Basic Amateur diving service business questions

[Fires]

Not to be the downer here, as I have often also thought about the variety of stuff to do on scuba for people, but for the most part it doesn't sound worthwhile, unless you find a good niche (location, deep pockets, not a siff marina etc.)

Over and above that (I may be wrong), but it really sounds like you have only just started diving? Correct me if I am wrong, but I will continue non the less.

If you have only just started diving and you were saying you want to do basic level 1 or something? Not familiar with that (I am only a PADI peep ...but does that mean you are not even certified yet? If so I would strongly suggest not pursuing what you intend...even after you are certified or have a couple dives under your belt. It is one thing if you have your gear on a boat and a friend drops his phone, and you go...well, it's within my cert limits, I have enough air, etc. etc. and basically plan the dive like a normal dive. VS. Let's drop into a busy marina, with murky water, entanglement possibilities everywhere, never-mind the traffic and risk there and so forth. Accidents happen very quickly and start with the smallest things, that build and cause other problems. Normally things go well, but I sure wouldn't want to be in a bad situation, that I hadn't planned atleast a little bit for, never mind needing the experience for.

I might of read this situation completely wrong, but I rather be the one stressing caution compared to rambo'ness Rather get the correct commercial training if it is something you want to pursue vs. Just quickly helping a friend find a phone.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[EireDiver606]

I charge $50 an hour or $25 a foot. I only clean military vessels. I am fully insured, and provide video of the job when complete.

The last ship I did took 100 Man hours over 10 days.

That’s a lot of work, wow.
I did another prop untangling today. Took about 15 mins as I wasn’t able to get a tank because it was in for a test and my lds was closed. I had to cut one line, go back to surface, cut one line go back to surface, again and again, and then I untangled it. Much tighter than I expected, Jesus. If it was tighter it would have pulled the shaft off. Luckily I had a small victorinox knife to cut through like bread
I was going to charge 20€ but he said “ no, no. You can do better than that”
I was expecting an argument but he actually gave me 50€ for 15 mins work! Because he couldn’t be lifted out by the crane because his yacht is too heavy and I was down asap.

 

[EireDiver606]

That sounds profitable. I was looking at sailboats. Yachties, even rich ones, are notoriously cheap. Military=deep pockets! Hard work!

Yacht owners where I come from actually sail! So they want everything down ASAP and they are not cheapsters

 

[EireDiver606]

Not to be the downer here, as I have often also thought about the variety of stuff to do on scuba for people, but for the most part it doesn't sound worthwhile, unless you find a good niche (location, deep pockets, not a siff marina etc.)

Over and above that (I may be wrong), but it really sounds like you have only just started diving? Correct me if I am wrong, but I will continue non the less.

If you have only just started diving and you were saying you want to do basic level 1 or something? Not familiar with that (I am only a PADI peep ...but does that mean you are not even certified yet? If so I would strongly suggest not pursuing what you intend...even after you are certified or have a couple dives under your belt. It is one thing if you have your gear on a boat and a friend drops his phone, and you go...well, it's within my cert limits, I have enough air, etc. etc. and basically plan the dive like a normal dive. VS. Let's drop into a busy marina, with murky water, entanglement possibilities everywhere, never-mind the traffic and risk there and so forth. Accidents happen very quickly and start with the smallest things, that build and cause other problems. Normally things go well, but I sure wouldn't want to be in a bad situation, that I hadn't planned atleast a little bit for, never mind needing the experience for.

I might of read this situation completely wrong, but I rather be the one stressing caution compared to rambo'ness Rather get the correct commercial training if it is something you want to pursue vs. Just quickly helping a friend find a phone.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Firstly, thanks for the concern.

I’m PADI Open water, dry suit, whatever. Certifications don’t really mean much to me unless it’s technical or commercial as I’ve met an AOW diver who had 9 dives under his belt.
It is worthwhile, definitely. I’m young and work as a boatman in the yacht club so I’m always near the water and if I can easily make 50€ an hour, I’m more than happy!

I started diving last year yes. I’ve done a few weeks doing work experience on a fish farm in the North of Ireland .
You didn’t read my post right but it’s ok, I said I want to do a HSE scuba level 1 course in a few years time because it’s part of a university course I want to take.

The Marinas aren’t massively busy unless it’s during a regatta but there’s plenty of quiet time when they’re outside the harbour. From what I’ve seen after a few dives in the marina , no entanglement possibilities.... maybe we have a special marina as it would make sense with all the rope work going on on yachts.

It’s nore about helping find phones and fooled props, polishing hulls etc, nothing commercial.

 

[EireDiver606]

Congrats on finding the phone! As for equalizing, you can practice just swimming in a pool, since really you should equalize every few feet. After I learned about it I u derstood why sometimes my ears hurt after swimming deep. They should teach it to all swimmers! Tuck you chin a bit when you do it, a lot of divers try to do it with neck extended as they swim down.

I have a 100% search success rate!

 

[Wookie]

I did another prop untangling today. Took about 15 mins as I wasn’t able to get a tank because it was in for a test and my lds was closed. I had to cut one line, go back to surface, cut one line go back to surface, again and again, and then I untangled it. Much tighter than I expected, Jesus. If it was tighter it would have pulled the shaft off. Luckily I had a small victorinox knife to cut through like bread

Victornox knives are the best, serrated. They can be used to cut through wire rope or wire impregnated kevlar. For that job, when the line melts onto the shaft, a good sharp wood chisel and hammer works best.

We do some net testing at work. At least, that's what the project is called. It isn't all nets, although they work best, but it's a spike strip for boats. The idea is that the good guys will get out in front of the bad guys and lay this net, or spike strip in front of the bad guys boat and stop the props without damaging it too badly.

We test the concept on various types of boats. One boat we did a test on about 6 months ago we wrapped the rope so tightly on the shaft that it bound up between the strut and shaft and broke the strut mounts and shoved the strut into the boat. The boat then sank. Thankfully it was at the dock and we had a crane on the lifting slings and the boat only sank a little bit, but still.

Sometimes the poly line melts when around the shaft and flows into the cutlass bearing and hardens when the boat stops. When the boat goes again, it tears the cutlass bearing out of the boat and that's the end of that.

Lots of fun stuff cutting lines out of wheels....

 

[EireDiver606]

Victornox knives are the best, serrated. They can be used to cut through wire rope or wire impregnated kevlar. For that job, when the line melts onto the shaft, a good sharp wood chisel and hammer works best.

We do some net testing at work. At least, that's what the project is called. It isn't all nets, although they work best, but it's a spike strip for boats. The idea is that the good guys will get out in front of the bad guys and lay this net, or spike strip in front of the bad guys boat and stop the props without damaging it too badly.

We test the concept on various types of boats. One boat we did a test on about 6 months ago we wrapped the rope so tightly on the shaft that it bound up between the strut and shaft and broke the strut mounts and shoved the strut into the boat. The boat then sank. Thankfully it was at the dock and we had a crane on the lifting slings and the boat only sank a little bit, but still.

Sometimes the poly line melts when around the shaft and flows into the cutlass bearing and hardens when the boat stops. When the boat goes again, it tears the cutlass bearing out of the boat and that's the end of that.

Lots of fun stuff cutting lines out of wheels....

Yeah in a way, just cutting the ropes were somehow.....satisfying. I just hope I never cut myself with that knife because damn, is that knife sharp.

My diving mentor in Donegal gave one to me as a thankyou as I wasn’t getting paid at all.

I have the small serrated edge one, blade is about 3 inches long and he told me he gets a dozen every year to last the year because they’re so cheap. I’ve seen them in butcher shops for 3€. It cuts through rope very quickly. The downside to the small one I have is the blade isnt thick, so it’s not that strong, and I’m pretty sure the blade doesn’t go to the hilt. It’s also a spartan tip, so I need to grind the top down, so I don’t mistakenly poke myself with it......

Officially the fish farms cant use victorinox knives because they’re too sharp for the size of the handle. But unofficially, there’s always a magnet strip about 10 inches tall full of victorinox knives on the wall right beside the wheelhouse in case sh*t hits the fan

 

[EireDiver606]

Would you guys be able to answer my questions by any chance?
@Lake Hickory Scuba @tbone1004

 

[Fires]

Firstly, thanks for the concern.

I’m PADI Open water, dry suit, whatever. Certifications don’t really mean much to me unless it’s technical or commercial as I’ve met an AOW diver who had 9 dives under his belt.
It is worthwhile, definitely. I’m young and work as a boatman in the yacht club so I’m always near the water and if I can easily make 50€ an hour, I’m more than happy!

I started diving last year yes. I’ve done a few weeks doing work experience on a fish farm in the North of Ireland .
You didn’t read my post right but it’s ok, I said I want to do a HSE scuba level 1 course in a few years time because it’s part of a university course I want to take.

The Marinas aren’t massively busy unless it’s during a regatta but there’s plenty of quiet time when they’re outside the harbour. From what I’ve seen after a few dives in the marina , no entanglement possibilities.... maybe we have a special marina as it would make sense with all the rope work going on on yachts.

It’s nore about helping find phones and fooled props, polishing hulls etc, nothing commercial.

All good, and my bad for mis-reading. I just wouldn't want any ol person getting hurt for no reason.

If you say you are anyway around the marina, and it's the more basic stuff like your previous post of the rope for 50 Euro then I say go for it. If it's quick and easy money and doesn't require much more than that, then it's good to go for it.

In terms of risk, it sounds pretty low key then. Although I would look at some sort of risk avoidances. I can think of one that might help...when guys work on systems (power etc.) they usually lock the breaker, or at the very least have a tag they hang around with massive "STOP" letters and then a short explanation saying work is being done, don't flip the switch.

Might be worthwhile doing the same for the boats. Hang it at all possible steering and engine starting columns. That way you don't have a stupid situation like this (just thought up):

You go and work to untangle a line. While you are down, the owner leaves to get something quick. The owners brother comes and decides to start the engine as they wanted to go out, not knowing that the owner (brother) already tried and realised the rope was there, hence him calling you.

So something stupid like that could lead to an accident. By you creating tags etc. you not only protect yourself, but also show a higher level of professionalism and can charge more. Better than a guy coming down with a tank, "hey man, yeah i'll fix it" and jumping in the water, if you know what I mean.

What you can charge is all about the services you offer and how you represent them and yourself Even if it is a side gig.

Try and think of other items like this and how they may help safety and increase profits.

Best of luck with the adventure!

 

[aquacat8]

Yacht owners where I come from actually sail! So they want everything down ASAP and they are not cheapsters

Oh that is great... love to see that. Where are you, New Zealand?