Do You factor in the Boat/Captain When Choosing An Operator?

[Cacia]

I do, but I notice a lot of people don't care too much.

I like small and agile for pick-ups. Not too crowded, fairly newish or well maintained and a captian that knows the ocean (vs a kid on break from some east coast college).

People shopping for operators don't ask too much about the boats and it seems to play a big role in how enjoyable my dive is. Some people just view it as a ride to the site.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Absolutely! If the cap is a slob, screams at the crew, and treats passengers like dirt he probably has no interest in getting me to a good site.

 

[Teamcasa]

A good Captain can make or break a dive. However, I don't see many interview a Captain before they book the trip. I rely on references for first time bookings. After that I form my own opinions and share them.

Dave

 

[djanni]

I do, but I notice a lot of people don't care too much.

I like small and agile for pick-ups. Not too crowded, fairly newish or well maintained and a captian that knows the ocean (vs a kid on break from some east coast college).

People shopping for operators don't ask too much about the boats and it seems to play a big role in how enjoyable my dive is. Some people just view it as a ride to the site.

I factor those things in when I can. I like to see pics of the boats and when they're not available its suspicious. Sometimes I read about the Captain. If no info is available I have to assume he knows the area we'll dive in. I'm not as lucky, geographically, as you are.

I do ask a lot of questions. If it's a six-pac I worry less but for the larger boats my favorite question is "HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE ALL THE DIVERS ARE ON BOARD BEFORE LEAVING A DIVE SITE?" That question can make for an interesting conversation and I've scratched out quite a number of operators because of their answer.

I've been left behind and it's not much fun.

 

[ClayJar]

Funny you ask that. On two days of diving with a checkout trip last weekend, we had both sides of the coin.

On Saturday, we had a nice young lady who's been a captain since early this year (and who was crew since last year sometime). She came right up to the site, dropped her diver in to tie off, and had us in the water without delay. Everything went off wonderfully, and we were even back at the dock early.

On Sunday, we had a different captain. He didn't seem to know how to drop a diver to tie in like the other two captains. The diver ended up dropping on the wreck with a buoy line, which the captain was *eventually* able to get near enough to catch. It took *forever*, relatively speaking. The second dive was worse, and after two false starts on other sites, we ended up back on a bridge span where one of the other boats left a buoy for him to catch rather than send his diver to tie in. Eventually, we made it back to the dock (more than an hour and a half later than normal), and he proceeded to *hit* another boat **twice** while trying to get in the slip. After that, it took *many* attempts (some involving the deck hand frantically shoving against other boats to avoid a collision) before we finally had bounced around like a pachinko ball all the way to the dock. (Hearing the deck hand quietly and exasperatedly muttering "FORWARD... *FORWARD!*" under his breath was *priceless*.) It was among the worst displays of captaincy I've ever seen.

As for getting everyone back to shore, the boats we use have roll call sheets, but we call roll from them ourselves. It's just better that way on larger boats.

 

[DeepB]

i think many people start asking AFTER they made a bad experience (btw DON, how did this happen?

i have the luck that i am aproximately 2 weeks a year on diving holidays where i am my own captain, so no problem.
when divin anywhere else its either a diving safari on a boat, where i try to evaluate before, and to see pics, or i am diving with a local dive center, where i normally do not have a chance to take another one.

so yes, i try to get those infos before

regards
Daniel

 

[Steve_Dives]

Since I mostly quarry dive, I only get a boat and captain when travelling. I try to check the operation in advance (internet mostly), and if I can, return to the same places if the familiar crew is still on staff.

 

[Cacia]

I find that the way the boat is squared away (or not) gives a lot of clues about the operator. It doesn't need to be big or expensive, but there are indicators.

It took *forever*, relatively speaking. The second dive was worse, and after two false starts on other sites, we ended up back on a bridge span where one of the other boats left a buoy for him to catch rather than send his diver to tie in. Eventually, we made it back to the dock (more than an hour and a half later than normal), and he proceeded to *hit* another boat **twice** while trying to get in the slip. After that, it took *many* attempts (some involving the deck hand frantically shoving against other boats to avoid a collision) before we finally had bounced around like a pachinko ball all the way to the dock. (Hearing the deck hand quietly and exasperatedly muttering "FORWARD... *FORWARD!*" under his breath was *priceless*.) It was among the worst displays of captaincy I've ever seen.

you sure it wasn't me? Our boat is right by the Kona Brewery and people are dining right next to the slip, so there is the audience pressure. Luckily nobody is payin so they get what they paid for. I haven't hit any boats but we have tried to "take off" with a line still attached.

 

[djanni]

i think many people start asking AFTER they made a bad experience (btw DON, how did this happen?

i have the luck that i am aproximately 2 weeks a year on diving holidays where i am my own captain, so no problem.
when divin anywhere else its either a diving safari on a boat, where i try to evaluate before, and to see pics, or i am diving with a local dive center, where i normally do not have a chance to take another one.

so yes, i try to get those infos before

regards
Daniel

Here you go: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=102986

 

[ClayJar]

You sure it wasn't me? Our boat is right by the Kona Brewery and people are dining right next to the slip, so there is the audience pressure. Luckily nobody is payin so they get what they paid for. I haven't hit any boats but we have tried to "take off" with a line still attached.

At least, I imagine, you figured that out fairly quickly.

(The absolute worst faux pas committed by a boat on any checkout dives from my LDS has *got* to be the time last April when the boat ran out of fuel right there in the channel. *That* was a long day, but I think our shop owner got a fairly significant discount that weekend. :biggrin