question in divemaster manual.

[Frosty]

Ill preface by saying sorry to ask on here. But Im a long way and expensive toll calls away from where I'm going to do my DM course.
Ok one question in the DM manual has me tearing my hair out.
its the one that goes- Leading a group on a 40 foot boat. bilge is filling slowly. the cause is a ruptured coolant hose for the engine. What do you do next ?.
My gut reaction is to say-- call coast guard then FIX IT.
Basis being 1) Im a mechanic 2)its a coolant hose for the engine. so the boat owner/ boss wont be happy if his engine cooks from lack of coolant.
3)in my experience a hose rupture will get worse.4) the pumps need the engine to provide power.5)hose ruptures are usually where they are most stressed so either the hull fitting or engine fitting.-either way if theres some slack at all it can be moved a bit and reclamped. 6)if the skipper knew how to fix it he would have delegated wheelhouse duty and done it himself.
I know its the wrong answer dag namb it.

 

[Andyinbp]

Hey Frosty, if I remember well, this is from the Problem Solving section of the DM manual - so there's really no "wrong answer" as such. Part of the problem solving guidelines in the DM course-book is to review the resources you have at hand. In this case, being a mechanic is one resource that other DMs may not have at their disposal, so your solution of fixing it is unique to you. Not being a mechanic myself, my answer was along the lines of call for help, call-off dive etc. Basically, if you follow the problem solving steps they outline, you can't go far wrong. Hope this helps - and good luck with the DM.

 

[Divescape]

If you look in the manual preceding the question. there is an order that this training organization is looking for you to follow. Off the top of my head something like. What is the specific problem, what tools and resources do you have available, propose 3-4 solutions, implement one solution adapt your response based on outcome.

I answered somthing like slow leak so send captain to issue life jackets in case slow turns into quick and alert coast guard, determine exact cause of the leak, loose clamp/split hose, then apply solution stop engine drouge anchor/anchor tighten up clamp/repair with duct tape.

as already mentioned there is no right answer, what they want to see is solution based thinking in conjunction with good conservative judgement.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

If you're offshore you let the boat sink. If you're teaching for YMCA you get the students to swim for shore. If you're teaching for NAUI you have each student perform a rescue for their DM course. If you're teaching for PADI you take the students down and charge them $250 for a wreck class.

 

[Herb-alaska]

as a DM your first responsibility is to the safety of the students / divers in your care
1. Get everyone in life jackets and thermo protection as available
2. move all persons from places of entanglement such as interior portions of the boat. ( place on bow maybe to allow them to float free if it comes to that as well as balance a expected ballast issue.
3. call at least a pan pan to make coast guard aware of your issue. and divert area boats in your area
4. start all available bilge pumps
5 start fixing the darn boat.
6. notify the coast guard of a temporary repair or call off the coast guard after you have fixed the boat
7. head home

FIRST thing is the passengers . People have died from this type thing when they are stuck in a cabin area
my thoughts
Herb

 

[nimoh]

If you're offshore you let the boat sink. If you're teaching for YMCA you get the students to swim for shore. If you're teaching for NAUI you have each student perform a rescue for their DM course. If you're teaching for PADI you take the students down and charge them $250 for a wreck class.

If you're teaching a GUE class, then you jump in the water as a team, lift up the boat and carry it to shore

 

[sheeper]

stupid question.

your first priority is the safety of the divers. The boat captain will give orders about what to do.

 

[TMHeimer]

stupid question.

your first priority is the safety of the divers. The boat captain will give orders about what to do.

Yeah I agree and I'm certainly no mechanic. I don't recall this question, but the course changed 5 years ago.

 

[Frosty]

stupid question.

your first priority is the safety of the divers. The boat captain will give orders about what to do.

sorry I genuinely don't understand our point.-maybe im stupid.
The divers are on board. No immediate danger to them
Im argueably the most qualified to fix the boat Skipper and I have already discussed this as he is showing me the problem.if not then I step aside for the marine engineer that happens to be on board.
By fixing the boat permenantly the dive trip goes on. Fix the boat in a temp manner and we head for the nearest safe harbour.
Either way you are protecting the divers by removing the source of danger.
Worst case scenario Plug the inlet in the hull and engine then run the pumps till the bilge is empty. drop anchor and wait for a hose to arrive or if she's running an aux then motor back on the Aux.
hey look Im serious here -please explain the flaw in my logic

 

[RJP]

I think you're letting the fact that you're a mechanic get you way too caught up in the details of the coolant hose.

As folks mention often, for PADI the professional courses are not about how good a diver (or mechanic) you are... they are about how well you can follow the systematic approach. Follow the system and the answer is easy.