Inflatable boat for diving the Great Lakes?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hello everyone: This seems the best forum to ask a question like this so here I go ...

I have been reading Chris Kohls books on Great Lakes shipwrecks. A lot of his wrecks are not served by commercial charter boats and you would need a private boat to dive them. I was thinking how feasible and practical it would be to buy an inflatable boat with a drop-behind motor and dive from it. Keep in mind that I have zero experience in driving a boat so I do not know what kind of a learning curve / maintenance commitment is needed. If anyone could also enlighten me on the range of these boats that would be great! How far off of a dive site can be accessed by it etc.

If anyone has any other suggestions lets hear em!

Thanks -

CS

 

[rhwestfall]

Where are you intending to travel to (how far offshore)? What size boat are you thinking?

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

12+ foot Zodiac is what I had in mind. As for the distance (range) I was thinking an hour to the dive site and an hour back from the site. Any more would be a bit uncomfortable in a bouncing rubber zodiac. No?

 

[rhwestfall]

I'm out on Erie, and wouldn't catch me in something that small except near shore.... Now, a center console RIB with big HP.....

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I have a 21.5 foot bowrider that I take into the Atlantic - my son and I have dove off it. Even that gets really small for us and the gear. I am only going out 3 or 4 miles out - not sure I would advise a 12 foot boat and I would imagine you would not have more than a 50hp outboard - weather is a major factor in that decision and you have admitted you are a novice. So my only caution is I have heard the great lakes are like the ocean and the weather can turn on a dime at least here in NJ on the Atlantic...
An hour could be a life time away from safety. Good Luck.

 

[rhwestfall]

The Great Lakes differ from the ocean as the wave frequencies are typically much shorter with substantial chip mixed in. Like I said, "near shore" and short runs might be okay, but not out on the horizon.

Sure, on an ideal day, anything is possible, but you only get those once in a blue moon. Typical is 1'-3' chop with some short to mid frequency rollers/swells mixed in. They (NOAA) usually report it as "waves 3' or less". That is a good day. Its fun to have that to start, and come back in 7'-10' swells for a 30 mile run...

 

[Wookie]

So, I have a lot of inflatable boats, I kind of collect them, you (and my wife) might say.

First, I have had a number of small RHIBs like you are talking about. I would never deal with an inflatable floor boat, as they just don't hold up to an hour ride in each direction. I use the Avon/Zodiac/now West Marine 3.01 meter rhibs as chase boats for divers who get away from the big boat. 2 recreational divers, gear, and a boat operator are all a small boat like that want to take, and I would never operate one an hour out and back. 500 yards and you can't see the big boat from the RHIB in any kind of seas. I'd be shocked if (with a 15 Hp 2 stroke) you could get it to 20 knots fully loaded, and you would run through a 5 gallon gas can in about an hour at that speed.

My favorite boat (because it runs) is the Avon Searider 6.4 meter with inboard turbo diesel. Comfortable enough for 4 divers, an operator, and gear with extra tanks at 25 knots, it has a hundred mile range. I only carry 2 tech divers (doubles) but I'll carry 4 rebreather divers in it. Lots of room to sit, carry a cooler with snacks and ride home beverages, a chartplotter with AIS, fire extinguisher, all of the stuff you need to go an hour from shore on the Great Lakes.

I cannot emphasize enough that going out onto the lakes unprepared is an excellent way to die. Yes, I have seen aluminum jon boats at the Flower Gardens 100 miles offshore. Sadly, Darwin doesn't always ensure that the strong survive. I hope you think long and hard about going out to the Great Lakes unprepared. Or, write a kickass obituary so we can all have a good story to read when it's all over. You can start it with "Hold my beer, we're going diving".

 

[vincent54]

I grew up diving with a 12 foot zodiac. It is small and good for a 10 horse and one diver and gear. I had no problem with diving from it. However, i stayed near shore. Great Lakes waves come up quick and are hard to deal with, steep faced and as mentioned close together. It was better for the Keyes, including getting out to the reefs, but the water was warmer and I usually shadowed a bigger boat. BTW, it sunk at the Bahia Honda bridge when it hit some rebar near abutment. They don't really float well with one chamber. My advise is get a group, hire a boat and split the cost. Boats are money pits.

 

[rhwestfall]

You can do a bunch of $120 two-tank Great Lakes chartered trips for the cost of purchase and upkeep...... and be comfortable, warm, dry, etc.

I am a boat owner, and its been over a decade since I dove off my boat...

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Thanks a lot fellows. After reading your comments I think I will take the advice given by Vincent 54 and get a group together to hire REAL boats I have never done any Great Lakes diving but I am sure that once I am in the scene, there will be friends and contacts who can pitch in for special charters.