Salvage work general

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Chris Stock

Contributor
Messages
109
Reaction score
50
Location
North East USA
# of dives
1000 - 2499
Anyone do work in the Salvage field? Setting balloons, clearing props, checking chains etc...?

I'm interested in getting into it. I've been diving a while for fun and get asked on occasion to help other boaters out to check an anchor, clear a prop, retrieve something dropped and it's people I know, so payment is dinner or $100, nothing formal.

I'm getting asked by commercial folks now, tug companies, marinas so the expectations will be higher, which I'm fine with, but it would be good to talk to folk about it. What's expected or used? What equipment might I need? What to charge, at least to start. I can eventually figure it out on my own, I'm a Carpenter by trade and know how to figure things out and work up to charging more as my skills increase, but it helps to talk to someone who has done it and get to second base.

My Architectural Salvage company happened very much the same way. I now have some free time and am thinking of this.

Thanks
 
Exactly where would you be working? What kind, if any, insurance would your clients require?

Scraping bottoms for private boat owners can have very different legal and contractual requirements compared to clearing sea chests on container ships for example.
 
Insurance. My commercial diving policy is 1.90 per hundred. Plans. To keep out of OSHAs bad side, you will need dive plans, dive manuals, regular equipment service, regular training verification, etc. Gear. You are fine on OC scuba for a lot of tasks (I work for the Navy, dive solo, hunt mines, etc., especially if Navy divers aren’t around.). However. If you’re going to break the watertight integrity of the vessel, do hull inspections, clean hulls, etc., you’re going to need tools. Last year I cleaned the bottom of a 200 foot naval vessel. I did it with hand scrapers. Made $50 an hour, but it was a forced march. I’ll rent a hull cleaner next time.
 
Exactly where would you be working? What kind, if any, insurance would your clients require?

Scraping bottoms for private boat owners can have very different legal and contractual requirements compared to clearing sea chests on container ships for example.

I would need to talk to my insurance company, but currently I have Liability and workers comp & and big umbrella policy. I have 12 employees. But I would be papered up.

I would not be doing big commercial stuff. I don't have that experience, equipment or time to do that. Commercial stuff would just be run of the mill.
 
Insurance. My commercial diving policy is 1.90 per hundred. Plans. To keep out of OSHAs bad side, you will need dive plans, dive manuals, regular equipment service, regular training verification, etc. Gear. You are fine on OC scuba for a lot of tasks (I work for the Navy, dive solo, hunt mines, etc., especially if Navy divers aren’t around.). However. If you’re going to break the watertight integrity of the vessel, do hull inspections, clean hulls, etc., you’re going to need tools. Last year I cleaned the bottom of a 200 foot naval vessel. I did it with hand scrapers. Made $50 an hour, but it was a forced march. I’ll rent a hull cleaner next time.

I didn't think about OSHA since it will be just me. I am OSHA upped at my Salvage company and have workers comp, liability & a big umbrella policy.

At first, no through hulls, it would be limited to what I'm insured for, I have no problem saying no, I do it all the time when a customer asks us to do something.
 
You will have to find an insurance company that will cover commercial marine work, general commercial liability wont cover marine work its specialized. Even some commercial marine insurance company wont cover diving work. I see your in the north east there one company with an office in mass that specializes in commercial diving insurance. I use a company out of Scottsdale Arizona though nationwide commercial. Liability is require by a lot of marinas and mooring services to work as a contractor.
Just a word of caution I know you want to do this venture alone but commercial work is very different then recreational diving. You lose some of that awareness that you have when your in 30 feet of seawater pounding away at a shackle so having top side help to at the very least keep an eye on the moron boaters that have no clue what a diver down flag means let alone the alpha flag. I understand OSHA does not apply but this is what they do require if wondering. OSHA requires at least a team of 3 a dive super, a tender who can be the standby diver and the primary diver. If you have a dive buddy or two make them your partners and now you have a crew to help.
 
Insurance. My commercial diving policy is 1.90 per hundred. Plans. To keep out of OSHAs bad side, you will need dive plans, dive manuals, regular equipment service, regular training verification, etc. Gear. You are fine on OC scuba for a lot of tasks (I work for the Navy, dive solo, hunt mines, etc., especially if Navy divers aren’t around.). However. If you’re going to break the watertight integrity of the vessel, do hull inspections, clean hulls, etc., you’re going to need tools. Last year I cleaned the bottom of a 200 foot naval vessel. I did it with hand scrapers. Made $50 an hour, but it was a forced march. I’ll rent a hull cleaner next time.


Lol sounds fun :confused:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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