any boat owners out there?
- Thread starter highlandfarmwv
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Missdirected
Contributor
SwimJim:
I took this class years ago. Really great class - lots of great necessary information.
Just so you know it is not grueling they make it as fun as they can. Plus you will meet a lot of people new at boating, like yourself
mrjimboalaska
Contributor
Nemrod has listed amost the essentials....I also run a drop line that sits about 5' off the bottom, this is so you dont always have to come up the anchor line.
Tank racks are a MUST HAVE!!! Keeps the tanks from rolling around and from the "Pile" of BC/Tanks that I have seen on some boats. I have a 6pack rack in the cabin and 6 spaced holders across my transom.
Jimbo
Tank racks are a MUST HAVE!!! Keeps the tanks from rolling around and from the "Pile" of BC/Tanks that I have seen on some boats. I have a 6pack rack in the cabin and 6 spaced holders across my transom.
Jimbo
OP
highlandfarmwv
Contributor
We have a 2004 23' Maycraft center console t-top with a 225hp outboard engine. It is already seaworthy, but I just wondered what we would need specifically for diving. By personal, I meant "not for hire" diving boat. I know we will have to get new steps, and I am thinking about the Dog-N-Dive steps that have a platform a couple of feet under the water, so you can stand and remove fins before going up a ladder. I have no idea how to secure tanks...but will take your advices!
donnyb
Contributor
Welcome to SB.
OK, with CC boats, most put a tank rack just fwd of the console, typically a wire box deal (like Pelican makes) that holds 6 tanks. Or, they install roll control tank holders which mount on aluminum rails and fold up or down when not in use to give you space to move around. The roll control rails can be mounted along the gunnels or around the center console as needed. That Maycraft is not terribly beamy, so you may be better off with the tank rack fwd of the console, or roll control fwd of the console on either side. Be aware you need to be careful of the height you mount the roll control rails at. there is a sweet spot typically above the tank strap & below the rounded top of the tank that will best hold the tanks, even with the BCD and integrated weights attached.
As far as the ladder, if you have a STRONG swim step, you can retrofit a big strong ladder, if not you will need to reinforce the step, according to the size & weight of the divers you expect aboard. Alternatively you can use a lighter duty swim step & ladder, but do not climb aboard with your gear. We take our gear off in the water and either pass it up to someone in the boat, or clip it to rope lines we hang over the sides from the cleats. Once we are back on deck we pull the lines in and haul the scuba unit up over the gunnels.
Your profile suggests you havent done a lot of dives yet. I would suggest you spend some time on some other dive boats & look at what they are doing to get a sense of your best options with your boat.
OK, with CC boats, most put a tank rack just fwd of the console, typically a wire box deal (like Pelican makes) that holds 6 tanks. Or, they install roll control tank holders which mount on aluminum rails and fold up or down when not in use to give you space to move around. The roll control rails can be mounted along the gunnels or around the center console as needed. That Maycraft is not terribly beamy, so you may be better off with the tank rack fwd of the console, or roll control fwd of the console on either side. Be aware you need to be careful of the height you mount the roll control rails at. there is a sweet spot typically above the tank strap & below the rounded top of the tank that will best hold the tanks, even with the BCD and integrated weights attached.
As far as the ladder, if you have a STRONG swim step, you can retrofit a big strong ladder, if not you will need to reinforce the step, according to the size & weight of the divers you expect aboard. Alternatively you can use a lighter duty swim step & ladder, but do not climb aboard with your gear. We take our gear off in the water and either pass it up to someone in the boat, or clip it to rope lines we hang over the sides from the cleats. Once we are back on deck we pull the lines in and haul the scuba unit up over the gunnels.
Your profile suggests you havent done a lot of dives yet. I would suggest you spend some time on some other dive boats & look at what they are doing to get a sense of your best options with your boat.
FyshEye
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If you get a VHF radio which I recommend make sure you know where you are going. If you use a handheld it's usually only good for a few miles (less than 5 mi. line of sight) Non-handheld use higher watts so you will gain distance.
More importantly, the console mount radios use higher gain antennas. The typicalFyshEye:
handheld has 5 Watts, and a 0 dB gain antenna. The typical console mount VHF
has 25 watts, and a 3 or 6 dB gain antenna, and the antenna is often higher.
And that should not be "IF you get VHF" but rather "WHEN you get a VHF".
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