Dive Boat Unattended By Dive Op With Divers Below - Safe Practice?

[Wookie]

It comes down to probability and at what level of risk a boat op (and clients) are willing to take.

You keep saying this, but the question specifically addressed US boats in US waters running a US licensed operator. What heppens in the rest of the world, for better or worse, is better or worse. I know of operations in Grand Cayman who don't use a licensed individual at all. But that isn't the question. And the OP didn't ask if you had a problem with it, he asked if PADI had a problem with it. My guess is that PADI doesn't address it. PADIs insurance company would say "The boat must be operated in accordance with all applicable regulations". The Coast Guard would float an air biscuit and start an investigation, no doubt. The operator would tell the CG it was OK, no current, holding a line, etc. He would then get his pee-pee whacked and his birthday taken away for a period not to exceed 5 years.

I can't find a regulation because I'm sure it doesn't even cross anyone's mind that anyone would actually do this. In fact, an operator in Key West routinely did this, and the investigations office couldn't catch him at it. Until they did......

 

[Lorenzoid]

Kosta, to me "calculated risk" means weighing the risk against the benefit. In this scenario, the risk is to the divers--paying customers of the operation--but the only benefit is that the crew gets to go snorkeling. It seems like a trivial risk calculation to me: don't risk it.

 

[Wookie]

The final paragraph in the UPV regulations:
A hazardous condition can be Operating without a license, operating beyond the scope of the license, or operating with insufficient crew for the intended voyage. Boarding officers shall review the licenses of all licensed personnel required. A licensed operator may not turn the watch over to an unlicensed person while sleeping or resting off the bridge. The practice of permitting passengers on uninspected passenger vessels to "take the helm" should be discouraged, however, it is not prohibited by regulation. The licensed operator is responsible for the safe navigation/operation of the vessel at all times.

 

[2airishuman]

Upon surfacing, we found the boat to be unattended.

I think that much depends on the divers, the plan, the location, and the nature of the boat.

I dive solo from my canoe, some people dive from kayaks. The boats are left unattended at the surface. So, what keeps these trips safe?

1) The entire trip is put together with some sort of contingency plan to be followed if the boat(s) are lost, either during the dive or at some other point.
2) Divers who go on these sorts of trips are in good physical shape and have reasonable swimming ability.
3) The consequences of losing a canoe or kayak are relatively insignificant. The financial loss, environmental impact, and hazards to navigation, would be much greater for a typical dive boat.
4) Weather conditions, current, and proximity to shore are considered in the overall plan.
5) Ground tackle is chosen with the nature of the trip in mind.
6) Typically these are easy dives that do not pose exceptional risks of their own.

There is still a certain amount of unavoidable risk.

I can't imagine a paid operator with a dive boat leaving the boat unattended without the prior informed consent of the divers.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You keep saying this, but the question specifically addressed US boats in US waters running a...

I interpreted this as a generic question, likely incorrectly in hindsight, due to the OP mentioning PADI, as I don't see PADI saying anything anywhere in the world other than follow local regulations.

I'd bet a large sum of money that this is counter to USCG requirements/regulations. But I could be wrong.

 

[Damselfish]

rules and regs aside, it appears extra pointless in this case to leave the boat unattended. I'm not 100% sure if "captain and watcher" refers to 1 or 2 people. But if they're staff that weren't in the water guiding the dive, it's not even a case of an op minimizing staff by having someone drive the boat then also guide the dive. I'm assuming neither of these people were ones who ran the shop? If they had 2 people assigned to the boat that weren't going in the water, I imagine the op didn't just pay them to go on a joy ride and relax. Seems more like they got lazy or sloppy or hot and decided they could get away with it.

 

[kelemvor]

I've been on a dive boat off the coast of FL and had the captain ask if we minded if he dove too. He said that he frequently did that. We told him we did mind, and he stayed on the boat.

I think it's not exactly uncommon, although I'm sure glad our captain had courtesy to ask our opinion first.

 

[Cali_diver]

I am curious... did you speak to the shop after and raise your concerns? If so what was their response?

 

[KathyV]

I have mentioned this incident before but it made a strong impression on me and I feel that it is applicable to this discussion. A few years ago on Cayman Brac, we came up from a dive to discover that the boat was gone because the mooring line had parted.

The dive op handled it all very well, the divemaster/captain that had stayed on the boat moved it downstream to tie up at the next mooring. The divemaster in the water knew that's what he would do, and she guided us all in a surface swim to meet up with the boat.

Everyone stayed calm and it all went fine, but I wouldn't like to think of that scenario if there hadn't been anyone left on the boat to move it to the next mooring - or to alert the office of the incident in case assistance was needed.

 

[Cap335]

I remember something from a long time ago, there was a guy operating a baby crew boat over here on the oilfield side of the gulf with only the owner and 1 mate staying out overnight as a standby boat at the close rigs. when the CG told him he needed 2 crew on duty at all times he successfully argued that he was at anchor at night and so didn't need a crew at all.
a.) this rule might have changed b.) CG guys may have liked the guy and just didn't push it. c.) he never left the boat d.) the boat was very well maintained which always goes good withCG