ffbailey39
New
anybody have any info to share about boat based dive operations. setups, failures, what works and what doesn't. looking to do some team training next month and was looking for some ideas.
Matt
Matt
boat based dive operations
- Thread starter ffbailey39
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vablackwater
Contributor
A big part of boat based PSD is ensuring the positioning and anchoring of the vessel. In order to do repeatable patterns (ie arc based tended divers) you need a stable point of reference (where the tender is working from) via a solid anchoring system. This is also important in terms of documenting where you searched and potentially found the victim or evidence. The downside of the anchoring system is the divers being conscious of working around the anchors and the lines/ chains.
I don't know where you are diving (lake, river, ocean) but look at 3 or 4 point anchor systems, and utilizing anchors that will give better holding potential (danforth versus mushroom depending on bottom type). You can also consider increasing scope of chain/ line to the anchor.
If you are able to work close to shore, try setting range lights (two lights in a vertical line, offset height... if far from shore use a greater vertical distance to seperate the lights) to help you determine how you are holding, and try to get a 90 degree cross with another fixed object if possible.
You can also consider using other patterns such as circle or jacks, with the boat doing more support.
Other things to include would be refreshers for all involved relative to general vessel safety, as well as establishing good comms with a shore based command. Ideally, we try to use jet boats instead of props when we are in the water.
Hope that helps! If you give more details to where you will be diving and what platforms you are using others may chime in!
I don't know where you are diving (lake, river, ocean) but look at 3 or 4 point anchor systems, and utilizing anchors that will give better holding potential (danforth versus mushroom depending on bottom type). You can also consider increasing scope of chain/ line to the anchor.
If you are able to work close to shore, try setting range lights (two lights in a vertical line, offset height... if far from shore use a greater vertical distance to seperate the lights) to help you determine how you are holding, and try to get a 90 degree cross with another fixed object if possible.
You can also consider using other patterns such as circle or jacks, with the boat doing more support.
Other things to include would be refreshers for all involved relative to general vessel safety, as well as establishing good comms with a shore based command. Ideally, we try to use jet boats instead of props when we are in the water.
Hope that helps! If you give more details to where you will be diving and what platforms you are using others may chime in!
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Have the Training Officer, supervisor or whatever you call the person in charge that day run some unannounced rescue drills. Never hurts to practice getting unconscious divers into boats safely and effectively.
jfa_16
Registered
Practice real time drills with mannequins and witnesses. Have your team members respond as they would for a real call. Make sure they operate the boat as they would while responding, are getting dressed out en route to the call, anchor/tie off the boat upon arrival, obtain last seen points from witnesses, splash your primary diver and have your back-up diver in place and ready to deploy. Have the tender work the operation as a real operation, keeping track of the area searched, diver's times and air supply, etc. If the mannequin is found by the primary diver, have it brought to the boat and have the tender and back-up remove the victim and primary diver from the water and begin medical care on the victim. If the primary diver doesn't locate the victim during his sweeps, splash the back-up to search beyond where the primary diver searched.
Keep it interesting, use multiple mannequins, thrown in some out of air/distressed diver emergencies to keep the back-up divers from getting complacent. Also, consider doing some surface work. Dive teams get so caught up with diving that I think we sometimes neglect practicing our surface rescue skills.
Keep it interesting, use multiple mannequins, thrown in some out of air/distressed diver emergencies to keep the back-up divers from getting complacent. Also, consider doing some surface work. Dive teams get so caught up with diving that I think we sometimes neglect practicing our surface rescue skills.
PSD-LT22
Registered
Our team's next class is just that. LGS is giving a combination class for us combining Boat operations and underwater vehicle extrication. Depending on the weather and time of year we have several conditions we will have to deal with salt/fresh/tidal/swift water/black water, you name it. from what I've read so far (like VABLACKWATER said) anchoring is a major concern especially if your in moving water. I'll be happy to report back once we've taken the class.
Our team trains for a few different scenarios with boats.
First is towing operations and is the one time we have more than one diver in the water. We use a bar behind the boat and two divers. We use this when we are in a large body of water with a large search area to cover. The visibilty has to be good for us to do this. It has worked very well but you have to have an experienced boat driver and divers to make it work. The boat driver needs to know how to control the speed and make good turns. The divers need to be able to work together to control the bar and make for a smooth ride. I have had some great dives both in training and searches with this type of operation.
Second is a fixed dive operation from a boat. This used to be a challenge becuase we did a circular pattern and it was hard to keep your position no matter what type of anchor you had. What we do now is sweep patters against the anchor point. It keeps your position very well although you do not cover as much area as the circular patterns. You are more accurate in your search area becuase you do not move vs. the circular where you usually moved your pivot point and could miss an area.
The final boat operation although could apply to a fixed postion is current diving in a river. Here in CT our team has dove the CT river which is very wide. We anchor the boat and do pendulums off the back of the boat. We float the diver down river on the surface and pull him back to the boat. This helps prevent getting snagged and having to fight against the current to free the diver. If the diver runs into an obstruction while being pulled in the line can be let back out and the current will aid the diver in avoiding the object. This also works in the smaller rivers where you are sweeping off a bridge or a line across the river.
Before anyone chimes in about bodies not resting in current we have had vehicles that have gotten hung up in currents and had to do searches.
Hope this helps.
Mark D.
First is towing operations and is the one time we have more than one diver in the water. We use a bar behind the boat and two divers. We use this when we are in a large body of water with a large search area to cover. The visibilty has to be good for us to do this. It has worked very well but you have to have an experienced boat driver and divers to make it work. The boat driver needs to know how to control the speed and make good turns. The divers need to be able to work together to control the bar and make for a smooth ride. I have had some great dives both in training and searches with this type of operation.
Second is a fixed dive operation from a boat. This used to be a challenge becuase we did a circular pattern and it was hard to keep your position no matter what type of anchor you had. What we do now is sweep patters against the anchor point. It keeps your position very well although you do not cover as much area as the circular patterns. You are more accurate in your search area becuase you do not move vs. the circular where you usually moved your pivot point and could miss an area.
The final boat operation although could apply to a fixed postion is current diving in a river. Here in CT our team has dove the CT river which is very wide. We anchor the boat and do pendulums off the back of the boat. We float the diver down river on the surface and pull him back to the boat. This helps prevent getting snagged and having to fight against the current to free the diver. If the diver runs into an obstruction while being pulled in the line can be let back out and the current will aid the diver in avoiding the object. This also works in the smaller rivers where you are sweeping off a bridge or a line across the river.
Before anyone chimes in about bodies not resting in current we have had vehicles that have gotten hung up in currents and had to do searches.
Hope this helps.
Mark D.
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