Divers lose boat, no pilot left aboard - Florida

[Seaweed Doc]

Seems to me that leaving a boat unattended is very much an "it depends" situation. Shorelines are steep where I dive, so I'm never more than a longish swim from land. Loss of the boat is a far bigger risk than loss of divers around here.

Even so, I wouldn't dive without a boat tender in areas where current picks up or steep walls prevent securing an anchor. On the other hand, I've not had a tender on a lot of dives where we anchored in 15' in an enclosed bay on a mud bottom.

 

[The Chairman]

"Is what you describe a normalization of deviance?"

I see such a law as an overreaction to something that simply doesn't happen often. Using the logic, maybe we should put seat belts on horses? People fall off them far more often than boats drift away.

I'm not trying to be snide, but let's not replace good seamanship with laws.

I'm thinking the needle is pointing toward stupid noob. Trying to beat the weather rarely works.

There are many reasons to stay in the boat. Know your limitations and honor them.

I do not want to see the government making scuba laws.

x100!

Seems to me that leaving a boat unattended is very much an "it depends" situation.

Yes, yes it is.

If you don't feel confident leaving your boat all alone, then don't. Just don't try to make it illegal for me to dive if I'm the only one on my boat and the conditions are right.

 

[Neilwood]

I believe this was the biggest mistake they made. They knew weather was coming late afternoon yet descended at 1400. Weather is highly unpredictable and what they did was push the envelope of safety. Regardless of if they had someone onboard or not, they should have called the dive.

Agreed - if they hadn't made the first mistake the rest might have been moot.

 

[Khrissi]

Sounds like there needs to be some kind of law banning unattended boats or some such. People won't stop doing it if they aren't forced to. Sure, THIS group of people probably won't do it again for a while. Most will continue the practice.

I wonder how much it cost for a helicopter or two, plane, and possibly other USCG vehicles to search for these buffoons.

....there is !!! A boatman can come along side and it can be considered an abandoned boat - skippered to shore and claimed as salvage ! K

 

[mmerriman]

....there is !!! A boatman can come along side and it can be considered an abandoned boat - skippered to shore and claimed as salvage ! K

that is NOT how salvage laws work.

 

[CuzzA]

Yeah, with a boat full of gear and a diver down flag, if you took that boat and the divers died I'd call that manslaughter, not salvage.

 

[Johnoly]

.... We have over 400 feet of chain,....

Amongst us boat captains, you have perfectly described the well known crew member position of " Anchor Bitch "

 

[kelemvor]

I do not want to see the government making scuba laws.

Neither do I. Boating laws (or specifically one additional law) is what I suggested.

 

[The Chairman]

A boatman can come along side and it can be considered an abandoned boat - skippered to shore and claimed as salvage ! K

And be tossed in jail for Grand theft and endangering the life of another person! Think about it: would you simply climb in a parked car and drive off without such consequences?

 

[-Moe]

Unattended boats seems super risky to me. Maybe if you've got an autopilot that can fire up the engine and use GPS to position the boat in the event of anchor line failure. I guess you could probably put something together with an Arduino, gps receiver and some servos if you wanted to DIY.

I would not want to be around any boat that might start up its engines when divers are in the water.