Who loves "Cattle Boats?"

[No Fish]

I have read a lot of discussion about "No cattle boats for me" on this board but whenever I go south, those boats are pretty full. Full of all sorts of folks of different experience levels too. Personally, I don't mind them.

So here goes.... I looked and didn't find a record of this poll so ......let's hear it!

 

[Arnaud]

It really depends on the boat itself, its crew and the divers onboard. Yes, I've been on the worst cattle boats, packed with divers, where nothing moves quickly and the dive sites are chosen only because of the presence of students with their instructor who love sandy areas... But I've also had some great days on big boats where none of the above happened. Smaller is often better, but there's a premium involved and the additional $ may not be justified.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Thw quality of the "cattle boat" experience is largely dependent upon the herd. That's why we (our shop) tries to book the "whole boat" and basically have a grand diving party the whole trip.
Rick

 

[jhelmuth]

A good boat is run by a good dive operation that hires good crew members and organizes their dives according to the pleasures or their customers. I've been on 6 packs that weren't nearly as fun as a big 42' with 18 or more divers. It takes an experienced, customer-oriented dive operation to organize the dive(s) so that all is run as it should - then everyone has a blast.

 

[R_Deluca]

I would have to say that it truly depends on the crew and the quality of divers on the boat. I have had some truly enjoyable experiences on large boats in Provo (Dive Provo) and some really bad experiences Nassau (won't mention names). I'm curious to see how I will like diving off 6-packs as I am going to Playa Del Carmen in the New Year.

 

[jiveturkey]

I hate them. I hate crowds in general. I don't like being rushed and when I go diving I like to see as few divers as I can. Of course, they aren't always avoidable so sometimes you have to suck it up. But when I have a choice, I'll swallow a higher cost to avoid one.

 

[TechBlue]

Just the name makes you want to back away, especially when you are diving with a crowd of people of varying skill sets, I can't stand them and will happily spend the extra few bucks for a six pack, they are faster, you get to go to dive sites that cattle boats very rarely go to because it takes them too long, you get to have a leasurely enjoyable dive with out anybody bouncing of you, kicking you in the face with their fins, people in six packs are normally more experienced and have boat savvy, I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Chris

 

[scubasean]

Just the name makes you want to back away, especially when you are diving with a crowd of people of varying skill sets, I can't stand them and will happily spend the extra few bucks for a six pack, they are faster, you get to go to dive sites that cattle boats very rarely go to because it takes them too long, you get to have a leasurely enjoyable dive with out anybody bouncing of you, kicking you in the face with their fins, people in six packs are normally more experienced and have boat savvy, I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Chris

I'm not sure what a "cattle" boat is as compared to a normal dive boat....And do you really know which one you are one at the outset? Or do you define which one you were on, after the fact?

I was on a boat recently in San Diego, and my buddy didn't want to do the third dive. Despite the DM strongly urging me to pair with another unknown diver, I managed to go solo, and did fine...No pressure, no unknown, and was quite a nice kelp dive.

 

[TechBlue]

It's not too difficult to figure out

 

[d33ps1x]

Moo!