What safety items do you check prior to boarding a dive boat?

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Location
Colorado, U.S.
# of dives
0 - 24
My wife, daughter, and I are all relatively new divers. On a recent trip to a warm locale we signed up for a two-tank afternoon dive for the three of us. Our 12 year old daughter was just certified inland last summer, so these were to be her first ocean dives. We intentionally chose the easiest (no current, 30' deep) dives available, just to have some fun and a good first experience. We had DMs dive along with us.

That morning we saw that there was a storm front forecast to come through later that evening, and the diver operator said that the port would be closed the following day due to high winds. However, the afternoon we arrived at the dock the weather appeared fine. The weather shouldn't have been a problem until long after we were back.

I did not ask any questions about the safety items on the boat (I'll never make that mistake again). After a delay to find enough tanks, we headed out, albeit slowly. I thought perhaps the dive site was close, but was told that the engines (there were two) weren't running properly. It took awhile to get there. These two issues put us a bit behind schedule.

Both dives went fine. The DM appeared to have his act together and be quite experienced. When we finished the second dive, though, it was wasn't long before dark.

We got back on the boat, started toward shore, and was told it would take an hour to get to shore. The engines didn't sound good and the boat was barely moving. This was not a good sign with some storms building. Then both engines quit. They would not restart. We still had about four miles of open ocean to cross. I thought, well, no problem, put the lights on, call for help. Turns out there was no radio, and in fact, no lights. At this point we were solely dependent on the dive operator's cell phone for communications.

We eventually dropped anchor and spent two hours in choppy seas (the other couple of divers on board became seasick). After some thought we realized that we had left our dive flashlights packed in our dive gear bags just by luck. Those were the only lights on board to signal with. We were told several times that a boat was coming, but none ever did. The incoming storm front was on our minds. Not a good night to stay on the water overnight in such a small boat. Thunderstorms went to both sides of us in the dark, with lightning striking nearby. Eventually after a few hours floating in the dark, a friend of the dive operator showed up in another boat and towed us in.

What if the engines had died before we got back on the boat after the second dive? Would we have been left floating in the ocean unable to reach the boat? What if the cell phone had been dropped, or the battery had died, and we were left out in the ocean as the storm front arrived? There were a lot of issues that could've become very serious very quickly.

Speaking with my LDS back home after this, they suggested that prior to heading out on any boat dive that we ask to see the radio, ask what frequency they use, lights, what their egress plan is in case of emergency, and also not only see the emergency kit but verify that a bottle of oxygen is inside.

I would appreciate hearing what others typically do before boarding a dive boat in a new location. I realize that both engines failing is a rare event, but eventually mechanical failures can happen to anyone. I do not wish to repeat this experience, particularly with my family. At this point I'm just relieved that we're safe and that everyone is still up for more diving.
 
During my first boat dive briefing the operator called attention to the radio, channel, boat name, where the O2, PFDs and other safety devices were. Every dive boat I have been on include this information either when we first board or during the briefing. During my AOW training we were taught to ask these questions if the answers were not automatically given. It is a good idea to ask what the emergency recall signal is too.

I remember when my OW class, which was sore dives, that they told us the procedure and where the O2 and other safety gear was located. During my AOW training it was stressed that if there are any questions to ask. The captain of the boat said that most crews are happy to answer questions like that.
 
During my first boat dive briefing the operator called attention to the radio, channel, boat name, where the O2, PFDs and other safety devices were. Every dive boat I have been on include this information either when we first board or during the briefing. During my AOW training we were taught to ask these questions if the answers were not automatically given. It is a good idea to ask what the emergency recall signal is too.

I remember when my OW class, which was sore dives, that they told us the procedure and where the O2 and other safety gear was located. During my AOW training it was stressed that if there are any questions to ask. The captain of the boat said that most crews are happy to answer questions like that.
Agreed - this is SOP for the dive boats I NOW use. They tell us about everything as part of the boat briefing.

If the boat / operator is new to you, plan to get there a little early and ask your questions before it gets underway. There is no shame in asking. The answers may shine some light on the boat operation. You may decide to not be on it.
 
Ditto what dmoore said. These are all standard items on a safety briefing. If you don't get one - ask for one.

As a precaution, I carry a handheld VHF radio and a PLB with me in a canister that I made out of PVC pipe. The canister is about 18" long, and I rig it to the back of my BCD. When I registered my PLB, I added a comment "survivor has a VHF radio and will be monitoring CH 16". I painted it bright florescent orange, and keep it about 1 lb positively buoyant so that if it were to detach, it'll float.

Not saying you need to do that, but since I have these for my boat anyways, I also carry them when I dive.
 
Glad it all turned out well. The sea can be a difficult mistress.

As a matter of interest where did you dive. Here as i am sure applies in America there are certificates of fitness and minimum safety gear requirements.

As a skipper myself I am acutely aware of my responsibility to my passengers. How could the skipper in good conscience put to sea with faulty motors knowing a storm front is on its way. What if there was an on board emergency situation.

A skipper and instructor for whom i have great respect once said. In the event of an indecent you will be accountable to a jury of your peers. I try to see things in this light and analise decisions i make as a skipper to try to improve and be more safe all the time.

A great thread thank you, because it causes reflection. When i am on holiday i tend to assume this is the operators playground and they should know what local conditions demand. On to think about.
 
Where was the area you chose to go diving?

From my experience working on various boats the Tour Leader will always give a briefing about all the safety items on board and where they are located. If the crew does not do this ask for them to explain/show where the items are. As for the communication devices we would run through each type that we had on-board and the location.

All the vessels I have worked on and also used for live-aboards for my company have always listed the safety gear they have on-board, the year the vessel was built, retrofitted, and when it was last in the shipyard on their websites and brochures. Next time try to look on their website or brochure (if they have one), if you can not find it there you can call, or e-mail to find out, or ask the shop you booked through. If they can not supply you with this info then I would look for another vessel to take you out. The next thing to do is look the vessel over when you get to the dock, if it does not look sea worthy to you and the crew can not provide reassurance that it has its services up to date, and they can not show or provide accurate safety devices then I would contact the LDS that you booked through and inform them.
 
TOTALLY UNNACEPTABLE. I must say that safety briefing before you sail away in a boat SHOULD be manadtory. I have been a sailboat captain myself and I always made a safety briefing BEFORE leaving anchorage. That reminds me of a captain that went overboard some years ago in the carribean. Well, because he instructed NOBODY on how to use the radio, nor to look at a GPS position and push on the MOB button, nor tell them how to stop the boad.............................he was searched for days and never was found.

Stupid death, I would say.

The same could apply to you if you are not insisting on a safety breefing.

Another story, just a month ago. We went from Fakarava North to South - French Polynesia - on a speedboat: 90 minutes trip. Well, all the safety floats wher packed UNDER all the luggages. When I told the owner that I did not like that, his answer was: good point, nobody ever told me that in 20 years.........................:crafty:.

My experience: in US waters, the rules are more or less well observed. I have seen briefings done everytime. In other places: Inch Allah most of the time :no:
 
Thank you all for the replies! I've been reading this board since August, but this was my first posting. It's been incredibly informative.

We were lucky something worse didn't happen (sure had plenty of time to think, rolling on the ocean in the dark). I will *always* insist on a full safety briefing with proper equipment present before going out again. Or we will find someone else to dive with.

The location of this dive was in Cancún. We were diving the Underwater Museum and Manchones Reef, just off of Isla Mujeres.

Thanks!
 
Glad this turned out ok. It is a wake up to me as I need to be thinking of these safety items when I go on a boat trip. Thanks for the eye opener.

Jeff
 
The further into the third world you go, the less safety equipment you are likely to find. It's not unusual to have no oxygen, and in these days of pervasive cell phone use, it seems as though radios are going the way of the dinosaur, too. I remember diving off a boat in Rarotonga that was just an aluminum skiff with an outboard. It had an anchor, and that was it for safety equipment. I looked at the proposed dive -- depth, distance offshore, water conditions -- and concluded the risk was reasonable. We had no problems. We could have been significantly inconvenienced by an engine failure or the boat breaking loose from anchor, but we would not have been in any real danger. A major medical problem in the water would probably have been fatal, but honestly, that is often true unless fairly advanced support equipment (bag-valve mask, AED) are available.
 
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