types of boats useful for diving

[Moogyboy]

The possibility of putting any such knowledge to use anytime soon are just about nil, but this landlocked diver and boating illiterate has occasionally daydreamed about owning a boat that could be used for diving, preferably in someplace other than Ohio, like say the Keys. I just know next to nothing about boats in general, and dive boats in particular. I've been on a total of four, includung two trawlers (I think that's what they're called...kinda converted commercial-fishing type boats), whatever Blackbeard's Sea Explorer is (a sloop?), and another boat with a covered, open-back cabin which I have no clue about. So can someone fill me in on what sorts of boats are useful for diving wherever, preferably that don't cost as much as a nice house. I wanna throw the net wide as to amenities, size, etc. Just fmi, iow. One can dream, and be jealous of those glamorous dive operators with boats of their own, can't one?

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Bob3]

An "open fisherman" style may be something you should look at, lots of room/deck space, easy to trailer & you can take a run to Cuba if you bring some extra fuel.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

What if they cost as much as a VERY nice house? I would pick a big offshore fishing boat, about 45-50', one that had a very big open deck and a tuna door in the stern so you could get onto the swim platform easily. Outfit with tank racks on one side of rear deck, a compressor somewhere, and a small Zodiac with hydraulic lift on the bow. Multiple GPS, radar, and boat monitoring systems.

Besides, with a boat that nice, who needs a house?

 

[Hank49]

The possibility of putting any such knowledge to use anytime soon are just about nil, but this landlocked diver and boating illiterate has occasionally daydreamed about owning a boat that could be used for diving, preferably in someplace other than Ohio, like say the Keys. I just know next to nothing about boats in general, and dive boats in particular. I've been on a total of four, includung two trawlers (I think that's what they're called...kinda converted commercial-fishing type boats), whatever Blackbeard's Sea Explorer is (a sloop?), and another boat with a covered, open-back cabin which I have no clue about. So can someone fill me in on what sorts of boats are useful for diving wherever, preferably that don't cost as much as a nice house. I wanna throw the net wide as to amenities, size, etc. Just fmi, iow. One can dream, and be jealous of those glamorous dive operators with boats of their own, can't one?

cheers

Billy S.

So you want a boat....first, go to the bank, withdraw half your money, go up on the Carew Tower (cincy?) and let the money fly away in the breeze. If you want a boat you have to get used to that feeling. But seriously...I think it's important to have a self draining deck that's above the water level. If you have divers on board, it will get wet. You can get a few different modlels (look in Saltwater Sportsman mag) for around $20-25,000. These are 20-24 feet long with 115 to 150 hp outboards. If you plan to go in choppy water, get a deep V hull. Hank

 

[DennisS]

BOAT

Break Out Another Thousand

Always something minor $100 here, $100 there plus the planned expenses, fuel, maintenance etc, then there's the unplanned biggies.

 

[OE2X]

I'll repost my thoughts from another thread:

Get a Zodiac or rather a Bombard which is owned by Zodiac. I have a 24 Bombard DB Explorer that I dive out of. It is big enough to take 4 divers very comfortably. If I didn't have a huge rack on the back it would take 6 very easily. My friend Uncle Pug has an 18' Whaler. While it is nice the ride is not as smooth since it does not have a V hull. My boat is easier to get in and out of since it is lower to the water. You have to take your tank off and clip it to a dangling rope, then dolphin kick on board. The ride is very dry and you can take the boat out in the worst conditions and still get home. Mine has a 140 four stroke Suzuki which I really like. She only burns 7 gal. an hour at 23 knots. I'm thinking of up grading though to two 90 h.p. four strokes or a single 200 h.p.

I have a center console with Rocket Box seat made by Birdsall Marine in W. Palm Beach. Their work is exceptional. They also make T-Tops as well.

If you want to check out Bombards:
http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/products/bombard.html

If you want to see how much abuse a Zodiac can take and see their sickest boat:
http://zodiaccz7.com

You won't go wrong with one of these boats. There is a reason why the US and Canadian Coast Guard uses them.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Ooh, yeah. On a more non-joking tone than my last post, I would definitley agree with the Zodiac idea. They're great boats for this kind of thing, and some larger RIBs are wide enough to have quite large twins behind each tube. I saw one in the BVI, used by Biras Creek to ferry people, it was about 25' long, and had TWO 200s on it. Either that or a V-hull center console.

 

[ShakaZulu]

http://www.makoinflatablesusa.com/gallery.html

Yellow one at the bottom of the page, major fun factor.

 

[OE2X]

http://www.makoinflatablesusa.com/gallery.html

Yellow one at the bottom of the page, major fun factor.

That's pretty sweeeet! Have you watched the video clip? Imagine being picked up like that after a drift dive!

 

[String]

Most club diving and a lot of charter diving here is off RIBs (Rigid Inflatable). Note this is NOT a zodiac.

RIBs have a rigid fibreglass hull designed for cutting through swell, have inflatable tubes, generally an A-frame to mount echo sounders, gps, antennas etc.

Typically a RIB will cruise at anything from 22-40kts depending on engine size and loading. Most have outboard engines ranging anything from 70 to 220hp depending on boat size.

(Zodiacs by definition have a flat hull and arent planing craft - as opposed to cutting through the waves they go up and over).

We use a 6m RIB with 150hp engine here and its fine with 8 divers at 1 tank each or 6 divers with 2 tanks each cruising at 30kts.

(photos of our boat on my website in the west wales section)