Smoking on a dive boat customer poll

[boulderjohn]

I didn't vote because I didn't see a choice for me. I pretty much agree with Bob's comments.

I don't smoke, but I was raised by two smoking parents, and as a result I suffered from chronic childhood bronchitis throughout my childhood. (Look it up--chronic childhood bronchitis occurs just about 100% in homes with smoking parents.) It took years of living away from that home for my lungs to heal. Smoking really does bother me, and I am very unhappy when I am forced to breathe someone else's smoke.

That being said, I have never once made a dive boat selection based upon its smoking policy. I have almost never really had to. I can think of only a few occasions when I have even seen someone smoking on a dive boat. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have been diving on a lot of boats in a lot of places and rarely had to give it a moment's thought.

The one time I remember it really being a problem was in Grand Cayman. We were coming back from a day of diving and a guy lit up a big fat cigar and stood in the middle of the boat smoking it, standing directly under the No Smoking sign. What was interesting about that was the reaction of everyone else--including me. We were total wusses. We all moved as far away as we could, fairly leaning over the rails, while he stood proudly in the middle of the boat, puffing away. No one said a word. Later on, some people were talking about how the captain or DM should have done something. The captain or DM absolutely should have done something, but so should we. I hope that if it happens again I will be able to show a little courage.

 

[diverrex]

I didn't vote because I didn't see a choice for me. I pretty much agree with Bob's comments.

I don't smoke, but I was raised by two smoking parents, and as a result I suffered from chronic childhood bronchitis throughout my childhood. (Look it up--chronic childhood bronchitis occurs just about 100% in homes with smoking parents.) It took years of living away from that home for my lungs to heal. Smoking really does bother me, and I am very unhappy when I am forced to breathe someone else's smoke.

That being said, I have never once made a dive boat selection based upon its smoking policy. I have almost never really had to. I can think of only a few occasions when I have even seen someone smoking on a dive boat. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have been diving on a lot of boats in a lot of places and rarely had to give it a moment's thought.

The one time I remember it really being a problem was in Grand Cayman. We were coming back from a day of diving and a guy lit up a big fat cigar and stood in the middle of the boat smoking it, standing directly under the No Smoking sign. What was interesting about that was the reaction of everyone else--including me. We were total wusses. We all moved as far away as we could, fairly leaning over the rails, while he stood proudly in the middle of the boat, puffing away. No one said a word. Later on, some people were talking about how the captain or DM should have done something. The captain or DM absolutely should have done something, but so should we. I hope that if it happens again I will be able to show a little courage.

You may of had some success if you asked the guy to put it out but I'm guessing he knew what he was doing and how it was bothering other people but just didn't care, probably one of those "I'm on vacation and I'll do what I want".

 

[Tigerman]

You may of had some success if you asked the guy to put it out but I'm guessing he knew what he was doing and how it was bothering other people but just didn't care, probably one of those "I'm on vacation and I'll do what I want".

Well, Im on vacation too, so I can do what I want as well.. Like slapping him around a bit with a tuna?

Seriously though, if talking to the dude don't help, talk to the guides and let them know what you think of it and what you think of dive ops that don't take their customers and posted policies seriously..

 

[beester]

Strange how everything changed (for the good this time) the last decades. I was born in the seventies, and my early childhood is rife with cigarette or cigar encounters. From getting carsick because my parents were puffing away in the car on a holiday drive... the cigar of the schoolbus-driver and my grandfather... etc. When I was studying and still smoked you couldn't go to a pub and get back home without smelling like the whole cuban cigar sector. The first time I encountered some regulation regarding this was exactly in the US... I was standing outside of O Hara airport and was puffing away and a cop approached me and was about to fine me until he realised that I was European and probably didn't have a clue that outside smoking was prohibited.... I feel a Dennis Leary quote coming up

Anyway back on topic... I quit smoking when I started diving again, that's now 8 years ago, and I'm very glad I did. However if someone is a bit courtious and will adjust his behavior if he realises that it bothers other people I won't mind being on a liveaboard or dayboat with smokers.

 

[grantwiscour]

There's not a option to choose: I smoke and it doesn't matter to me if the boat is smoking or non-smoking. I just want to dive.

I've never heard a dive op advertise as smoking. I have never smoked on a dive boat (never been on a liveaboard). I can wait until the trip is over and we are back at the dock. I also prefer the safety when people aren't smoking on a boat.

When I go deep-sea fishing, I smoke. I see a fair amount of smoking on fishing charters but not dive ops.

What I prefer not to see is people chugging down booze on a dive boat. I haven't started a thread or anything...not important to me. lol

 

[divingpyrate]

Drinking on a dive boat, I would never go on a boat with drinking
that is just reckless

wait for it .... two threads and another poll on something that mature adults and responsible business owners work out all on their own everyday all over the world. I wonder if they know how much important information they are missing.

 

[jar546]

I see drinking on a dive boat routinely

 

[diverrex]

I see drinking on a dive boat routinely

Before diving or only after?

A few of our local boats sell beer onboard but all have the same policy, they don't care when you start drinking but once you start you are done diving.

 

[Rhodesaz]

As a smoker, my dive boat choice would depend on whether it was a day boat or a liveaboard.
I would not pay for a week long liveaboard with no smoking. All the day boats I've been on, the smokers went to the back of the boat, without being told. I've found that most divers are very considerate. Even the divers that smoke.

 

[billt4sf]

If we're assuming liveaboard,

This whole thread (and the other one) has reminded me to ASK the next time I book a liveaboard if it is a non-smoking boat. That would be very important to us! On day boats it would certainly be an irritant (literally and figuratively) but I can stand anything for a day -- and it's not a problem in the US. But a week of smoke?!? That would really be uncomfortable for us.