I was surprised to see the configuration of the boat in the Channel Islands fire. I suppose we all take our familiar configurations for granted. I am starting a thread with the hope people can describe what is typical in their personal experience.
Typical liveaboards.
- Thread starter KenGordon
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Most of my experience is with Scottish liveaboards. These are all 12 divers maximum and usually converted fishing boats of 20 to 25m. The accommodation is generally twin cabins but some are arranged with a larger space with the bunks to the outside, or a mixture of both. Crew is usually only two or three and they are hidden away in dark places. Mostly the accommodation is below the main deck, although at least one has an accessible cabin at main deck level. Diving is conducted directly from the boat and it comes to pick up divers unless they are too close to the rocks, always staying live. Costs are about £600 to £800 for a week’s accommodation and six days of diving and food.
Egypt again has twin cabins, in my experience they are on the same level as the dive deck, the crew (which can outnumber the guests) is below. There might be 10 to 12 cabins. These will be 25 to 35m. Diving is mostly conducted from small ‘zodiacs’ while the main boat is moored. Cost is about £1000 plus flights for 6 days of diving and 7 nights.
My experience in Indonesia was similar to Egypt, although I get the impression that other schemes are also common.
Egypt again has twin cabins, in my experience they are on the same level as the dive deck, the crew (which can outnumber the guests) is below. There might be 10 to 12 cabins. These will be 25 to 35m. Diving is mostly conducted from small ‘zodiacs’ while the main boat is moored. Cost is about £1000 plus flights for 6 days of diving and 7 nights.
My experience in Indonesia was similar to Egypt, although I get the impression that other schemes are also common.
Aggressor Liveaboard. 24 divers maximum, about a dozen private staterooms, most on main deck. Walk out the door, make a left or right and you're clear of the inside of the boat in a few steps.
I would never book a liveaboard that puts me in one big room with 3 dozen people. Talk about a cattleboat.
I would never book a liveaboard that puts me in one big room with 3 dozen people. Talk about a cattleboat.
It surprises me that wooden hulled liveaboards are so common. Is the beautiful wooden "phinisi" style that is so common in Indonesia going to see a downturn in bookings due to customers now more aware of fire risk?
My experience consists of a grand total of three liveboards, and all have had steel hulls.
My experience consists of a grand total of three liveboards, and all have had steel hulls.
drrich2
Contributor
I've been on 3 Aggressors (Belize Aggressor IV, Cayman Aggressor IV & Turks & Caicos Aggressor II); IIRC, on the 1st the state rooms exited out a hall to the dive deck, and on the latter two the state rooms were off a hall below the main deck, so we used a ladder up and down. Had 1 trip about Truth Aquatics boat the Vision, which I'm told is very like the Conception was in design.
I suspect the key issue in the thread question is how many exits from the bunking area are available in the event of an emergency, and what are they like?
I've historically not made a big point of identifying and recalling 'Exit #2.' I've noticed on boats the life jackets tend to be in some container toward the top deck, so in the event of an emergency, head up there ASAP and expect to join other passengers and crew, and go from there.
In the wake of the Conception disaster, that plan will need to be revised.
I suspect the key issue in the thread question is how many exits from the bunking area are available in the event of an emergency, and what are they like?
I've historically not made a big point of identifying and recalling 'Exit #2.' I've noticed on boats the life jackets tend to be in some container toward the top deck, so in the event of an emergency, head up there ASAP and expect to join other passengers and crew, and go from there.
In the wake of the Conception disaster, that plan will need to be revised.
I've done both Aquacat out of the Bahamas, and Spoilsport in the GBR - they are possibly sister boats - both are very similar layout catamarans. All steel.
Guest berthing on both are staterooms with windows, with the exception that each has one odd-ball bunk-bed cabin at the front that's sort of in the middle. Aquacat's room 11 has a skylight, Spoilsport's has no windows. The rest of the cabins all had large windows.
On both boats, the quest cabins are on the same deck as the dive deck - the deck directly over the left and right side hulls. It's been a while, and I don't recall if/what forward exit there was from this deck (the main passage was to a water tight door out onto the dive deck).
The crew cabins, along with the major mechanicals, are in the left and right hulls. I don't recall what, if any, secondary egress options they have from down there - possibly a hatch out to the area were the anchors are? Primary access was down stairs roughly 1/3 of the way into the hallway where the guest cabin open into.
Next deck up was the salon & galley. On Spoilsport, this was also where the wheelhouse (incl. captain's berth?) is, as I recall. On Aquacat there's a forward watertight door that opens onto a small open deck that guest are allowed to use.
Aquacat's top deck has the wheelhouse and an open-air deck (and a bar). Spoilsport's top deck was all open, half shaded -- we took gear up there on the last day to dry.
Guest berthing on both are staterooms with windows, with the exception that each has one odd-ball bunk-bed cabin at the front that's sort of in the middle. Aquacat's room 11 has a skylight, Spoilsport's has no windows. The rest of the cabins all had large windows.
On both boats, the quest cabins are on the same deck as the dive deck - the deck directly over the left and right side hulls. It's been a while, and I don't recall if/what forward exit there was from this deck (the main passage was to a water tight door out onto the dive deck).
The crew cabins, along with the major mechanicals, are in the left and right hulls. I don't recall what, if any, secondary egress options they have from down there - possibly a hatch out to the area were the anchors are? Primary access was down stairs roughly 1/3 of the way into the hallway where the guest cabin open into.
Next deck up was the salon & galley. On Spoilsport, this was also where the wheelhouse (incl. captain's berth?) is, as I recall. On Aquacat there's a forward watertight door that opens onto a small open deck that guest are allowed to use.
Aquacat's top deck has the wheelhouse and an open-air deck (and a bar). Spoilsport's top deck was all open, half shaded -- we took gear up there on the last day to dry.
Dogbowl
Contributor
I’ve been to Raja Ampat on the Indo Siren. According to the deck plans, they have escape hatches in 6 of the 8 passenger cabins that exit onto the dive deck. I was in cabin 8 so didn’t have one, and I didn’t check out other people’s cabins. The cabins were below main deck but above the waterline with porthole windows. Main exit was a flight of stairs up to the main deck. The crew bunks were also below deck but they had 2 “stairways” up to an open air dining area. This was a very comfortable phinisi. Very roomy. I really liked it.
https://botportal.blob.core.windows.net/images/sy_indo_siren_deck_layouts_nbr_hr.jpg
I’ve also been on the Belize Aggressor IV. Most of the passenger cabins were on the dive deck level. The hallway to the passenger cabins had one exit to the dive deck (stern) and another doorway out to the bow of the boat, not a hatch (next to cabin 2 & 3). You could actually walk straight through it to exit onto the bow. Passengers don’t normally go there, it was an emergency exit or for the crew. All passenger cabins had big picture windows above the shoreline.
Adventure Vacations | Aggressor® Liveaboards, Safaris & River Cruises
https://botportal.blob.core.windows.net/images/sy_indo_siren_deck_layouts_nbr_hr.jpg
I’ve also been on the Belize Aggressor IV. Most of the passenger cabins were on the dive deck level. The hallway to the passenger cabins had one exit to the dive deck (stern) and another doorway out to the bow of the boat, not a hatch (next to cabin 2 & 3). You could actually walk straight through it to exit onto the bow. Passengers don’t normally go there, it was an emergency exit or for the crew. All passenger cabins had big picture windows above the shoreline.
Adventure Vacations | Aggressor® Liveaboards, Safaris & River Cruises
JackOfDiamonds
Jewish Space Laser Operator
Most liveaboards in Sinai that i have been to have the same Lay out .
Most of the rooms are cramped in the bottom deck and there is only one way out - all the way down the hall, up the stairs to the main hall and then outside. No escape hatches.
They are made entirely out of wood and as you can imagine , being Sinai, safety is slightly underrated could be taken more seriously sometimes.
The thought crossed my mind more then once while i was sleeping in the front of the bow, the furthest you can be from the exit.
Theoretically , if the boat would catch fire or start sinking i would probably be screwed.
Most of the rooms are cramped in the bottom deck and there is only one way out - all the way down the hall, up the stairs to the main hall and then outside. No escape hatches.
They are made entirely out of wood and as you can imagine , being Sinai, safety is slightly underrated could be taken more seriously sometimes.
The thought crossed my mind more then once while i was sleeping in the front of the bow, the furthest you can be from the exit.
Theoretically , if the boat would catch fire or start sinking i would probably be screwed.
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Turks/Caicos Explorer has cabins on 3 decks. Most are on the main deck so down the hall,past the kitchen, thru the lounge and you're outside.
There's also a door at the front leading to the bow but since the anchors are deployed from there - emergency use only.
3-4 cabins are one deck down and there were stairs up to the lounge. The engines/compressors are on that level. I'm sure there's another exit also but I did not go down there.
The 2 premium cabins are a deck up, behind the wheelhouse - they have both stairs down to the lounge, a 2nd set ending in the main hallway that goes to the wheelhouse and outside exits to the sun deck which also has stairs down that end on the dive deck.
IIRC most of the main deck cabins have a window that you could break out and fall directly into the water from - there's no wraparound outside deck on the main level. The lower cabins - just a porthole.
https://www.explorerventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Boat1-768x435.jpg
we did a fire drill the first day.
There's also a door at the front leading to the bow but since the anchors are deployed from there - emergency use only.
3-4 cabins are one deck down and there were stairs up to the lounge. The engines/compressors are on that level. I'm sure there's another exit also but I did not go down there.
The 2 premium cabins are a deck up, behind the wheelhouse - they have both stairs down to the lounge, a 2nd set ending in the main hallway that goes to the wheelhouse and outside exits to the sun deck which also has stairs down that end on the dive deck.
IIRC most of the main deck cabins have a window that you could break out and fall directly into the water from - there's no wraparound outside deck on the main level. The lower cabins - just a porthole.
https://www.explorerventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Boat1-768x435.jpg
we did a fire drill the first day.
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