Dive boat search concluded--help still needed

[dab]

Thanks for the many different suggestions and help in my dive boat search. This past weekend I purchased a 1997 26' Shamrock Mackinaw. I will post some pictures soon. I believe this boat will suit my needs perfectly. It is very trailerable, has a keeled hull with an inboard that sits well out of the way for diving and provides a stable ride while under way. The pilot house will provide great protection from the weather but with no rear bulkhead it is plenty open. Huge cockpit area for gearing up, head for those emergencies and good v berth storage. 100 gal fuel capacity, and a custom dive ladder to boot. V hull that likes rough water while providing a very stable platform to dive from. The 8' beam is a little narrow, however this was a trade off for trailerability, and it came with a beautiful custom trailer. Radar, auto pilot, gps, and bottom graph included. Now, I need help and suggestions for customizing the interior, and help with the appropriate name. Any suggestions for a grat dive related name???
Thanks again.

 

[matt_unique]

Thanks for the many different suggestions and help in my dive boat search. This past weekend I purchased a 1997 26' Shamrock Mackinaw. I will post some pictures soon. I believe this boat will suit my needs perfectly. It is very trailerable, has a keeled hull with an inboard that sits well out of the way for diving and provides a stable ride while under way. The pilot house will provide great protection from the weather but with no rear bulkhead it is plenty open. Huge cockpit area for gearing up, head for those emergencies and good v berth storage. 100 gal fuel capacity, and a custom dive ladder to boot. V hull that likes rough water while providing a very stable platform to dive from. The 8' beam is a little narrow, however this was a trade off for trailerability, and it came with a beautiful custom trailer. Radar, auto pilot, gps, and bottom graph included. Now, I need help and suggestions for customizing the interior, and help with the appropriate name. Any suggestions for a grat dive related name???
Thanks again.

It is amazing how significant an effort it is to accessorize a boat after you have the big stuff. A few things off the top of my head: anchor/rode, charts for your area, lines, USCG mandated safety equipment (life preservers, fire extinguishers, signal devices, etc.), emergency parts/tools (prop, belts, fuses), spotlight, paper towels, baby wipes (EXTREMELY handy), large dive flag and means to mount, backup kicker engine/mount, dinghy (island excursions), etc. I have other things on my boat at this point but that is at least a partial list.

Congrats on your boat. I'm counting down to mid April when mine returns to the water.

--Matt

 

[dab]

It is amazing how significant an effort it is to accessorize a boat after you have the big stuff. A few things off the top of my head: anchor/rode, charts for your area, lines, USCG mandated safety equipment (life preservers, fire extinguishers, signal devices, etc.), emergency parts/tools (prop, belts, fuses), spotlight, paper towels, baby wipes (EXTREMELY handy), large dive flag and means to mount, backup kicker engine/mount, dinghy (island excursions), etc. I have other things on my boat at this point but that is at least a partial list.

Congrats on your boat. I'm counting down to mid April when mine returns to the water.

--Matt

Thanks. I won't have a problem with the typical safety/maintainence items, I am thinking more along the line of custom tank racks, benches, storage area, and any other ways that people have customized thier boat to facilitate diving. We are cold water tech divers and try facilitate gearing up as much as possible. 8' across makes for a little tighter quarters but I'm sure their are things we can do. Ideas? Names??
Thanks.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Name is up to YOU. I know a bunch of folks that have asked for help with boat names,
and NOT ONE gotten a suggestion they used. Do a little Googling for ideas, but those
will mostly help with the appropriate form of the name, not with the name of YOUR
boat. You probably won't finalize the name until the first time you get on the VHF and
have to identify yourself.

Best dive boat name I know (it's not mine): Rapture.

 

[scubasean]

Best dive boat name I know (it's not mine): Rapture.

I've always wanted to call a boat "No clue", but wondered if that might give the CG a bit of concern....LOL

 

[Stone]

Here's a link to some early pictures of my boat customization: http://www.magnificentrelief.com/boat.htm . Installing teak in appropriate places has really saved the gelcoat. Fresh water in the transom is also a "nice to have".


I have recently customized the cabin to give me more tank and dry storage room, and installed a hatch into the anchor locker to give me easy access.

 

[mike_s]

Name is up to YOU. I know a bunch of folks that have asked for help with boat names,
and NOT ONE gotten a suggestion they used. Do a little Googling for ideas, but those
will mostly help with the appropriate form of the name, not with the name of YOUR
boat. You probably won't finalize the name until the first time you get on the VHF and
have to identify yourself.

Best dive boat name I know (it's not mine): Rapture.

One of the favorite ones I've heard is from a friend who was telling us that one of their friends had bought a very nice center console fishing boat. This surprised my friend as she knew the person who bought the boat was thinking about buying an engangement ring for his girlfriend (lets say her names Susan). Well I don't know if a fight or something happened, but he goes and buys a boat instead and on the back of it is the name "Susans Ring..."

I laughed my butt off at it.

 

[dab]

Here's a link to some early pictures of my boat customization: http://www.magnificentrelief.com/boat.htm . Installing teak in appropriate places has really saved the gelcoat. Fresh water in the transom is also a "nice to have".


I have recently customized the cabin to give me more tank and dry storage room, and installed a hatch into the anchor locker to give me easy access.

Excellent pictures. These are exactly the ideas I was hoping to get. Thank you. Any more thoughts or ideas out there?

 

[matt_unique]

Thanks. I won't have a problem with the typical safety/maintainence items, I am thinking more along the line of custom tank racks, benches, storage area, and any other ways that people have customized thier boat to facilitate diving. We are cold water tech divers and try facilitate gearing up as much as possible. 8' across makes for a little tighter quarters but I'm sure their are things we can do. Ideas? Names??
Thanks.

Other than the usual tank ranks and such I would suggest a means to suit up high. Bench seats with a tank hold system would be great as long as you can stand straight up. Some of the drink holder type tank racks are useless in my opinion. You need to lift the tanks out onto the bench before you can suit and stand. This reduces the available space on the bench seats as well.

I transport tanks laying down with gear bags on top in my 19' boat. I set the tanks in the seats to suit up.

The naming is definitely a personal thing. I named my boat "Divide and Conquer" so that is of course my favorite. I came up with it as a tongue in cheek reference for a small boat with a Napoleon Complex, etc. Short comical anecdote.....I was once approaching a marina/fuel dock and announced my intentions on the VHF, asked if there was space available at the fuel dock, etc. I never made any sort of reference to the size of my boat nor was I asked. When I came around the bend I found 4 uniformed dock hands with lines and fenders spread 50' along a dock. Ha ha ha! As I approached I had a real laugh. Once they realized my small boat was the "Divide and Conquer" from the radio they all dropped the ropes and took off.

I have always wanted to encourage someone to name their boat something outrageous for a laugh. My favorite outrageous names are:

"My Fat Wife"
"Pimpin' Ho's"
"Really Drunk"
"Pounder Flounder"

I heard a guy at a boat ramp joke about naming his boat "Snapper Tapper".

Ha ha ha - imagine announcing one of the names above on the VHF?!?!?!

Good luck. Find a name that means something unique to you.

--Matt

 

[dab]

Other than the usual tank ranks and such I would suggest a means to suit up high. Bench seats with a tank hold system would be great as long as you can stand straight up. Some of the drink holder type tank racks are useless in my opinion. You need to lift the tanks out onto the bench before you can suit and stand. This reduces the available space on the bench seats as well.

I transport tanks laying down with gear bags on top in my 19' boat. I set the tanks in the seats to suit up.

The naming is definitely a personal thing. I named my boat "Divide and Conquer" so that is of course my favorite. I came up with it as a tongue in cheek reference for a small boat with a Napoleon Complex, etc. Short comical anecdote.....I was once approaching a marina/fuel dock and announced my intentions on the VHF, asked if there was space available at the fuel dock, etc. I never made any sort of reference to the size of my boat nor was I asked. When I came around the bend I found 4 uniformed dock hands with lines and fenders spread 50' along a dock. Ha ha ha! As I approached I had a real laugh. Once they realized my small boat was the "Divide and Conquer" from the radio they all dropped the ropes and took off.

I have always wanted to encourage someone to name their boat something outrageous for a laugh. My favorite outrageous names are:

"My Fat Wife"
"Pimpin' Ho's"
"Really Drunk"
"Pounder Flounder"

I heard a guy at a boat ramp joke about naming his boat "Snapper Tapper".

Ha ha ha - imagine announcing one of the names above on the VHF?!?!?!

Good luck. Find a name that means something unique to you.

--Matt

Thanks for the thoughts. I agree about standing up and I am considering something against the stern that will permit standing tanks on while sliding into BC or backplate, then easily moving to the side and rolling off. This possibly could be a table that will fold out of the way when not in use. Also considering rubber matting on the floor to protect it from tanks and provide better footing.