Big Tanks, Charter Boats

[The Wanderer]

I'm thinking about buying an E8-119 PST tank.

Will charter boat operators let you use (your own) one big tank for a two tank trip to shallow - 40 feet or so - water sites, or do they insist that you switch to a new tank for the second dive? Or is it your own decision? Is it a wise one?

 

[Mo2vation]

I'm thinking about buying an E8-119 PST tank.

Will charter boat operators let you use (your own) one big tank for a two tank trip to shallow - 40 feet or so - water sites, or do they insist that you switch to a new tank for the second dive? Or is it your own decision? Is it a wise one?

I dive off the So Cal boats all the time - and I dive the E8-130 tankzilla. Thanksgiving I took the tank aboard a boat in Monterey CA as well - no issues.

Arnaud (my buddy) dives the 119. He and I are usually the first in last out wif all that gas. And you know - they can wait on us. If we're within the designated times at the dive site (i.e.: we're pulling the hook in 2 hours, etc.) then they can wait on us.

If we're bumping against the time, we come up with gas in the can. But I've never had an issue with a dive operator "making" me use their cylinder. With my own rig I know I'm weighted and trimmed out correctly. I know it, and I am mreo confident diving with the grar I know best.

Shouldn't be an issue - its not here on the best coast.

K

 

[Uncle Pug]

For the definitive answer the best bet is to call the local operators you plan on using.

If I understand your question correctly you are asking if you can dive the same tank on two subsequent dives.

Here in the PNW that would be your own choice and whether or not it is a wise one would depend on the expected gas needs for the dives, your SAC and whether or not you needed to come back to the anchor line (and of course that applies to your buddy as well.)

Since the charter operators here in Puget Sound do live boat pick up getting back to an anchor line is not an issue and having a short second dive wouldn't be either.

Depending on who I am diving with I will at times do back to back dives on a single LP104 and still have plenty left over. If I were doing 40' dives I would most likely use a single tank.

However on what few charters I've been on I've always taken an extra tank and swapped out to make the most of the opportunity. None of the charters I have gone on here in the PNW were shallow.

Plus, like Ken I prefer to be first in so folks don't have to wait so long for us to get done with our dive.