Do you dive from your boat leaving no one aboard?

[Nemrod]

Are y'all talking about me? Why y'all picking on little ol' me? I like little boats but I hardly an some great seaman and I am not a captain either.

Matt, sorry, sheep will lay down with wolves and pigs will fly before Boston Whaler owners will berth with Bayliner folks---lol. Just kidding man, your boat is a fine vessel.

N

 

[gonphishing]

Bayliner? aren't those things for lakes? is somebody actually diving out of a bayliner? get out of here...

 

[matt_unique]

Bayliner? aren't those things for lakes? is somebody actually diving out of a bayliner? get out of here...

Oh yeah, we have engines and everything, it's really great!

--Matt

 

[Bob3]

My buddy had his rental boat ripped off while diving, the crooks tried to load it onto a trailer at the same marina it was rented from. Not very bright.
Meanwhile there were a couple really irate guys crawling through mangroves with all their gear after a long swim to shore.
It would've been justifiable homicide if the sheriff deputies hadn't held them back.

On the topic of the Coasties, one fine day I overheard one of those "out of gas" calls to the Coast Guard. Boat description? a 28' sailboat. There was even a nice onshore breeze blowing that day.

 

[jchaplain]

Yes, and I think about it.

I don't do it in high winds, poor viz, or current. Realizing the current could pick up, I stay right under the boat and check the line integrity/ mooring on the descent.

Well said.
I do it but I also use a trick of lassoing my anchor to a big rock on the bottom so the boat will not drift and I use a reel so I can get back to the anchor.
Within the right conditions this can be safe.

John C.

 

[jchaplain]

In Massachusetts, I have personally found the most annoying presence is the Police.

I was working in a commercial capacity last summer before our Ted Williams Tunnel was reopened. It was a calm Sunday with clear skies, etc. I was crossing the harbor with passengers when a Boston Police boat approached me waving arms, on the loud speaker, etc. I immediately reversed engines, stopped, and stood up as high as possible on my boat. I assumed I was looking for someone overboard or some other emergency. It was at that time I was able to hear the cops yelling to "SLOW DOWN". I was stunned...."WHAT?!?" was my reply. "SLOW DOWN....THIS IS A NO WAKE ZONE".

Boston Harbor is a no wake zone all the way out to the Hyatt. Thats why they yelled at you.
But the fact is it is not really marked as a no wake zone. If you ask the CG they will tell you it is "local knowledge." They have stopped me there too.
I usually blast out of there at full throttle if it is very early morning and few other boaters around, but I come back later in the day and if a lot of other boats are around I go at no wake speed so they don't stop me. Part of the reason is common sense. There are often a lot of little sailboats from the sailing clubs out around there and it's not kind to swamp them.
But I agree, the Boston Police in boats can be real jerks. I had one wake me last year while I was launching my boat and then he hogged all the dock by himself. Nice guy!

John C.

 

[matt_unique]

Boston Harbor is a no wake zone all the way out to the Hyatt. Thats why they yelled at you.
But the fact is it is not really marked as a no wake zone. If you ask the CG they will tell you it is "local knowledge." They have stopped me there too.
I usually blast out of there at full throttle if it is very early morning and few other boaters around, but I come back later in the day and if a lot of other boats are around I go at no wake speed so they don't stop me. Part of the reason is common sense. There are often a lot of little sailboats from the sailing clubs out around there and it's not kind to swamp them.
But I agree, the Boston Police in boats can be real jerks. I had one wake me last year while I was launching my boat and then he hogged all the dock by himself. Nice guy!

John C.

Boston Police have no business being on the water in my opinion. The CG and Environmental Police manage everything that needs to be managed in Boston Harbor. There is a difference in practice and enforcement for recreational vs. commercial operators. In the commercial business, there is also a difference between written law and practice. I have worked in Boston Harbor for three years and I'm extremely familiar with all all commercial routes and vessels. Wake is also relative...the 76 ton Cats you are not planed off to Long Wharf for example. Courtesy is extended to true "no wake" when inside the channels or in mooring fields but no commercial boats are operating at 800 rpm in the inner harbor.

The BP were in the way and literally stopped every regular, routed commercial vessel in the inner harbor.

--Matt

 

[jchaplain]

Wake is also relative...the 76 ton Cats you are not planed off to Long Wharf for example. Courtesy is extended to true "no wake" when inside the channels or in mooring fields but no commercial boats are operating at 800 rpm in the inner harbor.

--Matt

Quite true. I think my boat makes a lot less wake when I'm up at 2/3 throttle than when I'm plowing thru the water going slow....but they will nab me if I'm going fast.:huh:

 

[603doug]

We launch upriver from the Portsmouth Navy yard and we blow by the yard at 35 kts(river is probably 300 yards wide, 100 yards naviable) So far they watch but the navy, coasties and the marine patrol has not bothered us. We did get stopped up river when a liquid gas tanker was turning around,dive gear etc. and they had 20 questions about our intentions then escorted us around the floating bomb. I have a 18 rib and sometimes there is more government on the water patrolling than "civilian boats". We leave the boat unattended all the time,watch the conditions, check the anchors take keys and kill switch, at least they would have to work alittle if some one wanted it

 

[Upstate Scuba OWI]

Don't leave your boat unattented when diving next to Nuclear plants either. Duke Power security in SC will come tow it away makes for a really bad diving day.