Not all boats are good dive platforms. A bass boat may not be the best boat to dive from if you have trouble getting in and out of it. You training class will cover how to do so from the water. If I may suggest a ladder on the back of the boat.
Are backplates and wings not for noobs?
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Not all boats are good dive platforms. A bass boat may not be the best boat to dive from if you have trouble getting in and out of it. You training class will cover how to do so from the water. If I may suggest a ladder on the back of the boat.
BPW or BCD for a newbie? Either one will work. I've been diving since '78. I dive with a BPW, a BCD, a vintage back pack and a horse collar and a vintage backpack and no BCD with classic double hose regulators. For me it depends on the situation and it's not rocket science. If your a new diver, you have to rely on your instructors plain and simple. Because you are new, you will have to rely on their experience and judgement to point you in the right direction. This is what you are paying them for. You will need to abide by their recomendations for the most part. A new diver would be smart to do their homework by reading books on the subject, much like I did thirty years ago. For a new diver to rely on the opinions expressed on this board would be unsafe. Please take them with a grain of salt. I've had "discussions" with so called tech divers whom are their own worst enemy. They will end up in the passings sections eventually. I've already met and dove with one who did.
In regards to large divers. Large does not equal obese. I know Waterwolf and have dove with him on many occasions. Yes, he is large. He is by no means obese. He is in shape and a rock solid diver with a good head on his shoulders. He prefers a BPW because of his large frame. He exhibits great trim in the water, does not silt things up and has excellent communication skills. Although I am not a doctor I would not think that he is at any risk health wise in anyway. He is in better shape then I am and my other hobby is serious road bicycling. Large is just that. Large. I know you wouldn't tick him off to his face, although he is a gentle, er , giant. Peace.
Jim
In regards to large divers. Large does not equal obese. I know Waterwolf and have dove with him on many occasions. Yes, he is large. He is by no means obese. He is in shape and a rock solid diver with a good head on his shoulders. He prefers a BPW because of his large frame. He exhibits great trim in the water, does not silt things up and has excellent communication skills. Although I am not a doctor I would not think that he is at any risk health wise in anyway. He is in better shape then I am and my other hobby is serious road bicycling. Large is just that. Large. I know you wouldn't tick him off to his face, although he is a gentle, er , giant. Peace.
Jim
seaducer
Contributor
Agreed. PADI for example suggests that in cold water with the increased risk of DCS you should add a pressure group for conservatism in your planning. A diver who has a medical reason to suspect an increased risk of DCS over a "normal" (whatever that even means) diver can simply always add a group to account for an increased risk. Or set their computers on the most conservative setting. Knowledge is power and I never advocate someone not learning something, but I don't think one needs to be an expert in DCS and table theory to dive safely at the recreational level.
No worries, this whole thread is one giant hijack. I agree with the jist of this. I don't think DIR is ever always the answer, nor is it ever not. There are some great ideas and methods in the DIR system and it would be a shame for anyone to aviod them for some prejudice against them. Especially if that prejudice is because you don't like the personalities of some of the people who advocate it.
And you don't have to take a class to access the benefits. I have yet to take Fundies, yet some of the concepts have helped me in my diving. Just my $.02
Oh, and to try and keep this post slightly relevent, there is no reason a new diver couldn't use a BP/W in place of any other BCD style.
rstofer
Contributor
The only requirement for the boat is that it have little freeboard (a bass boat has almost none) and that it have enough initial stability such that you can't drive the rail under the water when you sit on the edge. You can have more freeboard if you have a workable ladder.
The trick to small boat diving is to get dressed in the water. You have your wetsuit on and you can put on your weight harness (WARNING - make sure you don't have so much weight that you sink!). You tie your BP/W to the boat and toss it overboard (CAUTION - inflate the BC first) and then jump in after it. Don the BP/W and you are ready to dive.
When you surface, tie you BC off to the boat and remove it, tie your harness off to the boat and remove it. Toss your fins and mask in the boat. Now you are ready to climb whatever ladder you may have. I used to just stand on the lower unit of the outboard and scramble over the transom.
Another method: put all you gear on in the boat and roll over the edge. The only problem with this approach is having enough deck space to get dressed. A bass boat probably has enough room for a couple of divers. Small inflatables may also have enough room but my 13' boat seemed crowded. I got dressed in the water.
Either way, take your gear off before you board the boat.
You really need to talk to Tobin at Deep Sea Supply about selecting the proper wing. The LCD 30 may not have enough lift. But Tobin knows this stuff so give him a call. He can also advise you about backplate weights and the distribution of weight between the BP/W and harness.
Richard
smoothfin
Registered
Hey, who are you calling 'skinny'?!?!?! I know it ain't FW, because he manages to come up with more air than he jumps in with.
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bigtim6656
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I will give him a call today. I am going to looking to having a ladder mounted to the back of the boat. Most cheap ladders will not hold my weight even with out all the dive gear. I have a couple ideas most places i would dive around here are small pits. Though i could always boat to an area then get in the water from the shore.
imasinker
Contributor
BigTIM... The ladder used on the dive boats is a lot different then most used on recreational boats. Dive ladders I have seen most are a single pillar with veins like a t pattern. In my opinion what you need.
Take a look for reference here just to give you an idea.
eBay Motors: Windline Sport / Dive Ladder 4-Step (item 360115487814 end time Dec-17-08 13:51:18 PST)
Rob
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bigtim6656
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that would be perfect though do they make them moveable like sothey would slide up and down or fold bacl as i would think it woud hang down below the boat which for some of the places i fish might get me in trouble
imasinker
Contributor
Yes they do, they lift (swing) up, you lock it in place and then drop back down into the water when needed.
Rob
Dtaine
Contributor
If only those ladders would lock down too (maybe they do, I don't know) - I had my knee banged up pretty good on one of those ladders before (the back of the boat went down, the ladder came up towards me, exactly the opposite of what I was expecting).
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