How many on a dive boat normally ??

[Frosty]

Not sure where to post this but reading different threads I just have to ask.
What sort of numbers of divers are normal on an American boat dive?
Or is there no such thing as "normal" ?

 

[TSandM]

I've been on dive boats which can carry six, and dive boats that can take more than 30. It just varies.

 

[DevonDiver]

It depends on the boat size and how many they are licensed to carry.

That said, a quality dive operation will always ensure there are never 'too many' - regardless of their capacity.

 

[Frosty]

I've probably phrased the question badly. I guess I was just trying to get an idea if there is a "norm" for how many divers you guys dive with over there.

 

[Dr Wu]

There is a boat in NYC that will take a single diver. There are boats in SoCal that will take your entire extended family.

 

[TSandM]

There really isn't. Coast Guard regulations make it easier to run a boat that can take six paying divers, but beyond that, I think the rules are the same for a long way. Six packs aren't that common, because they aren't terribly profitable AND their small size makes them very susceptible to weather. But for bigger boats, a dozen or so seems common (our local charters seem to take between 12 and 16) but in SoCal, bigger boats aren't unusual at all.

 

[Steve50]

usually when donning my gear, I find there are two too many. one on my right and one on my left...

 

[Charlie99]

It seems like the popular customer counts are 6, 12, and a full load of cattle.

As TS&M mentioned, 6 is a key number of passengers beyond which the US Coast Guard requirements for boat and captain significantly change.

12 is a popular number in Maui, because there is a lack of harbor space and 12 passengers is about as many as will fit into a trailered boat. With DM led groups, 12 also works out nicely as two groups of 6, generally divided by experience level. These boats are typically 35-40'. It is a lot easier to make ends meet financially with a 12 passenger boat then with a 6 passenger (aka 6 pack) boat.

The "big" boats in Maui are 42' and up and are at docks rather than been trailered to the water each day. They hold around 24 divers.

Most dive operators are quite proud of their boats, and if you poke around their websites a bit there is generally info on the size and manufacturer of their boat.

====================

For Ft Lauderdale, Florida a local fill shop has a nice summary table of boat sizes and capacity:

http://www.fillexpress.com/boats.shtml

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The 6 & 12 passenger boats tend towards the 2 dive trips and are built on fast planing hulls. They are built to get you to/from the dive site fast.

The bigger boats I have used in So Cal hold 24-32 divers plus crew and tend to target 3-4 dives. While some call these cattle boats, many are set up with bunks, full galley with good food, showers and in a couple of cases a hot tub. They are slower to get to/from the dive site, but more comfortable. They key is to make sure the boat (and/or the shop the chartered it) is targeting the type of diving you want as individual input on sites is minimal.

 

[The Kraken]

Don't know, but generally seems like about 4 more than there should be . . .

the K