Dive boat etiquette - when to turn the dive on a charter?

[uncfnp]

@tigerbarb I know this question is not pc but I am curious if you are perhaps female?

 

[tigerbarb]

@tigerbarb I know this question is not pc but I am curious if you are perhaps female?

I'm a skinny & short man, with pretty good buoyancy and a strong aversion to unnecessary physical exertion.

 

[Jcp2]

Ah gotcha. Missed that. Yeah, I forget all the random ways to signal pressure in the recreational world. With all the methods being taught, one would be lucky that the same system was used. I hope one day the tech way crosses over completely.

In my scenario the other diver flashed two fingers, then an o and another o. I actually thought he meant 2000 psi until he kept thumbing the dive so we went up and he told me he only had 200 left.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

So my question is that if you are on a cattle boat, is the "60" minute mandate for each individual divers actual time or is it group time for the first to splash to the last on the boat.... I've seen it take 10-15 minutes to get everyone off the boat.......so if you want longer bottom times, best to be the first off and last on.

 

[Manatee Diver]

of worse, receiving mouth to mouth!

Or rubbing sunscreen on women's backs so they don't get sunburnt... in a completely unrelated fact I am banned from South Beach.

But yeah I'd probably give them an OK and tell them to go away. If that doesn't work they get the number 1 signal.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I've seen it take 10-15 minutes to get everyone off the boat.......so if you want longer bottom times, best to be the first off and last on.

Happened to me with JDC. First one off the boat, last one on it. No one said a word because I was pretty much right on the dot for the time limits.

 

[Johnoly]

So my question is that if you are on a cattle boat, is the "60" minute mandate for each individual divers actual time or is it group time for the first to splash to the last on the boat.... I've seen it take 10-15 minutes to get everyone off the boat.......so if you want longer bottom times, best to be the first off and last on.

I'll just reference the Jupiter larger charters. Since Jupiter depths are deeper than west palm at 80-95+ to the sand. The DM's instructions are for each individual, not the group and it includes you must have/use an SMB if not ascending with the DM. Jupiter is advanced diving and there is not boat mandated buddy assignments nor deco dives allowed. Depending on the dive site and whether it's the 1st or 2nd tank, it's usually Air divers visible on the surface at 30mins and Nitrox divers on the surface at 45mins. The boats don't always do a full 1 hr surface interval because it will depend on sea conditions and the skill level of the divers on board. If a diver's goal is to maximize a full 120 minutes underwater to log in his book, WPB's depths at 40-60ft is a better place to log minutes.

 

[johndiver999]

I still don't really understand the issue and it has been a while since I dove on a charter boat, but if a recreational diver is drifting alone, has no dive flag, has been down longer than expected, then I don't think it is unreasonable for someone to swim down, investigate and ensure that the diver is Ok and ask to take a peek at their computer and air supply.

Sounds like someone tried to help, I would show them my console and wave to them and hopefully everyone would be satisfied. If the person started to frantically signal that I must ascend, then I assume I would comply. There may well be an emergency on the boat that requires all passengers to board ASAP.

If the person started to physically drag me to the surface or something, then I'm not sure exactly what I would do, other than to do my best to capture gopro footage of the incident.

 

[theduckguru]

Sounds like a failure to communicate on several levels, but being certified solo doesn’t mean the charter is required to accept solo divers.

 

[schuylerclark]

I'd rather someone check on me unnecessarily and short the dive than have a real problem and no one check on me, but you'd also think a firm "I'm OK" would settle the matter. Of course, you can scream at some folks and they still won't hear.

Part of me wishes all divers knew ASL and could communicate anything, but the other part of me really enjoys sharing the experience without talking about it.