What is required gear for boat dives?

[ew1usnr]

I haven't been out on a comercial dive boat in years. I spoke with a friend who had gone out on a boat for an open water dive in the Keys this past week. The boat captain told him that the ONLY piece of required equipment was a pressure gauge.

Is that typical? I had been under the impression that an auto-inflator and octopus were requirements. Or are those recommended, but not required? Do any dive boats make computers a requirement now (for ordinary open water diving)? Do boats make any requirement as to BC type? What about compasses?

I know that different boats in different locations will have different requirements. I live in Florida.

[CAPT HOOK]

All of the boats I have been on in WPB and the Keys have required a BC/inflator and an octo. Some of the boats require 2 lights for night dives some just one.

[FFMDiver]

Only thing I would use from them is a tank....

[ew1usnr]

bmuise once bubbled...
Only thing I would use from them is a tank....

Boats used to only have tanks with fittings for yoke regulators. Not a problem because I have yoke-type regulators. But what does a diver with a DIN regulator do when he goes on boats? Does he have to bring a yoke adapter with him, or do boats carry a mix of yoke and DIN tanks?

[SubMariner]

is what is important.

As divers we should be self-reliant in the water and prepared for every contingency. If you were to take the hearsay from your friend as gospel, you would be woefully under-prepared for diving period, let alone diving from a boat.

Generally you need your usual dive gear, including BC, weight system, alternate air source, proper exposure protection, u/w timing device, etc. However, you also should have several signalling devices like a whistle (Fox 40 is great), a mirror, and a safety sausage that is visible in most wave conditions. Some people also carry a small light in a BC pocket. It doubles as a "lookit under that overhang" tool and night time signalling device.

And the best thing to use for gear on the diveboat is as small a dive duffel as you can get your gear into, NOT one of those huge rolling beasties. There are a wide variety of good mesh bags out there that will hold everything you will use during your dive. And when they are empty, they stow compactly & neatly under the benches that most dive boats use.

Does that help at all?

[ew1usnr]

SubMariner once bubbled...
is what is important.
However, you also should have several signalling devices like a whistle (Fox 40 is great), a mirror, and a safety sausage that is visible in most wave conditions. Does that help at all?

Yea, thanks. My brother showed me that he uses a cd (a free AOL compact disc) as a mirror. He also has a safety sausage that is rolled into a little package. It would be a bummer for the dive boat to not be able to see you. That could happen very easily if there were any swells.

I usually make beach dives (where I have a flag float) and swim in spring basins where this isn't as much of an issue.

[Charlie99]

On the standard waiver that seems to have been copied by many Florida Keys operators there is a requirement for a snorkel. This is the only place that I've seen this as a requirement.

A small kid's snorkel in my BC pocket keeps them happy.

[ew1usnr]

Charlie99 once bubbled...
On the standard waiver that seems to have been copied by many Florida Keys operators there is a requirement for a snorkel.

Oooh. The snorkel. I actually forgot about that. Thanks!

[CAPT HOOK]

You know, I carry a snorkle in my dive bag but except for Canada, I have never been asked if I have one!

[pchelp]

I've been on boats that require a "Dive Alert" and "Safety Sausage / Lift Bag". I think they are a good idea, even if not required:rolleyes: