Boat Diving With Nobody at Surface

mr_jmac · Mar 13, 2003

Hello,

My buddy and I are thinking of purchasing a portable/inflatable boat for diving. 14ft. The only boat dives we have done have been charters.

Does anyone boat dive without anyone waiting in the boat during the dive?

Is it a matter of personal preference? Is it considered unsafe/reckless?

I'd like to get some perspective on this before we consider buying the boat.

Thanks,
Joe

WreckWriter · Mar 13, 2003

People do, yes. Its generally considered both reckless and unsafe but people do it all the time.

WW

Wendy · Mar 13, 2003

What are you going to do when you surface to find that someone has stolen your boat!?!

The Chairman · Mar 13, 2003

then it is unlawful to abandon it in Florida Waters. It could easily drift into an anchored boat or even divers... not good. Even a non powered boat becomes a problem when you just let it drift, or even if you anchor it and it happens to break free.

DiverBuoy · Mar 13, 2003

Divers do it at Catalina all the time. In the bigger dive boats we pull into the coves and see little zodiacs and dingys scattered here and there bobbing up and down with dan flags and diver flags waving. Later you hear the motor startup and there are a couple of divers in wetsuits zipping away. I think hunters prefer this method to diving with larger groups, although photography has similiar requirements for peace and quiet.

Stone · Mar 13, 2003

Every (diving) boat owner I know occasionally (routinely?) dives with the boat unattended. It is not as safe as "two up/two down", but as with anything, there are ways to mitigate the risk. Here are some of the things we do:

- Assess conditions: wind, weather, current, waves.
- Deploy a granny line and current assist line.
- Go down the anchor line and set the hook if neccessary (even hooking into wrecks)
- Navigating a wreck is not a problem, but on reefs we head upcurrent so that a free ascent won't put us behind the boat.
- We have signaling devices
- When within cell phone range, we leave GPS coordinates with someone
- And there is more

When the waves are less than 2 feet, wind is light, there is little current, the bilge pumps are working, and I have to straighten out the chain because it's laying in a heap on the anchor, I don't have much anxiety over leaving the boat unattended.

Bob3 · Mar 13, 2003

FredT had a rental boat ripped off while diving. The idjitts took it to the rental joint's boat ramp to take it out of the water...

I'll let Fred finish the story.
An inflatable would make a very tempting target, to say the least.

Lemonade · Mar 13, 2003

Genesis · Mar 13, 2003

but with that said, most people who have boats and dive have done it at least occasionally....

SwimJim · Mar 13, 2003

If you read any wreck diving book or book on using a boat for scuba diving it will invariably say"never leave a boat unattended". How many times have you been on a dive charter where they have to hook the wreck because some numbnuts has stolen the bouy? Think they would hesitate to either take your boat or relieve it of its electronics?
Bearing that in mind I have to admit that I occaisionly solo dive out of my own boat. But I do so knowing the risks. People on shore know where I am and approximatly when I should show back.
About ten years ago some divers were moored on a local wreck. Over the side they went. Nobody stayed on board. About the time they were to suface, they heard a loud thunk. Appearently thier dive boat had come down to join them. Whoops!
(food for thought)

Good luck

Jim

Boat Diving With Nobody at Surface

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