Catalina Express Checking Weight of Luggage

[Mr.X]

It makes no mention of actually enforcing it, though.

I don't think they really care that much unless it's a peak travel day with hordes of travelers. When you are hot and bothered - the mates get cranky as all get out. Especially the older ones who's bones are creaking and need some rum/gin medication when they get back to their home dock after a couple of runs back and forth.

X

 

[Kevfin]

I wonder why they started to enforce their policy? Hard to believe that divers were such a problem that they had to start enforcing the 50 lb limit.

Looking at their other rules for baggage, some interesting things they don't allow in baggage:

... chinaware, human corpses, cots, dangerous articles, furniture, gambling devices, glass or glassware, household articles, internal combustion engines of any kind, jewelry, kerosene, liquids, lumber, matches, merchandise, motorcycles, nails, outboard motors, perishable articles, paint, paint thinner, private papers or articles of extraordinary value, produce, televisions (except portable), tires, trail bikes, typewriters (except portable), and wire.

Corpses and typewriters????

 

[leabre]

I wonder why they started to enforce their policy? Hard to believe that divers were such a problem that they had to start enforcing the 50 lb limit.

Looking at their other rules for baggage, some interesting things they don't allow in baggage:

... liquids ...

I can understand the policy if the crew members are handling the bags to stow in the luggage compartments -- so they don't injure themselves with overly heavy items. But when the boat is at 5% capacity, and of that 5% only 20% is divers that will be handling their own luggage, it does not make sense. Not to mention how inconvenient it was to pull individual artifacts out of the gear box to meet the weight, and then find another way to carry those items on... I absolutely will be doing less travel on to Avalon in the future.

But interesting they prohibit "liquids". I pulled out a bottled water (32 oz) and a gaterade and they did not have any issues with me bringing it aboard so long as it wasn't contributing to the weight overage of the 50 lb limit.

All these policies are selectively enforced (my buddies bag was over 50 lbs [61 lbs to be exact] and they let it slide but mine had to be exactly 50 lbs or I couldn't board) and I don't know why it just recently became a policy to enforce it. In what way was the specific boat trip effected by having one bag weigh 75 lbs and the other 13, or one way 50 lbs and another 28 lbs (including the extra 15 lbs from the original weight overage) that are stored next to each other and handled only by the item owner in question?

Dunno! But it is their policy so I'll have to deal with it next time I go there. I should have just told him I only speak Norweigan, perhaps it would have been too much hassle to communicate the overage

 

[drbill]

In the past the times I took my dive gear over to "the Big Island," I did so on a hand cart. No individual piece was over 50 pounds and the hand cart allowed me to transport everything in one trip. I wonder if that will still be OK on my next dive trip to the mainland.

 

[diver_doug]

Seems like a stupid policy...I mean what exactly is the point of it?

 

[Brendon]

It was bound to happen at some point. Last time I went, I had to carry my lead seperate. Im sure there will be some new fees in the near future...

 

[Whitewatermike]

They hit us on Thursday. My rolling crate with one extra BC weighed in at 75lbs while my lead was in a separate bag. I pulled my lights and regs and a few other small items out and stuffed them in another carry on and they let me slide at 57lbs. From what we observed they were only checking divers.

It's a bogus requirement for divers since the crew never has to lift our gear. I encourage everyone to formally complain to Catalina Express, with a copy to the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau.

 

[farmerstephen13]

i just got back from catalina, and I made sure to distribute my weight going out not a single mate checked the weight, on the return my bag was a little wet and they made me put it in the stern section of the boat because of its wetness. no problems with weight though.

 

[Captain12Pk]

Wow, that is very unfortunate for so many of us. dont know why they'd care... we carry our own gear on and off. I guess it's time to start looking for other places to train.
We were planning on spending a few days (and inevitably plenty of money) there for the DWADD. oh well. I guess I can save some vacation days... or go dive San Diego.

 

[drbill]

I did a little investigating. It seems this change in enforcement policy is actually part of a great conspiracy on the part of the dive operators on the island. Yes, SCUBA Luv, CDS and Dive Moore have all conspired to have weights checked so that fewer divers will bring their own gear over and therefore have to rent stuff from these shops! Oops, it isn't April 1st, is it. JUST KIDDING! Don't take me seriously, no one else does!

I wonder if those three shops got together and suggested that this new enforcement policy may (will) actually hurt business here on the island if the Express would be receptive. To me the policy makes no sense since the deckhands do not handle our luggage for the most part. Catalina is a world class dive destination and the companies which provide transportation to the island should be cognizant of this and more flexible (with the exception of the Island Express helicopter service where weight is a very serious and understandable issue).

The more some island businesses do to discourage divers from coming here, the more people will shift to the mainland dive boats which offer a more economical way to dive Catalina (and at several different sites) if you are doing a one day trip out our way. Restaurants, hotels, taxis and other local businesses all benefit from the visits to Avalon by divers... and divers used to be a good group of repeat visitors since their reasons for coming over didn't get as stale as some of our other visitors.