Basic Things You Should Have On A Dive Boat?

[ekewaka]

First and foremost, you need a C-card before doing any scuba diving!

I disagree. I have five, and I have never used any of them.

 

[ekewaka]

I believe if it's medical grade oxygen it shouldn't be in like a regular pony tank. It should be a particular cylinder with like oxygen specific pins on the regulator. You can get them from DAN.

There is nothing wrong with using oxygen from a scuba tank. The only difference is the price and the way it is bottled. If the diver is conscious, then you can use a scuba regulator. If the diver is unconscious, then you will need a continuous flow regulator. I think OMS makes one that will attach to a scuba tank.

 

[plot]

I believe if it's medical grade oxygen it shouldn't be in like a regular pony tank. It should be a particular cylinder with like oxygen specific pins on the regulator. You can get them from DAN.

I clarify because I knew a guy that got a cylinder full of oxygen used to mix nitrox and used normal regs for it (and would breath off it after a pool session). Which is problematic for a number of reasons...

My guess is you'd simply need an o2 cleaned cylinder and parts (normally some type of mask so it still works if the diver is unconscious, not normal regs) so it doesn't explode.

Becuase nitrox has a higher % of oxygen than air and can be mixed by blending pure o2 with normal air in the bottle, all nitrox equipment has to be (or at least should be) o2 cleaned as well to prevent explosion.

 

[ekewaka]

Becuase nitrox has a higher % of oxygen than air and can be mixed by blending pure o2 with normal air in the bottle, all nitrox equipment has to be (or at least should be) o2 cleaned as well to prevent explosion.

For nitrox less than 40 percent, you only need O2 cleaned tanks. The regs and other equipment do not have to be O2 cleaned because they are not exposed to the high FO2. If you are using any method other than partial pressure blending, then even the tanks don't have to be cleaned.

Any time you are using 100 percent oxygen, you need O2 compatible regs. This usually just means that you are using all Viton o-rings, and the reg is not titanium or some other metal that doesn't react well to oxygen, and of course, it should be clean.

 

[plot]

Any time you are using 100 percent oxygen, you need O2 compatible regs. This usually just means that you are using all Viton o-rings, and the reg is not titanium or some other metal that doesn't react well to oxygen, and of course, it should be clean.

I knew there were parts of that class I was forgetting...

Thanks for clearing it all up.

 

[Steve_Dives]

A kitchen timer to leave on board. Set the thing based on your planned dive time. If you and your buddy are not on the surface when it goes off, the surface tenders need to be doing something. Looking for bubbles at a minimum.

For oxygen, I'd look at the travel time from the dive sites to the shore and carry enough oxygen for both divers. DAN's smallest rescue pack provides 20 minutes of oxygen. If you are 30 minutes from land and have two divers, the 20 minute tank leaves you about 40 minutes short of O2.

 

[captain]

1st rule - Never, Never, Never take a cent for anything dealing with the boat, gas food anything. If you do, you just became a boat for hire with all the overhead that brings.

Not correct, others can volunteer to share expenses such as fuel, and other supplies with the boat owner and it is not considered for hire. The key word is volunteer.

 

[Skull]

A twenty foot nylon tag line w/ brass retaining clips for staging your dive gear before exiting the water ...I assume the freeboard is about 36-50 inches above the water line on a 36'-er.
A solid swim platform and/or ladder.
A twelve foot telescoping aluminum/plastic gaff.
A larger caribaner attached to your bow line for moring to a wreck bouy.
GPS/Fishfinfder for charting, locating and dive planning.
Enhanced fire suppression or at least several ABC fire extinguishers if you are going to have O2 on board.
Alpha flag if you head down to the Coronados ..actually you may as well have one anyway diving in the LA/LongBeach/San Pedro and Inter- Island shipping lanes

Aside from all the other suggestions-get a dry suit for boat diving off of LA/O County shoreline.Even at a young age the second dive is going to get cold.

 

[Gil57usa]

My dad has a 35' fishing boat he keeps docked in Huntington Beach CA that me and a friend wants to start diving off of, paying $15 in gas each is better than paying $100+ for a dive boat to take us out. What are some basic things we should keep on board? Besides a SCUBA flag and float anything else? All input is appreciated, thanks.

Jamie

**EDIT**
To clear things up WE ARE NOT CHARTERING just me and a friend taking my dads boat out. A lot of people were responding as if we were going to be chartering or accepting paying customers.

Common sense!

 

[SoCalMike]

I think everyone has missed one important ingredient for a dive boat:

Scuba Divers!

amirite, amirite?