I bought a boat.
It will be used exclusively for recreational, non-commercial purposes.
I want to invite friends to fish and dive with me from time to time.
Because I have a master's license, I want to be able to demonstrate that the passengers are aboard as friends, not customers, even if they choose to contribute toward the costs of the voyage.
Because I am a dive instructor, I want to be able to demonstrate that these friends are certified divers diving without my supervision to whom I don't have a special duty of care, even if they happen to be former dive students of mine.
How do I accomplish these objectives? A couple friends suggested various measures, including:
--Requiring all divers to have a current DAN membership;
--Not lending passengers any dive gear or tools so I'm not responsible for any gear casualties;
--Making them sign an acknowledgment that makes it airtight that they are friends, not passengers for hire;
--Making them sign some sort of waiver or release from liability.
Some of these ideas seem excessive and contrary to the social atmosphere I want to promote, but are they prudent measures I should seriously consider? (I do sort of like the idea of requiring DAN membership: if they get hurt and their costs are already covered, they're less likely to come after me, right?)
I welcome thoughts from boat owners, dive professionals, licensed mariners, attorneys, and other Scubaboard members.
Thanks.
It will be used exclusively for recreational, non-commercial purposes.
I want to invite friends to fish and dive with me from time to time.
Because I have a master's license, I want to be able to demonstrate that the passengers are aboard as friends, not customers, even if they choose to contribute toward the costs of the voyage.
Because I am a dive instructor, I want to be able to demonstrate that these friends are certified divers diving without my supervision to whom I don't have a special duty of care, even if they happen to be former dive students of mine.
How do I accomplish these objectives? A couple friends suggested various measures, including:
--Requiring all divers to have a current DAN membership;
--Not lending passengers any dive gear or tools so I'm not responsible for any gear casualties;
--Making them sign an acknowledgment that makes it airtight that they are friends, not passengers for hire;
--Making them sign some sort of waiver or release from liability.
Some of these ideas seem excessive and contrary to the social atmosphere I want to promote, but are they prudent measures I should seriously consider? (I do sort of like the idea of requiring DAN membership: if they get hurt and their costs are already covered, they're less likely to come after me, right?)
I welcome thoughts from boat owners, dive professionals, licensed mariners, attorneys, and other Scubaboard members.
Thanks.