Dive Boat

[VaPadiDiver]

I just bought a Zodiac MK II GR (Grand Raid) 13'9" / 4.20m. http://www.zodiacmilpro.com/product/zodiac/MK2GR.pdf The boat is rated for 6 people / 1500 lbs. but with gear I am thinking 3 or 4 divers tops. I have not dove with it as of this posting. I am thinking of going to West Palm Beach and Key Largo to dive with it soon. I worry about going down only to come up an hour later with no boat. A little Zodiac like that would make an easy target for people to snatch. Also, WPB is mostly drift diving.... that might be hard to do without having a person on top.

I am looking for feedback from people with small inflatables. How many divers can you fit in them? How do they handle in 2'-3' seas? Drift diving with an inflatable.... can it be done safely? Also, does anyone know any good lobstering sites close enough to dive to from an inflatable? (Location can be from NJ to FL, I am in VA) Please cc your post to my email as well. contact@chesterdiveclub.com

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Snowbear]

I have an Avon that's the same size. 2 people and gear for 2 dives was perfect. 3 people with gear for 1 dive was do-able, but not that comfortable. 4 people would be do-able if it was a relatively short trip out and everyone's geared up from the dock.

For drift diving, you could take turns and do 2 up, 2 down. Drift diving with any boat is safe enough as long as the folks in the boat are paying attention and don't run over the folks in the water :11:

As for leaving the boat - there's a lot of debate on this board about that.... basically it boils down to your own willingnes to leave your boat alone while you dive.

 

[SwimJim]

A 14 footer is really a two man op realisticly. Three including a surface guy. Anymore and it too crowded. Just my two cents.

Jim

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I've taken my 10' Zodiac out in 2-3' seas with 3 people, but no gear and it was a bit hairy but doable. I couldn't imagine doing it with gear.

I have put 3 people and 3 sets of gear(for a single dive) in my 10'er and run it up a creek to dive springs - its tight, but doable.

 

[jchaplain]

I find that having 3 divers is a bit crowded on my 24 foot cabin cruiser, so I would say that on a 13 foot zodiac you would be MUCH better off with just 2 divers.

I leave my empty boat on the surface when I'm diving all the time. I highly doubt that anyone is going to attempt to steal an anchored boat with a scuba flag on it. That is always about the least of my worries. I suggest that you focus on the immediate dive safety issues and put the worries about the boat out of your mind. Don't over-worry things or you'll lose all the fun aspect of diving. Enjoy that Zodiac!
John C.

 

[moneysavr]

Hey In WestPalm Beach a drift dive you need a top guy,not in the Keys cause most Largo dive are less than 20' unless you do a wreck BUT dont with out a bud!
Hit the Florida Conch section prior to your trip and find some locals to dive /guide you get them out on a boat your set, I'm on my way down in a few weeks and allready have some sweet dives with some locals on the hook!
A place with not much drift and close to shore reef is Laudardale by the sea, You will have to anchor out of the swim area but some nice reefs [3] and as a shore dive whew I get a work out just to the second reef!

 

[Nemrod]

"Hey In WestPalm Beach a drift dive you need a top guy,not in the Keys cause most Largo dive are less than 20' unless you do a wreck BUT dont with out a bud!"

What does that sentence above mean? What, why?

I have a Novurania boat about 14 feet long. I have carried four divers but only with single tanks. If your planing multiple dives then two or three divers is max. Actually comparisons to conventional boats are not very applicable to inflatable boats. They have a huge weight carrying capacity, far more seaworthy and are so very different in behavoir than fiberglass boats. I have dived mine in south Florida drift diving, the boat on a reel and it just comes along. I tend to agree it is nice to have a boat tender but that is not always possible.
We would just pile all the gear and tanks in the floor and then sit on top of it or on the tubes if possible.
Small inflatables tow along pretty good in drift diving or even in no current, just tow the boat along. In the later situation I find depth is a problem, the more line you have out the more tiring it is to tow the boat. If there is much wind or current then the boat might tow you as well. N

 

[xroirat]

I also have a Grand Raid MkII, and have been diving from it for about 20 years here in New England. I have had to patch it here and there, and re-finish the woodwork, but the boat has been able to withstand abuse and neglect to an amazing degree. I have gone out with up to four divers (single tank each) onboard, but it works out best with just two (with two tanks each). My outboard is a 25 hp Johnson. Big enough to move the boat quite well with two divers and full gear, small enough that I can mount and dismount the motor by myself. When diving, we deploy a floating orange polypro safety line with a float on the end, and erect a dive flag on a short pole. That lets other boaters know to keep their distance. We also check the anchor first thing and last thing when diving. If there are strong currents then you might consider using a secondary anchor, such as a small foldable type. I've never had security concerns in our local waters but perhaps it is different in warmer waters. I have been out in some rough water in the Zodiac and it performs like a boat more than twice its size. If I were ever to replace it I would go with a RIB mainly because of their better high speed performance.
Jim

 

[sidthejedi]

Our club runs a 6m Deepsea 21, which given it's running a 150bhp mariner will happily take 10 divers with singles and cruise at well over 15 knots fully laden. Obviously if people are diving twins then the numbers drop, though normally we will only take two twinsets on the RIB - they are a pain to stow, and to be completely honest IMHO a RIB isn't the ideall platform for planned deco diving.

As for unladen... well lets say that with a flat calm last easter we clocked well over 50knots :-D. Which was great fun but would be interesting in any size swell.

 

[Loneranger]

Palm Beach would be pretty tough to do in a inflatable this time of year (waves too unprdictable). Friend went out today and it was 4-6' feet 2 miles out. Also with the varying current 0-4 knots a surface driver would be necessary. I have seen desperate people diving by themselves and letting 21-24' boats tow them while on the bottom but I have only seen this in the summer months. I guess they figure any other boats will clear the way b-4 they hit. Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and the keys would be your best bet. Shallow water spots closer to land with no current exist. Dive spots.com may help with GPS numbers, or Ned DeLoch's diving guide to Florida would help you locate all common dive sites in Florida. We used to use a 14' Avon to freedive the keys and had alot of fun with it.