Diving from a small boat

[Stoo]

It might be worth adding your thoughts on electronics — GPS, VHF, sonar, hand-held, etc.

Damn, I've done a poor job keeping up!

I think the answer to this is partly in where you're using the boat. If you're in a smaller, inland lake, you can likely get by with a cell phone. That gives you commnication, and for a minimally pricing app, you get a nice nav system as well.

If you're in the ocean and operating more than a mile or two off shore, you definitely need cell, VHF and GPS for sure. Like most boaty things, the more the merrier.

I use my RHIB in the Great Lakes. For those unfamiliar with the Lakes, they're well, Great. Basically inland seas, with fierce storms and shorter, steeper, closer waves. We routinely dive in remote areas and often far from shore. I carry two VHSs (one portable), two GPSs (one portable), cell phone or three, and a personal EPIRB.

 

[Island23]

For small 12-16' fishing boats & inflatables, a proper anchor is key for me. Waves will throw boat around. I deploy a flag & surface buoy. I inflate & tie-off BCD to my bow's eyelet & don in-water. Weight to BCD, belt neutral or no weights. If using a pony harness, don on boat.

With small utility & INFL boats, first thing to understand is, they have limitations. It's easier to just find a location & beach it or anchor it waist deep. Some people will tell you, that you can't beach a boat, due to local regs but you can, if you/boat captain deems it necessary, to perform any repairs, storms & for safety, including diver safety. If U.S rules are too strict, move to Mexico & South America & do what you want.

Max I'll take a 12' fishing boat is 12 miles, maybe use 1.5-2 gallons roughly, small Mercury motor

To get-on, reverse, pull myself up the sides - 170 lbs. diver, 9% BF, 1000 lbs. boat capacity, another consideration, when making a boat crew & staying within cap