Dangerous Crossing

[KY_BOB]

Excuse me and pardon my ignorance. I've read this whole thread. Can anyone tell me why the vessel went down? Too rough of water for the boat? Sub-standard boat? Improper maintenance? Why?

I've been there and seen Playa from Coz, it doesn't look like a rough voyage for a 26'-28' 6-pack boat. I do understand that there was a lack of safety features that US off shore boats must have but what caused it to sink?

I understand the past of this dive op. Leave the karma thing out of it. I'm a diver interested in boats and just looking for a reason.

 

[Texas Torpedo]

I can see the decision to cross the channel being reckless in a "6-pack" or other small boat..

 

[Ron Lee]

Here is what I have learned from this. First I do not know if the single engine would have been a red flag. The dive op I use has two on its boats. At least now I know that if both engines quit I should be alert to conditions that could lead to capsizing. I am not a boat dude so obvious things to some are not to me.

I do not have a picture of the inside of the boat to know if I would have detected any issue with it.

What probably would have caused concern is the boat size. I think that the idea of crossing that channel in that size boat would have been a red flag. The number of people on board also would have been iffy.

Unlike Dandy, I do not wear a flotation device while the boat is moving. That may be a shortcoming. I do not wear a wetsuit until nearing the dive site. I do not have emergency signaling devices available for quick grabbing if the boat will sink in 30 seconds or so.

I have no way to easily cut the boat dock balls or whatever they are called.

I do not have any concern for my safety with my dive op. Part of that is due to the closeness to shore and proximity of other dive boats on most dive sites...but not all.

Several years ago when I thought I would dive the east side I bought a waterproof container for my McMurdo Fastfind PLB. My intent was to dive with it and should a life or death scenario occur, I would activate it. Then search and rescue assets would have our exact location.

I also have it handy when flying in areas that would be problematic in the event of a forced landing.

Lots to consider.

 

[Magnolia3]

In spite of my light-hearted comment about an excuse to buy new gear (like I NEED an excuse) I have thought quite a bit about "what if this were me"?

It takes me a while to get my wetsuit on and I usually have it as far as my waist fairly early in a dive. Not knowing where they sank I may or may not have had it on. One thing is for sure though: I woulda have FROZEN without one if in the water 4+ hours. Would I have had fins on? I doubt it. My BCD? Maybe. On the boat I dive with, the tanks (with BCDs and regs mounted) are stored right beside us (which is how LU1 used to be configured but how it is now i dont know) and I think that would have been what I would have tried to put on immediately. Years and years ago, advice I got was your BCD is your best option. I have loads of signaling devices but I think when I get home I'm buying one of those nautilus devices. That had to be one scary vacation dive!

In 15 seconds you could not have gotten your wetsuit on completely... don't believe me.. set your microwave for 15 seconds...that Scubadoc and kev did what they did in the that time frame is amazing. Having the presence of mind to be able to get in a dry box or dive and get the BC's and inflate them in that short of a time span .... ............... Boats sinking by itself is a scary thing for most people. Drifting for hours, not knowing if you will be found is even more so. I have a personal epirb with a strobe on it that I have on my pfd when I go offshore sailing.

I am ecstatic to know everyone was found and is safe..

Boats sink, it happens... as we saw recently off Key Largo. It is not karma, it is just an unfortunate fact of life..
M.

 

[Ron Lee]

cenote69, the pictures did not open for me. Could you post the links one per line to see if that helps.

 

[cenote69]

the Living Underwater

the Nora Gabriela with a new name
the Nora Gabriela

 

[cvchief]

the Living UnderwaterView attachment 114839

the Nora Gabriela with a new nameView attachment 114840
the Nora GabrielaView attachment 114841
View attachment 114842

I'm sorry for being a little slow, but what is your point? Mau scrapped around and got three boats and one is sunk, one is in the jungle and one has a bad motor? And all of them had different names?

Or is this one of those buy a dinner, buy into a dive shop things?

 

[TSandM]

A while back, I read an account of a British dive boat sinking. What struck me at the time, from the very articulate and cogent description of the accident written by one of the divers, is that one has very little time to respond correctly to a sinking boat. I can't count the number of times a captain has said with a laugh, "Well, the life jackets are here, but if it were me, I'd go for my tank and BCD." If you have only a few seconds -- or even a minute or two -- it's going to be awfully difficult to reach and done your gear, particularly if the deck of the boat is at an unusual angle. How many of us really pay good attention to the briefing about floats, life rafts, or any other safety equipment?

All this accident tells me is that we should take these possibilities much more seriously. We should do the best we can, as non-boaters, to assess whether the route planned seems safe or not, and if there are major risks, perhaps stay suited up or even geared up for the crossing. For my money, ALL divers off of boats should be carrying a good selection of signaling equipment, whether there are worries about the seaworthiness of the boat or not.

 

[koozemani]

Let me get this right. Mau renamed the retrofitted glass bottom boat in order to use the park permits that the original Living Underwater carried. Is this right or am I helplessly confused?

 

[Carlos Diver]

It is a miracle everyone escaped alive. That being said, one guy said it perfectly. You need to be in charge of your own safety. If something doesnt seem right, dont do it.

When I was younger, we used to visit my uncle who lived on Lake Erie. He had a twinengine boat. Growing up on the Ohio River, our boat only had one. Being a naive kid, one time I asked him why he needed two? He bluntly stated ``If I cant see land, one engine isnt enough." If that works for a lake, it sure as hell works for the ocean.