind and rain
Heat
Toilet with hot water shower (yea for hot water shower)
Marine band radio
A good diver friendly ladder
Gas grill
2 battery's
2 anchors
40 gal fuel cell
O2 and first aid
sleep's 4
Having to drive so far we stay on the boat. The lakes around hear are really damed up rivers not much current but really big wind so I find it hard to leave the boat alone
Have a 25' tri hull pontoon, not vary sexy but dame piratical for diving
A full sunbrella top with roll up sides for sun wind and rain
Heat
Toilet with hot water shower (yea for hot water shower)
Marine band radio
A good diver friendly ladder
Gas grill
2 battery's
2 anchors
40 gal fuel cell
O2 and first aid
sleep's 4
Having to drive so far we stay on the boat. The lakes around hear are really damed up rivers not much current but really big wind so I find it hard to leave the boat alone
I agree. I often dive off an unattended boat, but I am conscious of the risks it involves, and I do what I can to mitigate them. Like most things in life, my view is: if it makes you uncomfortable, then don't do it.
For my money best bang for the buck in a dive boat is a RIB, but diving off a RIB works well in the Caribbean. Might not work so well in other parts of the world.
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