Don't want to lose my boat!

[The Chairman]

There was that Gulf Lobster diver a few years back, who brought a few non-divers and non-boaters with him so he could (illegally) harvest more lobster out of Ft Myers. He surfaced down current and to his and his friends dismay: he could not get back to the boat though they could see each other. Having no idea on how to operate the boat or use the radio, they watched helplessly as he drifted south and they stayed anchored. The CG picked the boat up the next day and found him floating in the Keys a couple days later.

I don't think people are born stupid... they have to work really hard to become that stupid.

 

[Mike Boswell]

Anybody on a boat should know how to operate it. It's not rocket surgery. Whenever I take a new person out on our boat, I usually ask that they drive. This allows me to show them how to operate the boat, the GPS, and the radio.

 

[Jaksonbrown]

We dive off our unmanned boat most of the time. My biggest advice would be the same as some others have already stated. Make sure you have plenty of scope on your anchor line. At least 2-3x the depth your anchoring at. I also use a anchor weight. Basically a 12lb lead ball clipped onto the last rung of the chain where the rope begins. This helps keep the chain laying on the seafloor and the anchor firmly set. Also, make sure you check the anchor set visually before leaving for your dive. Trail a 100' line with bouys behind the boat for saftey in case the current pulls you away. Always decend and assent on the anchor line! Lastly.. know the conditions and current predictions and only dive on mild exchanges.

 

[TSandM]

You've gotten a lot of advice on diving off an unmanned boat (something I haven't been willing to do, which has seriously limited the use of our boat) so I'll address your other questions.

Looking at photos of this type of boat, it looks as though a back roll entry is probably what you wil want to do. They aren't difficult, as long as you don't throw yourself energetically backwards and end up somersaulting and coming up under the boat (BTDT). I would suggest getting a heavy mat or rug to protect the fiberglass from the tanks when you are doing this. Tank marks are hard to get out.

Reboarding will be more of an issue. I couldn't find a picture of the stern, to see whether you could install a diver-capable ladder or not. Until you have one, or if you decide not to install one, you can do what we do: Use a simple swimmer's ladder, and take your gear off in the water. We made gear lines with clips on them that we can fasten to the stanchions, and when we return to the boat, we clip our rigs to the lines and take them off, and then board, and pull the rigs on board. Again, a mat to protect the hull is key! (Make sure the gear lines aren't long enough to reach the prop.)

If you are going to dive off the boat unattended, be sure you have a way to secure the ladder so that you won't lose it if the boat is rocked by something while you are down. Also, if you dive in areas of current, both a current line and a "granny line" (line that runs from the bow to the stern, and permits you to pull yourself along the hull) can be useful.

I'd also say that, if you are going to dive off an unattended boat, getting a waterproof case or canister and having a cell phone or VHF radio in it, as well as a flare, may be a good move. We have VHF radios which are water-resistant, so I hope if we have to use them in the water, they'll work.

 

[RTee]

Surely more to lose than to gain by leaving boat unattended during dive and for a lot of good reasons already mentionned. As a matter of fact, some places will make it mandatory for the vessel not only to be manned but to also display appropriate flags (diving).

In Canada (whether you agree or not is beside the point) boat operators now need to have a Boat Operating Card. While the course to get it is not rocket science, it reinforces knowledge of mandatory safety equipement that must be onboard based on type of vessels, markings, right of way, buoys, etc.
IMHO, it also makes very good sense that not only the boat is manned by somebody who can operate it (as previously mentionned) but also that manning be adequate for the situation. Having somebody on board who can operate the boat but does not have the physical strentgh to lift the anchor, untie the boat from a diving buoy in weather conditions you may encounter and/or assist divers and possible casualities getting back into the boat is also very counter-productive.

 

[Jaksonbrown]

Surely more to lose than to gain by leaving boat unattended during dive and for a lot of good reasons already mentionned. As a matter of fact, some places will make it mandatory for the vessel not only to be manned but to also display appropriate flags (diving).

.

I hate to disagree, but if done properly, and in the right conditions, diving an unmaned boat is perfectly safe and a very reasonable way to dive. As Lynn states.... finding someone who is willing to go along and wait on the boat while you dive is pretty hard to find and would severely limit, if not eliminate it all together for me.

It is a nationwide law, which the terms of vary widely from state to state, that you must fly a dive flag. However, as everyone that does boat dive can attest, it does not keep other boats away very well, so always be cautious when surfacing.

 

[Mike Boswell]

The manned or unmanned boat question is really dependent on where you dive and the consequences of a problem.

For a Hawaiian reef or a San Diego kelp bed, where you are within swimming distance of shore, it seems safe enough to me.

Other places far from shore, with strong currents and unpredictable sea conditions, the consequences of losing your boat would be much more serious.

 

[WeldonDowd]

Anybody on a boat should know how to operate it. It's not rocket surgery. Whenever I take a new person out on our boat, I usually ask that they drive. This allows me to show them how to operate the boat, the GPS, and the radio.

Me too....and I just run up and down Louisiana lakes and rivers. I was raised like that and will continue the tradition. Plus, most people love the experience.

 

[idocsteve]

I dunno, there's something about jumping into the water off of a perfectly good boat and leaving it completely unmanned that just doesn't seem all that well thought out.

Make some friends or something.

 

[RJP]

I am now back home, and am planning on frequently diving in PCB off of my own boat, and I know that there are several things that I need to know first. I am not sure of the best way to tie into a wreck, or to enter/exit the water.

Wouldn't do it. Wouldn't recommend it. The mere fact that you don't know the best way to enter/exit the water sends up a red flag.

Get a dive flag, a DAN O₂ kit, and a bubble-watcher who knows how to use it. Then get some guidance from local divers as to how to tie in, etc.