A personal perspective on California Live-aboards

[Peter69_56]

Well said and right on the money

On my trip to Bikini in Truk Master, I was in the forward bunk at the bow. The escape hatch was at the bow, and I did have that in my mind. I too would take a California live aboard, only after ensuring that the ship was to my satisfaction. Liveaboards in third world countries concern me though. Less stringent and poorlly enforced regulations. Still the chance of it happening are quite small, similar to plane accidents.

 

[Travel Bunny]

The SoCal dive boats and dive shops are already making changes. I boarded a local boat in Ventura last night and noticed the changes.The dive shop chartering the trip also had their Dive Instructor sleep in the galley/salon. Due to rough weather conditions, the Captain called the trip early this morning after briefly trying to head out to Santa Cruz Island. The entire dive community wants safety and they are not going to wait for recommendations before taking action.

 

[ishmaelcat]

I boarded a local boat in Ventura last night and noticed the changes.The dive shop chartering the trip also had their Dive Instructor sleep in the galley/salon. Due to rough weather conditions, the Captain called the trip early this morning after briefly trying to head out to Santa Cruz Island.

Spectre?

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

The SoCal dive boats and dive shops are already making changes. I boarded a local boat in Ventura last night and noticed the changes.The dive shop chartering the trip also had their Dive Instructor sleep in the galley/salon. Due to rough weather conditions, the Captain called the trip early this morning after briefly trying to head out to Santa Cruz Island. The entire dive community wants safety and they are not going to wait for recommendations before taking action.

What changes did you notice?

 

[Travel Bunny]

No overnight charging of devices. Dive shop employee sleeping in galley. Escape hatch clearly pointed out in briefing. More detailed briefing by dive shop. I am sure there were other changes that were not visible to the divers.

 

[Travel Bunny]

Spectre?

Peace

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

If I went I would bring a portable/battery operated smoke detector and a CO detector and set them up outside my bunk.

I’m not sure that would help if a fire started on a deck above where you were sleeping and blocked the exit before smoke got down to your level.

When I worked on a commercial boat, someone was assigned to stand watch at night while at sea. We took turns doing 2 hour shifts. This is not foolproof either, but would certainly improve the odds.

 

[lionfish-eater]

I’m not sure that would help if a fire started on a deck above where you were sleeping and blocked the exit before smoke got down to your level.

When I worked on a commercial boat, someone was assigned to stand watch at night while at sea. We took turns doing 2 hour shifts. This is not foolproof either, but would certainly improve the odds.

Here in MN Carbon monoxide detectors are now required on recreational boats for all occupiable compartments.

A boat owner can substitute a set of three warning stickers if they don't want to install the detector.

A young girl died a few years ago from CO that came from a damaged exhaust of an onboard generator.

 

[DandyDon]

Here in MN Carbon monoxide detectors are now required on recreational boats for all occupiable compartments.

A boat owner can substitute a set of three warning stickers if they don't want to install the detector.

A young girl died a few years ago from CO that came from a damaged exhaust of an onboard generator.

It's all too common stories like this that made me a CO fanatic, for tank fills or living at the surface. Too many sources, too little monitoring, too many exceptions. Even a home fireplace can produce 5,000 ppm CO, but how many have their chimneys inspected annually? I've never seen a CO alarm in a hotel room, or even a Smoke alarm in my favorite Cozumel hotel - but they have a water heater somewhere. I just carry my Sensorcon alarm turned on everywhere as I doubt that many restaurants even have CO alarms, and we know that motor vehicles and planes seldom have any.

You can search the news anytime and find many scares and too many fatalities. "...according to the Florida Department of Health, "every year more than 500 Americans die from accidental exposure to carbon monoxide and thousands more across the U.S. require emergency medical care for non-fatal carbon monoxide poisoning." Boats can have several hazards, with the station wagon effect of sucking exhaust back into a cabin of a moving boat to idling with swimmers close to the exhaust.

 

[lionfish-eater]

It's all too common stories like this that made me a CO fanatic, for tank fills or living at the surface. Too many sources, too little monitoring, too many exceptions. Even a home fireplace can produce 5,000 ppm CO, but how many have their chimneys inspected annually? I've never seen a CO alarm in a hotel room, or even a Smoke alarm in my favorite Cozumel hotel - but they have a water heater somewhere. I just carry my Sensorcon alarm turned on everywhere as I doubt that many restaurants even have CO alarms, and we know that motor vehicles and planes seldom have any.

You can search the news anytime and find many scares and too many fatalities. "...according to the Florida Department of Health, "every year more than 500 Americans die from accidental exposure to carbon monoxide and thousands more across the U.S. require emergency medical care for non-fatal carbon monoxide poisoning." Boats can have several hazards, with the station wagon effect of sucking exhaust back into a cabin of a moving boat to idling with swimmers close to the exhaust.

Recreational boats will often tie up to each other at party spots.

Sometimes the exhaust from one boats generator can enter the boat next to it through an open cabin window.


Back in the day, people would hang onto the swim platform on the stern while the boat dragged them through the water. They were inches from the prop and their faces were directly in the exhaust.

Now we know better not to do that, but we still make other mistakes that will look stupid in future hindsight.