Expectations on a dive boat

[dmoore19]

If I go to New England to dive do I have to buy a rubbermaid container?

 

[kelemvor]

Call them and ask them what they provide, base your decision on who to go with after you talk to them. Generally the problems I read about or have experienced have to do with an expectation that wasn't met. Most of the time communication prior to going out will avoid problems.

Amen to that. Communicate _on_ the boat as well. It will encourage them to communicate with you. Once while I was serving some SIT the deckhand hollered up to me "hey Aaron, I changed your gear over to the other tank!". I always change my gear over straight away (or break down and put away) after getting out and had already done it. I would have caught it when I checked my gauges prior to splashing but I'm glad he communicated. It might have cut into my available dive time if I had to do it again at the last moment.

That's another thing. I recommend doing stuff like that right away when you get the chance. I find the whole experience much more enjoyable if I know I'm good to go while the other divers are still looking over the side on their way out. I never wait until they give that warning that you're approaching the dive site. In fact, I usually rig most of my stuff before we leave the dock. Preparing early also means that I'm not fighting with others for room at that last minute on a crowded cattle boat. When the time comes; zip the wetsuit, don the tank and fins, then slip the mask up over my face (I store it around my neck on boats).

I really love ops that carry tanks for you. Some will come out to your car and get them right out of the car, then return everything afterward. Others give you a seat on a boat and someplace to put your stuff.

 

[macado]

If I go to New England to dive do I have to buy a rubbermaid container?

Haha no. But you'll find them easier than putting wet dive gear in the back of a car. Seriously, they're excellent for "dive bags"

Most people I know, run some cave line or bungees through the sides so they can clip off reels, spools, lights, and other accessories.

 

[dmoore19]

Don't worry, I don't have any cave line or bungees, reels spools or any of that. If I did buy one I'd leave it behind because I'm not going to take it back on the plane. As for putting the wet dive gear in a rental........

My point being know before you go. As many have already pointed out, it varies from place to place. Traveling to dive makes it necessary to do some research and find out local customs. It wouldn't really matter if you know what to expect. Just don't go someplace without find out what it's like first. Oh, and don't show up and be a dick if it doesn't meet your expectations because you didn't do your research.

Really though, don't worry, it's unlikely I will show up to dive in New England. The water there is too damned cold for my liking.

Haha no. But you'll find them easier than putting wet dive gear in the back of a car. Seriously, they're excellent for "dive bags"

Most people I know, run some cave line or bungees through the sides so they can clip off reels, spools, lights, and other accessories.

 

[Storker]

you'll find them easier than putting wet dive gear in the back of a car. Seriously, they're excellent for "dive bags"

Most guys I meet around here use one of those - or something similar - for transporting diving gear in their car. I guess it's a cold water diver thing, regardless of which side of the Atlantic you're diving.

 

[Iralub]

I’ve read tons of threads about tipping and I don’t want to start a conservation about how much $$ to tip, but rather what do you expect as a standard/baseline service from the dive operator and crew on a dive boat? And at what point would you consider service over and above from the crew? I’m a some-what new diver I trying to form an expectation of what I should receive from the crew as standard and or over-the-top service. And then I’ll feel good about how I’m tipping.

Thanks

I've only done a small number of dives, but all of them have been boat dives and standards/services provided varied. On a liveaboard the crew took care of pretty much everything, including equipment setup (except for the first dive, where customers set up the equipment but it was checked by the crew). On other boats customers set up the gear, but crew would always assist if need be. For the first few dives that I did I'd ask a crew member or DM to check that I haven't stuffed up the setup and they were always fine doing so (I don't have own gear, so it is all rental gear).

There was usually a person to help with getting in and out of the water, such as helping remove fins or grabbing hold of your tank to help get out or to do the giant stride without falling into the water. One op had a system of removing the gear in the water and they'd pass it onto the boat. I think every crew adjusted those to the needs of the customers. I'm very small and struggle with water entries and exits if diving with an AL80 and have always got extra help if needed and the crews have always been great about it. Some people didn't get much help as they obviously didn't need it.

The crew did the lion's share of carrying gear on the boats I've dived on, particularly of tanks, but customers would sometimes care some parts of the gear on or off the boat. One dive op requested customers to help with cleaning gear after the boat trip (which was great because I learned how to do it), providing assistance where needed.

My expectation of good service on a boat would be: proper boat and safety briefing, full dive site briefing, good dive safety procedures and crew being approachable if I need to ask for help (usually with water entry and exit), without laughing too much at me trying to move around with a tank as big as I am . Also availability of water and tea on the boat and boat not looking like it's about to sink.

Not sure if this helps at all.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Don (OP), has your question been answered? You never did tell us where you plan to go diving. If you did, we could tell you what is typical there.

 

[Steve_C]

At the hardware store you can pick up some contractor trash bags. They are larger than a regular trash bag and very heavy duty. When returning from the coast I just toss my wet dive bag with BCD and wet suits and boots, etc., in there. Keeps the trunk of my wife's car dry and clean and since it is not rigid is much easier to pack tanks, etc around in the trunk of a camry hybrid. [two guys, two tanks, two sets of gear, 120 miles to the coast, 20 miles around town, 120 miles back and still a half tank of gas left]

 

[Searcaigh]

Most guys I meet around here use one of those - or something similar - for transporting diving gear in their car. I guess it's a cold water diver thing, regardless of which side of the Atlantic you're diving.

Not just a cold water diver thing, I and many others have been using similar containers in the Middle East for years, however as most dive boats here are small we rarely take them on board.

 

[flspy]

I live in South Florida and there is a drastic difference in procedures not only between areas like Palm Beach and the Keys, but among dive boats in the same area.

The Keys boats charge in $80-90 range and usually include air tanks. Some will NOT discount if you bring your own, so if you are going to one of the shallow tourist detonation likes Christ of the Abyss, save your Nitrox, because fills run $18 a pop in many locations. Since they get so many global tourists, their briefings are extensive and the boats are (usually) in top shape and well organized. I love diving boats like the big Newtons. Plenty of room and usually never packed like cattle boats. They usually send a DM down with you, which is both a plus or minus, depending on how you look at it. Ours disappeared halfway through each of two dives- not really useful in my opinion.

Up the Coast, things are little more lax. For instance, I don't think in 12 years of living here I have filled out a log book for Nitrox fills- maybe once. Expect to do that everywhere in the Keys. (For safety, they really should) Boats are cheaper- usually $55-70 but don't include tanks. Also, you get a mishmash of different dive boat types, and some are MUCH better than others. Also, you may have niggling little problems that annoy- a missing valve handle on the freshwater wash down, non skid missing on the entry ladders, entry ladder with no handholds. Most of them will put your tanks in a spot and shove your gear bag underneath. They will help you out of the water, and usually guide your tanks back into the correct spot as you sit down backwards. But that is it. Rarely do the DM's go in. They hand you a drift flag and off you go.

As far as tipping, I was handing out $10 a pop to the dive master (there is usually only one in the Palm Beach area), but I dive almost every weekend, and noticed a lot of the regulars only handing out $5. Basically, I am paying for an additional dive boat trip in tips each month, but I am certainly welcomed back.

Then there is the flip side. Once saw a guy lose his GoPro over the side. The DM put on all her gear and recovered it- and he tipped her nothing! That's just being a cheap bastard. Don't be "that guy" but you don't have to be Daddy Warbucks either, unless you get exceptional service.

And one more tip: ALWAYS tip each day even if you are doing a multi-day dive at a tropical resort. We went to Cozumel a few years back and dove with Scuba Du at the Presidente. We had a small group so we had our own boat. Our mistake was waiting until the end of the week to tip everybody. They did a great job for us, but I think they might have gone the extra step if they weren't anxious about getting that oh-so-important gringo gratuity.