Anchored Boat story 2

[MXGratefulDiver]

Depends on the boat and the circumstances ... I've dived off of plenty of small boats where we left no one on board while diving. The key is to make sure the boat's secured properly, and if there's current, that you have a pretty good length of tag line trailing off the back in case you overshoot the anchor line when ascending.

I recall a boat story with Uncle Pug several years ago, diving from his Whaler at one of my favorite sites ... Possession Point Ferry. We grappled the wreck and started gearing up when, upon dropping a lanyard overboard with a bolt snap for clipping off our rig when we got done (you get out of the rig before attempting to climb aboard) I realized how strong the current was ... this area's known for surface current, but once you get down below about 20 feet it goes away completely. Anyway, the bolt snap skipping on the surface behind the boat was a clue that maybe this was going to be a bit of a challenge. Talking about it, we decided to go around the corner to the Fingers, where we'd be out of the current. But we couldn't get the anchor unhooked, so we decided to just go off the bow and hand-over-hand down the anchor line to the wreck. As expected, at about 20 feet the current petered out and by the time we got to the wreck at 70'ish feet it was gone completely. We had a glorious dive. After the dive Uncle Pug unhooked the anchor (a smallish grapple) and we took it with us as we made our ascent. When we surfaced next to the boat it seemed quite calm. "Where'd the current go?" I asked. Uncle Pug said "We're in it." Looking for the buoy near where we'd anchored I realized it was nearly a half-mile away and we were moving at a good clip away from it ... but right here next to the boat it seemed perfectly calm. We shrugged out of our gear, clipped it to the lanyard, and climbed aboard without any real effort.

As with most things diving, the word never doesn't really apply ... it depends on circumstances. What often gets people in trouble is applying rules of thumb (or not) without considering the circumstances, or understanding why those rules exist in the first place ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[CT-Rich]

When I started diving I was aboard this little charter that I took for diving every other weekend through my LDS. Very nothing special dives. After one dive we all got aboard the boat, I think there were maybe 4 divers and the captain tried to haul up the anchor and couldn't. I remember we each had some reason we couldn't go back down and clear the hook (my sinuses were congested and I got up okay but wouldn't be able to equalize going back down). So the captain (really should be referred to as the driver, captain is way too generous for this dude) decides that he is going to pull it free...

He transferred the line to a cleat on the stern transom and gunned the engine. I can still recall the crackling noise the fiberglass made as it started to fail. fortunately he thought better of it before he did too much damage. Finally it occurred to him to do the smart thing, and he attached a buoy came back later to retrieve it. It was less than a mile to the marina and he was going to run a second charter to the same spot later that day.

On the bright side, if he did sink it, I was in my 1/4" farmer john and could have stayed in the water after watching him swim to the rock pile and light. we had been diving around.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I can still recall the crackling noise the fiberglass made as it started to fail.

That cracking noise you heard was probably the cleat starting to say goodbye to the boat rather than the transom getting ready to depart so it is unlikely that the boat would have sunk. However having had a boat sink out from under me before I can agree that it is comforting to already be in your exposure suit when it happens. Bonus if you can keep your cell phone dry to call the Coast Guard.

 

[Adventure-Ocean]

A close friend of mine was the captain of a 60 ft. commercial dive boat. He punched out on a day that had a small craft warning given by the coast guard. He was on the boat when the anchor came loose and he had divers in the water. The wind was blowing 30 kts so his boat was moving quickly as he tried to start the engines. As luck would have it, neither engine started. He had to call for help to the coast guard. They towed him in and picked up all the divers. The coast guard told my friend if any of the divers would have been injured or worse, he would be charged and jailed for taking the boat out on a small craft warning day. He thought his vessel was not a small craft but the coast guard said it was. What is clear is that anchoring your boat has to be done correctly. 3 to 1 scope works good on small boats but 6 to 1 is used on larger vessels. Making a mistake anchoring can lead to a serious outcome. On the dive trips I was captain on, I had my crew go down and set the anchor by hand. That would be sure it's secure and they could choose dead coral or rock to hook on instead of any live coral.

Adventure-Ocean

 

[Uncle Pug]

+1 for the captain never leaving the boat unless there is a qualified operator onboard who knows how to start and maneuver the boat.

I've only been stranded by a live boat operator twice: once we were able to hitch a ride with a fishing boat several miles from the drop in and another time I was able to swim to a nearby island and wait for a ride. I figure as long as I have my drysuit (on) and my fins I'm golden here in Puget Sound and even the San Juans for the most part. Open ocean diving is another matter. Not only do I want a 'captain' on board but I definitely like to have a dependable pickup service.

 

[Hank49]

What is clear is that anchoring your boat has to be done correctly. 3 to 1 scope works good on small boats but 6 to 1 is used on larger vessels. Making a mistake anchoring can lead to a serious outcome. On the dive trips I was captain on, I had my crew go down and set the anchor by hand. That would be sure it's secure and they could choose dead coral or rock to hook on instead of any live coral.

Adventure-Ocean

I always check my anchor set also (25 foot panga design boat). We rarely anchor any deeper than 70 feet so a quick free dive down to set it good is well worth the effort. It's hard to tell the height of the rock formations along side the sand we're dropping the anchor in and with the chain and anchor on the bottom, the rope could be chafing on a rock or coral. And if it breaks loose, it's not far to the shallow reef just inside in many places we dive. My boat and lower units would be pretty badly damaged.
Or, the chain could be looped under a big rock making hauling it up difficult. We reset it for ease of lifting it up as well.

 

[CT-Rich]

That cracking noise you heard was probably the cleat starting to say goodbye to the boat rather than the transom getting ready to depart so it is unlikely that the boat would have sunk. However having had a boat sink out from under me before I can agree that it is comforting to already be in your exposure suit when it happens. Bonus if you can keep your cell phone dry to call the Coast Guard.

I never said he was going to tear off the transom, but he was on the verge of making a mess of his bosses boat. Bonus point for pre-cell phone shipwrecking...

 

[Rick Murchison]

... He transferred the line to a cleat on the stern ...

Warning!
This is one of the most reliable ways to sink a small boat that I know of, not from a transom failure, but from the combination of the motor and the anchor line pulling the stern under. Please don't do it!

Rick