Boat Diving

[Quarrior]

I'm curious. For the sake of discussion, let's say there are 2 buddies that want to go diving on a reef. One of the buddies has a boat and there is nobody else on the boat.

So, considering it is not good practice to drop an anchor on a reef, how do they keep the boat in place while they're diving?

 

[oly5050user]

either tie up to a mooring at the site,if there is one,or anchor in sand with appropriate amount of scope out.. put out a tag line off stern with 100' of line.perhaps use 2 anchors..Not a good idea to leave boat alone but sometimes thats the only choice..would not do it if offshore ..one diver I know ties off his reel to anchor so if it moves he knows it,I do not feel comfortable with that yet..All has to do with conditions of the day..

 

[Doc]

Good advice above.

Otherwise, pull the drain plug. Have a new wreck dive site.

 

[doghouse]

Technically the Coast Guard could consider it an abandoned vessel. NOTICE the word could! It is highly unlikely that anything would happen, but a person could also technically lay a salvage claim on the vessel seeing as how it is technically an abandoned vessel. Leaving a note that this is not an abandoned vessel or putting up a diver down flag does not alive one of the abandoned vessel risk.

 

[dkktsunami]

Very bad idea to leave boat unattended, particularily in the offshore area that I dive. Current could pull you away from the anchored boat, wind and/or current could pull the "anchored" boat away from the dive site, or you could have an emergency ascent away from the boat.

 

[String]

Amusing if the current picks up and theyre unable to return to the boat.
If you're going to do it at all i'd say reel off from the line although my main advice would be dont do it at all as you cant really guarantee a return to the line therefore the boat.

 

[nuke]

easy answer - Don't dive that day. Someone topside is part of your safety plan.

 

[trtldvr]

If, (real BIG IF), you both are experianced divers, this is a situation where solo diving is a good choice. Take turns, 1 up, 1 down.
A few suggested guide lines ( I am sure many more will follow)
1.Person on deck needs to know how to opporate the boat and radio.
2.Person on deck should maintain a "bubble watch".
3.Conservative return times should be agreed upon, before diver splashes.
4.Diver should be equiped for solo diving, ie redundancy. check out the threads in that area if you need a list.
5.Diver should be mentally prepared to be solo. If not, don't go.
6.Conservative gas management practices are in order.

Best option still would be to find a third person, but 1 up 1 down is often a better choice than leaving the vessal unattended.

I recamend reading Diver Down, by Mike Ainge at least 1 chapter addresses this subject.

 

[fisherdvm]

It is unsafe to leave a boat unattended. It must be attended by someone capable of handling the boat and moving it by themselves.

Boaters frequently underestimate depth, or the need for anchor line 3 to 4 times longer than the depth.

 

[superstar]

Technically the Coast Guard could consider it an abandoned vessel. NOTICE the word could! It is highly unlikely that anything would happen, but a person could also technically lay a salvage claim on the vessel seeing as how it is technically an abandoned vessel. Leaving a note that this is not an abandoned vessel or putting up a diver down flag does not alive one of the abandoned vessel risk.

I have never heard of such a thing, how does one lay a salvage claim on a boat? Does this also mean that if I ancored just off the beach then wade up to the beach for a picnic lunch, my boat is abandoned and subject to a salvage claim?