Dive Boat Etiquette on SoCal Boats

[ICY ICE]

how bout some other issues I haven't heard covered. In so-cal is it improper to bring two tanks? What about if you were diving doubles? Do you leave your BC attached to your tank when getting it filled, or should you bring the cylinder separate?

If I'm diving nitrox, I'll bring 2 full tanks and the third dive would be 21%(Unless the boat has nitrox). Some of the dive sites qualify for technical diving "Oil Rigs" and is common to see a diver with 6+ tanks.

Many of my friend dive doubles and a few are technical divers, I would also double(++++BT, less :sick: ) if my back could bare the weight.



Bring one tank it your diving 21%
Bring multiple tanks if your diving Nitrox, Doubles or Technical dives.

Either way, this must be cleared with the captain of the boat.

 

[SoCalAngel]

Great information!

Tipping has been mentioned a couple of times, so I'll ask a few follow up questions.

What is a proper amount to tip in SoCal assuming that they are doing a stellar job?

What is the amount of tip based on if the job is less than stellar, but not bad enough to withhold a tip completely?

Do you tip everyone individually or do you usually toss an amount into a kitty?

I understand that situations may vary because of one member of the crew being absolutely worthless while the others are working like animals for you. I'm looking for the general rule.

Christian

Ok, I haven't read through all the thread, yet, but here's my 2 cents...

$5/tank or $15/day if average help; $20/day if awesome job; $5 or 10 if poor. More if on a multi-day trip.

Oh, also, DM's hired by charters do NOT get part of the tip. So you may want to give him or her more $ on the side. The cook and deck hands split the pot. Captain also (usually) don't get tip money.

If someone was really helpful or awesome, I give them a 5 directly. Also, most of the guys appreciate hugs and massages (from the chick divers....) in leiu of $$$.

Etiquette: tank goes to the same spot every time.
keep your stuff together
divers with good air go first
ALWAYS save me hot water
don't eat all the food before everyone is out of the water!

Bring w/you: I like to bring my own pillow and sleeping bag, or at least a sheet, cus you never know when the last time the blankets they have were washed or what someone else did in them....(ewwww, i know...)

Toothpaste and brush....no one wants to smell your morning breathe.

shampoo and conditioner...I always forget these. :gorgeous:

Last, be nice to everyone on the boat, crew and passengers. When one person acts like a jerk because he or she forgot something or had a bad experience, that person ruins the day for everyone else!

 

[SoCalAngel]

Count the gals on a boat, count the guys. When the ladies step up, you can have some hunky guys filling the tanks. Until then, bring on the orange.

BTW - I'm with you. Some finery would not go un-rewarded in LA diving boat circles.

---
Ken

Hey, I tell the hunky deck hands, if they remove their shirts, I will tip them more. Ask around...I do! The cute deckhands know it, too!

Ladies, the odds are stacked in our favor for male deckhands...join my club...reward nekkedness! (even only partial nekkedness) :gr1:

 

[RonDawg]

Interestingly enough, most if not all of these "Rules of Etiquette" apply to dive boats anywhere in the world, not just SoCal.

Now that others have mentioned the seasickness issue...if you feel like you need to do so, DO IT!! (Downwind and over the side of the boat of course). Trying to fight this very natural act will simply make you even more miserable, and makes people who see you turn every possible shade of green quite miserable too. While diving off the coast of Oahu last year, another (brand new) diver became sick thanks to the surface chop, and her fighting it simply made things worse for her. So bad that she actually began to cry and whine, and the boat captain got so sick of her he made the unusual step of going all the way back to the marina (from one of the deep dive sites, forget which one) and dropped her off.

Some people will do what they do at home and use the bathroom instead, in order to save their dignity. BAD IDEA TO DO THIS iN A BOAT "HEAD." The confined space, the inability for you to concentrate on the horizon (effective way to postpone if not prevent this event), and the lack of air circulation (also effective) will all conspire to make you even more sick than before. And if you miss the target, the mess you make will simply make people who need to use the head just as sick as you :11:

 

[Robert Phillips]

10. If you must bring booze, make it a 21+ year old scotch and bring enough to share after the dive is over. Single malt is fine, but a quality blended will do too.

Ugh! Blended? How dare you even suggest blended scotch for anything other than removing stains! :11:

 

[Ann Marie]

Hey, I tell the hunky deck hands, if they remove their shirts, I will tip them more. Ask around...I do! The cute deckhands know it, too!

Ladies, the odds are stacked in our favor for male deckhands...join my club...reward nekkedness! (even only partial nekkedness) :gr1:

Laurel,

I'm willing to chip in!!

 

[dgallo]

Agreed. You use blended when someone wants ice.

Putting water or ice in a fine single malt is heresy!

- David

Ugh! Blended? How dare you even suggest blended scotch for anything other than removing stains! :11:

 

[D_O_H]

Agreed. You use blended when someone wants ice.

Putting water or ice in a fine single malt is heresy!

- David

I have to say, I don't mind a nice Johnny Walker Blue (or even gold) or some of that fancy chivas in a ceramic bottle from time to time. The taste is a lot more complex than a single malt, but equally pleasing.

To not make this a complete continuation of the hijack, thanks for the great etiquette tips. I'm diving on the Sea Bass on 4/24 and this will help me try to behave myself.

P.S. There's nothing at all wrong with putting a little bit of spring water in your scotch - it opens up the flavor.

 

[alaity47]

Have a great time on the Sea Bass - oil rigs, or Catalina? It's pretty different from the bigger boats; if anything, I'd say a lot of the etiquette rules are even MORE applicable, since there's less deck space and usually more advanced divers. I really enjoy going out with that crew; they've got oil rig drop-offs and pick-ups down to a science!

 

[mweitz]

Uh, doubles are GREAT for two tank boat dives. You do two dives off of them without changing tanks or getting a fill. You have them all geared up when you arrive at the boat and just bring them on like a backpack. A lot less fuss and muss, and keeps the deck clearer. While everyone else is gearing up you can eat the snacks. While everyone else is getting fills or changing out tanks, you can eat snacks

I've done it with one operator in N. Ca and will be doing it with another in July. I check with the operator first, some boats can't accommodate them very well with the system they have of holding tanks... I assume that it wouldn't be much different down there ....??

Mark