A topic for discussion, 3 divers and no anchoring...

[Capt.Gene]

3 Experienced solo divers on a boat will be live boating on a fair calm day, would YOU be diving 2 up and 1 down, or 2 down and 1 up?

 

[j2s]

If by 'live boating' you mean drifting [no anchor] wouldn't do it at all.....

 

[SSpiffy]

One up and two down.

BUT, by "up" I mean ON THE BOAT.

 

[captain]

One up and two down.

BUT, by "up" I mean ON THE BOAT.

As long as the one on the boat knows how to operate it.

 

[Capt.Gene]

Two up, one down is safer from my perspective, and we dive this way when there are only 3 on board.
While diving is safe relatively, boats are not and sometime require extra hands and eyes especially when divers are exiting or re entering the boat. If you happen to foul the prop with line or throw a belt it can be a 2 man job. Paying attention to divers and boat traffic in the area is tough for one guy if a problem comes up.

 

[Ana]

There's no answer that will apply to all locations, or to all people for that matter. The 3 people are experienced divers, but how much do they know about operating that particular boat around that particular location? What is the boat traffic? how is the ladder on the boat?

If it is my boat it will be 2 down 1 up, as a general rule it is 1 up with down because it's rare to have a 3rd person. I don't see why the poster above said no to live boating, it is done everyday all day in the SE Florida area.

 

[toddster541]

We always have done two down, one up. Even though we usually dive at slack, there is never "zero" current in the San Juans. Always nice to have the boat come get you (or follow you) than to have a long swim back, or be stuck right under the boat. (Most of the time "the boat" is actually the tender, but it's the same concept.)

 

[captain]

There's no answer that will apply to all locations, or to all people for that matter. The 3 people are experienced divers, but how much do they know about operating that particular boat around that particular location? What is the boat traffic? how is the ladder on the boat?

If it is my boat it will be 2 down 1 up, as a general rule it is 1 up with down because it's rare to have a 3rd person. I don't see why the poster above said no to live boating, it is done everyday all day in the SE Florida area.

Live boat is my favorite way to dive.

 

[Dsix36]

1 - Hook the wreck with the anchor

2 - All 3 divers do the dive

3 - Unhook the anchor and throw it in the sand

4 - Deco on the anchor line as the boat drifts

5 - Climb back on the boat and figure out lunch plans

If no anchoring, then either way is fine, dependant upon the individual divers.

 

[Ana]

1 - Hook the wreck with the anchor

2 - All 3 divers do the dive

3 - Unhook the anchor and throw it in the sand

4 - Deco on the anchor line as the boat drifts

5 - Climb back on the boat and figure out lunch plans

If no anchoring, then either way is fine, dependant upon the individual divers.

I don't think #4 can be done safely more than a few times around SE Florida, depending on current strength probably sooner than later a boat drifting freely will get in the way of another vessel.