Boat Rental and Experienced Divers

[NW Dive Dawg]

• My guess is that FL has a requirement for any boat operator to complete a boater safety course. Even if not required, have them take the course.
• The boat rental folks are going to both insist and document that anyone operating their boat is qualified....so think about risks related to insurance and liability.
• Do easy sites first.
• Make sure they are both 100% familiar with operating, communication, navigation and emergency procedures.
• For anchoring make sure that there is a "quick" deploy option with a pre-tied and cleated mooring ball on the bow. Then if needed to retrieve yiou from down current they can just un-cleat, toss the mooring ball over, retrieve the divers and come back later for the anchor.
• For mooring, make sure that your bow line is looped and cleated so that it can be easily released.
• Use a tag line.
• Make sure they understand that a live prop in gear can kill you.
• Make sure they understand that a tag or anchor line wrapped in the prop will disable the boat.
• When in doubt with a diver in the water turn off the engine.
• Make a checklist and have it available
• Make sure they understand the operation and purpose of the emergency cutoff switch.
• If possible, dive with a Nautilus Lifeline (with the radio option) and have them monitor channel 16.
• Divers need SMB and DSMB, signal mirror, dive-alert, etc.
• HAVE FUN!!!!!

There's other stuff but this might be a good start for discussing and planning...

 

[Belzelbub]

The girls would remain on the boat (with very little boating experience between them since it has nothing to do with shopping or mani/pedi days) and I'm guessing we'd be moored by a wreck and maybe drifting while at the reef.

This would be my biggest concern. You should have someone with experience on the boat. Current can be strong, and you could find yourself too far away from the boat.

A charter would probably be easier, and maybe cheaper as well, but I can understand the desire to do it on your own.

I go down to the Keys with my own boat each summer. We stay a few islands up from KW. If you know what you are doing with a boat, you can make it work. Being familiar with reading a chartplotter and bottom machine will help. It’s not too hard to find the reef if you know what you are looking for.

Getting there can be a challenge, though. The channels in the Keys can be unique. Where we usually stay, the resort has a channel around the resort, and the canals are deep enough. To get to the ICW, there is a small marked box. Literally just enough room for my boat, and not much else. From there, it’s a long run over the deeper parts of the flat to get to the actual channel. The idea is to line up in the box and pop up on plane quick. That gets the boat out of the water. Procedure is reversed on the way in. I always see those that don’t know the technique, and their props are cutting a path though the mud and grass. Don’t do that.

Boat rental places will probably have some spots marked in the boat, but usually just public numbers. Quality of the rental outfit can vary greatly.

Like I said, my biggest concern is not having experienced boaters on the boat while diving.

I should add, it’s very easy to get in trouble on the water in the Keys. The shallow areas aren’t just soft mud. Large rocky areas and coral heads are common. The first few years I went down, I followed a friend that practically grew up down there. That cut the learning curve way down.

Diving in the Keys is very different from freshwater diving, and boating in the Keys is not all that similar to lake boating.

 

[Scraps]

• My guess is that FL has a requirement for any boat operator to complete a boater safety course. Even if not required, have them take the course.

Only for operators born after January 1, 1988.

 

[MrVegas]

Wouldn't it be easier (and cheaper) to go out on a commercial dive charter? It depends on the number of people splitting the cost, but renting a boat is usually not cheap. Also, if you have never dove in current before and had to get back to the boat (or have the boat find you), it might be a good idea to do the charter first.

 

[Wallster]

I think a couple charters would be the way to go. The captains will know where fish and wrecks are. Sure beats dropping down to a sandy bottom.

 

[100days-a-year]

Not that hard to find bottom or bouyed wrecks in the Keys, go at sunup to beat the charters to the bouys.
Unmarked stuff is usually fishier/ less sharky that stuff that gets hammered daily.
You can see bottom on the outer reef and occasionally on the inshore reef.
We have rescued 1 charter captain and two different divers from charter boats in the Keys.
Rescued two divers 30 miles offshore Jax when it turned out their bubble watcher buddy was a dunce just circling the bouy 1/4 mile from where they surfaced.
It's not rocket science in the Keys because you can see land and there are usually lots of boats nearby.
We rented a few times before we started taking our own boat.
In 8000 ocean dives I've done 3 charters.
1 Manatee trip
1 spearfishing trip with a close friend whose boat it was
1 spearfishing trip I was gifted
I'd rather eat kitty litter than take trip with boat full of goons.

 

[Belzelbub]

Not that hard to find bottom or bouyed wrecks in the Keys, go at sunup to beat the charters to the bouys.
Unmarked stuff is usually fishier/ less sharky that stuff that gets hammered daily.
You can see bottom on the outer reef and occasionally on the inshore reef.

Agree completely. If you know how to read a bottom machine and gps, finding spots in the keys is not too difficult. Most rental boats will probably include the public numbers, so you’ll at least have a start. From there it’s just a matter of finding a spot on the reef line if you want something a bit less traveled.

We have rescued 1 charter captain and two different divers from charter boats in the Keys.

I’ve only rescued one snorkeler. Saw him behind my buddy’s rental boat. He appeared to be struggling against the current. Tossed him a line and brought him aboard. Older man, with no fins. He had nothing left when we got him aboard. Took a minute before he could tell us where his people were. They had no clue he was in trouble.

I'd rather eat kitty litter than take trip with boat full of goons.

Love this line. I’ve only done a charter when it was for a checkout dive. No desire to do a headboat charter. 6 pack may be OK, but more than that is just too crowded for me.

 

[GiraffeMarineSalvage]

• Make sure they understand that a live prop in gear can kill you.

There are many potential new risk factors diving saltwater, but this one plus significant unexpected weather changes are two topics entire books can be written about...

 

[Belzelbub]

• Make sure they understand that a live prop in gear can kill you.

This can't be emphasized enough. It was stated multiple times in the boating course I took.

However, it appears that many don't grasp this. Lots of stories out there about people being injured or killed by a prop. Not only divers, often it's kids riding on the bow.

The rule on my boat is engines off, when divers entering or exiting. For me, neutral doesn't cut it. It's possible for something to bump it in gear.