Cars for diving

[on_two_wheels]

Odd title, I know.

Here's my dilemma. I have a 2008 Silverado truck and a 2002 convertible corvette. I'm REALLY considering getting a 2007-08 Corvette and just having one car. The monthly payment & insurance will be less than I'm paying for the two vehicles combined.

Here's my question: Anyone else have single vehicles with limited storage space? If so, any issues hauling dive gear? I'm just thinking in terms of dive buddies. Last weekend it was on me to haul three of us and gear to the boat as I was the only one with a vehicle large enough. I'm really on the fence here since I love having the truck and the car. Perhaps I'm just gauging who would push me off this fence either direction.

 

[noreastDIVER84]

As much as it would be cheaper to have the one vehicle, would it really be cheaper?

I have a truck and a car as well. I use the truck for two things, diving and towing my camper. The car gets driven on a rare occasion, but still gets its use. I would never consider putting my dive gear in the car not only because of space(and a Camaro Z28 does have trunk space), but I don't want a wet BC, drysuit, tanks, and weights soaking that stinky seawater into my carpet. With the truck I can put it all in the bed(I have a cap as well) and leave it there. I rinse it all off when I get home and I can let it dry in the truck as well. A good portion of my dive buddies have dive vehicle envy because the back of my truck looks like a dive shop on wheels. I have a tank rack fully stocked with tanks, bars to hang towels, drysuits, BC's, etc., and I have the tools to do minor repairs on regs while out at the dive site.

I would worry about the carpet in the car getting stinky due to seawater, dents and scratches from tanks and weights, closing the rear hatch while a tank is still standing.......don't ask on that one, and numerous other things that I would not worry about with the truck. The last thing is, there are a few dive sites that because of the truck I don't have to walk over a mile down the beach with dive gear to get to a dive site. I have carted 7 divers and their gear to one local dive spot because I was the only one willing to drive on the beach, and the only one with a capable vehicle too. I would stick with both vehicles for so many reasons.

 

[BigHarryDiver]

I drive a Chrysler Crossfire. 2 Seater with no trunk. I can fit my 2 100CF tanks, Pony, my drysuit in a plastic bin so it doesn't get the car wet after the dive, my drysuit undergarment bag and my dive bag with fins, mask etc. all in the back of the car and still have room for a passenger up front with me. Granted, the little bugger is packed tighter than a sardine can, but it works for me.

If I'm going somewhere close with buddies, either we load all the gear into their "soccer mom" vehicle or we all drive ourselves.

 

[helimvee]

The bigger the vehicle you have the more stuff you buy to put in it.

Seriously though, if you had to haul the three of you because you were the only one with a vehicle big enough, what is going to happen when you don't have the truck?

If your new Corvette is loaded with gear are you going to want to drive it down a dirt or gravel road to reach a dive site? This may not be an issue if you are only driving on paved roads.

Why not sell the truck and get an older/cheaper one to use for diving?

I went from a Nissan Pathfinder to a Toyota Matrix. After a couple of dive seasons I now have a Toyota Rav4 because the Matrix was too small. I could not imagine packing a Corvette or Crossfire.

 

[WeldonDowd]

Every household should have one pickup truck. You'll regret selling yours by the time your paper license plate expires. Unless, of course, your looking at a white z06 in which case you'll probably forget all about ever owning a truck.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I have a 2-door Honda Civic with a backseat. I can fit enough gear for two drysuit divers (including 4 tanks) with some space to spare. Rubbermaid bins get loaded into the backseat. The trunk is lined with a waterproof tarp.

If I didn't have a backseat, I could easily transport enough gear for one person.

Needless to say, I'm not the guy in my circle of dive buddies who hauls all of the gear on our roadtrips.

 

[ptyx]

I drive a Mini. Convertible. With a baby seat in the back.
In term of storage space, it can't get much worse.

I can comfortably fit:

• 2 HP100 in the trunk, or 2 HP130 and a 100. Max I've done is 4x HP100, and you'd better open that trunk very slowly...
• A set of doubles in front of the passenger seat. MP72s are no problem, HP100 fit ok - I wouldn't want to try HP120s...
• A collapsible dolly to haul said doubles. Either in the trunk or behind a seat. My big regret is that I can't find a good place to put an x-table.
• A big rubbermaid box with all my dive gear either behind the driver seat or on the passenger seat. Fins, wing, plate, regs, boots, hood, small gear, weights, etc...
• A big duffel bag with drysuit undegarments, spares and other random stuff.
• A space-station sized SLR rig with dual strobes on whatever seat is left.

I just bought a Sierra scooter, which should fit fine in the baby seat (I hope). Otherwise it will replace the camera as I won't be scootering and shooting during the same dive anytime soon.

So as as single diver car, it works pretty well. Between salt water and sand, the seats take a beating - but that fake leather they put in convertibles is tough. The main problem is fitting the big items. Two sets of doubles might be an issue...

Two divers, and things start to become interesting. Especially if the other diver didn't plan for that kind of transportation and travels with a huge roller bag which won't fit anywhere. It can work, but be prepared to play tetris for a while. And get wheel marks on the seats.

 

[on_two_wheels]

Ptyx....I'll keep an eye out for you. Can't be too many vehicles at dives sites loaded like your's.

Just to clarify, all diving is done via beach or marina here in So Cal so it's paved all the way and in the parking lots. I thought about water staying in the carpet but, again, I'm in so cal. Take the top off for a day and you have LOTS of ventilation. However, I'm thinking some sort of plastic liner for the wet stuff would stop that. Essentially, the only serious concerns are putting gear in/out of the car and how much gear. The car has plenty of room to transport gear for ONE diver but nowhere near enough for two. What to do?!!

I do like the idea of a cheap truck just for diving, though. Maybe a small japanese made pickup. Hmmmm.

 

[Jim238]

Perhaps a small trailer that the 'vette could tow?