I have been into kayaking for some time and I want to try using my kayak as a platform to dive off of. The issue here is that the kayak that I own is a cockpit type with only one hatch that is behind the cockpit. I have two questions: What tips in general do you have for someone new to kayak diving, and also, is towing the diving rig behind the kayak the best option that I have here, or is there something better, such as a small inflatable dinghy used as a “ trailer “ to hold the gear?
Kayak diving
- Thread starter myself
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Damselfish
Contributor
Diving from a sit-in kayak seems to me like an all around bad idea. Not the right tool for the job.
I do not have direct experience with diving off of a sit-in kayak, but it doesn't seem like the right way to go. I have a pair of sit-on-top Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TWs, they are great little vessels, and well-suited for diving off of. The well in the stern is the perfect size for an AL80 / HP100 plus a scuba rig. I've only done it a few times though -- the most recent time was last Summer, and, my main dive buddy had a really bad experience, so we haven't made it out there since. But I'd like to get out on them again, if you're ever the Monterey area, let me know.
FYI, there is a small vessel / kayak subforum on ScubaBoard, you'll find a lot of information there from people with much more experience than I have. But that being said, here's a few things I have learned, I hope it helps:
- I like to have several 3-4 foot lengths of shock cord. On one side, I tie a boltsnap to it, on the other side, either a second boltsnap or just a bowline knot. These are invaluable for keeping your gear attached to the boat. I have a few of these pre-attached to the kayak, and a few more assembled and stowed in an easy-to-reach storage compartment. Clip off every single piece of gear, all of the time. One for your mask, one for each of your fins, one for your paddle, one for your lunch bag, etc.
- Assemble your scuba rig ahead of time, bungee it to the kayak ready-to-dive, with the BCD full. Pack the rest of your gear with the stuff you want first on the top: don you fins first, then mask, then weight belt, then gloves and hood, then splash in and put your scuba rig on in-water.
- When you return to your kayak, some gear is easier to doff in-water: mask/gloves/hood/belt, clipping them off one at a time. Getting your scuba gear back into the boat is the hardest part, and there are two ways: either shove it up into the boat from in the water (easier with fins on), or first climb up on top and then haul it in behind you (easier with fins off). If you're hauling it behind you, a buddy can help from in the water, but be careful -- if the boat flips, both you and the scuba rig will be headed in their direction.
- Do not use a drysuit. While paddling out, you will have a tendency to overheat, which will encourage you to open the zip, or peel the suit halfway down. Once you do that, flipping the boat goes from a nuisance to a dangerous situation: the suit will instantly become completely flooded, provide no buoyancy or cold protection, and will create a lot of drag while you try to swim / re-mount the boat. So if it's too cold to dive wet that day, just leave the kayaks on your truck.
- Don't do apex dives off a kayak until you have some experience under your belt. The boat adds a lot of little things to worry about, so you don't want to already be task loaded by the dive itself.
- When you're with a buddy and you moor the boats, moor them facing each other (bow-to-bow). This will facilitate you and your buddy keeping an eye on each other while you gear up.
- Bring a DSMB for the dive, and launch it before you surface if you're in an area that has boat traffic. Which you probably are, since you took a boat there yourself.
- Bring (and use!) kayak safety gear -- PFDs, an effective bailing tool, a radio/PLB if you're going way out there.
FYI, there is a small vessel / kayak subforum on ScubaBoard, you'll find a lot of information there from people with much more experience than I have. But that being said, here's a few things I have learned, I hope it helps:
- I like to have several 3-4 foot lengths of shock cord. On one side, I tie a boltsnap to it, on the other side, either a second boltsnap or just a bowline knot. These are invaluable for keeping your gear attached to the boat. I have a few of these pre-attached to the kayak, and a few more assembled and stowed in an easy-to-reach storage compartment. Clip off every single piece of gear, all of the time. One for your mask, one for each of your fins, one for your paddle, one for your lunch bag, etc.
- Assemble your scuba rig ahead of time, bungee it to the kayak ready-to-dive, with the BCD full. Pack the rest of your gear with the stuff you want first on the top: don you fins first, then mask, then weight belt, then gloves and hood, then splash in and put your scuba rig on in-water.
- When you return to your kayak, some gear is easier to doff in-water: mask/gloves/hood/belt, clipping them off one at a time. Getting your scuba gear back into the boat is the hardest part, and there are two ways: either shove it up into the boat from in the water (easier with fins on), or first climb up on top and then haul it in behind you (easier with fins off). If you're hauling it behind you, a buddy can help from in the water, but be careful -- if the boat flips, both you and the scuba rig will be headed in their direction.
- Do not use a drysuit. While paddling out, you will have a tendency to overheat, which will encourage you to open the zip, or peel the suit halfway down. Once you do that, flipping the boat goes from a nuisance to a dangerous situation: the suit will instantly become completely flooded, provide no buoyancy or cold protection, and will create a lot of drag while you try to swim / re-mount the boat. So if it's too cold to dive wet that day, just leave the kayaks on your truck.
- Don't do apex dives off a kayak until you have some experience under your belt. The boat adds a lot of little things to worry about, so you don't want to already be task loaded by the dive itself.
- When you're with a buddy and you moor the boats, moor them facing each other (bow-to-bow). This will facilitate you and your buddy keeping an eye on each other while you gear up.
- Bring a DSMB for the dive, and launch it before you surface if you're in an area that has boat traffic. Which you probably are, since you took a boat there yourself.
- Bring (and use!) kayak safety gear -- PFDs, an effective bailing tool, a radio/PLB if you're going way out there.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Brett above pretty much nailed it.
I use an older Ocean Kayak Scrambler with a tank well. One thing I never do is open any hatches out in the ocean. I keep a PFD inside the kayak (the law) but being in a wetsuit floatation isn’t a concern.
I keep everything on top strapped down or clipped off to something in case I get flipped. However, in 20+ years of kayak diving I have never flipped a kayak.
One thing I can add is that every person should have their own anchor system. I don’t believe in “rafting up” kayaks all on one anchor point. If that anchorage fails you lose all the boats. I make my own rock anchors out of 1/2” rebar and make a three point grapple hook. I have about 6-8 feet of chain off the anchor then go to rope. This is to prevent chafing in rocky areas.
When I get to the dive site I straddle the kayak while sitting up and scooch forward to the front of the boat and drop the anchor. Then I put all my gear on sitting in the seat. I usually already have my computer and compass on my wrists. I put on fins, gloves, pull my hood over my head, put on mask. Then I slide in the water and reach up and get my weightbelt which is right in front of my seat and I roll it on in the water. Then I go to the back of the boat and slide my rig off and don it in the water. It’s very easy to do.
When going down I always check my anchor first to make sure it’s set well but not in a crack or wedged up somewhere making it impossible to pull up later.
Coming back I just do everything in reverse order.
Kayak diving is my favorite way to dive.
I use an older Ocean Kayak Scrambler with a tank well. One thing I never do is open any hatches out in the ocean. I keep a PFD inside the kayak (the law) but being in a wetsuit floatation isn’t a concern.
I keep everything on top strapped down or clipped off to something in case I get flipped. However, in 20+ years of kayak diving I have never flipped a kayak.
One thing I can add is that every person should have their own anchor system. I don’t believe in “rafting up” kayaks all on one anchor point. If that anchorage fails you lose all the boats. I make my own rock anchors out of 1/2” rebar and make a three point grapple hook. I have about 6-8 feet of chain off the anchor then go to rope. This is to prevent chafing in rocky areas.
When I get to the dive site I straddle the kayak while sitting up and scooch forward to the front of the boat and drop the anchor. Then I put all my gear on sitting in the seat. I usually already have my computer and compass on my wrists. I put on fins, gloves, pull my hood over my head, put on mask. Then I slide in the water and reach up and get my weightbelt which is right in front of my seat and I roll it on in the water. Then I go to the back of the boat and slide my rig off and don it in the water. It’s very easy to do.
When going down I always check my anchor first to make sure it’s set well but not in a crack or wedged up somewhere making it impossible to pull up later.
Coming back I just do everything in reverse order.
Kayak diving is my favorite way to dive.
You might find some useful info in our Inflatables, RIB's, Dinghy's & Kayaks forum.
Similar threads
