Liveaboard Boats and Roaches

[Kleppta]

I have a friend who has done allot of diving and we are attempting to see if we can plan a trip together.

I personally am addicted to liveaboards, but he is convinced that liveaboards are Roach motels.

Don't get me wrong, he doesn’t think that over all all boats are dirty or have low standards he just thinks liveaboard diving and roaches go hand in hand.

Basically he has a Roach phobia.

I personally have only done liveaboards with 2 different companies and never seen a roach.

What are you experiences with Roaches and dive boats.

Am I just missing these critters or is my friend just over reacting?

Kleppta

 

[tstormdiver]

I've been on 2 different live aboards & never seen any kind of bug, but then, my mind is on diving, not finding bugs.

 

[caymaniac]

I've only been on two liveaboards, I will say that all of the land based places that we've stayed and that is alot of places and Islands, we've seen a roach or two. I haven't seen them on a liveaboard, but that is not to say they don't have them. I think it is alittle easier to control on a boat than a room attached to land.

 

[njd3rph]

I've only been on the Carribean Explorer liveaboards which were immaculate.

 

[robint]

nope, haven't seen any. But I can see where it may happen depending on the boat cleanliness.

Land-based hotels on the other hand....eeeewwww, no matter how expensive or clean they are, I have always found a bug or two. I think you just have to understand that dive trips to the tropics in particular are going to involve critters of all shapes and sizes. After living in Florida for 10+ years, I got used to seeing bugs in my house, its just part of the "tropical" experience! LOL

robin

 

[DeputyDan]

Your friend is just looking for an execuse not to go. It this proves false, there will be something else!

 

[sea nmf]

From someone living in the tropics, roaches are not neccessarily a sign of uncleanliness.

The only way to NOT have them is to spray pesticides and use traps. They fly, swim, walk, and run. If they haven't been seen on liveaboards, then they are kept away with regular spraying.

I had a friend that had a boat. Her husband brought her a bunch of daisies. In the morning, all the petals were gone. They will eat anything and live anywhere.

 

[vladimir]

I saw some on the MV Fantasea, out of Phuket, which has since been mothballed. I have been on 4 Aggressor, 2 Mike Ball, 1 Undersea Hunter, and 1 Kararu Safari cruise and have not seen a roach. I spent 10 days on the Telita, in PNG. One night we tied up to a tree on the edge of the jungle. I got up in the middle of the night to use the head (up on the main deck) and the whole boat was covered about an inch thick in termite-like insects, attracted by the lights I guess. The head was covered in them too. Of course I was barefoot. But no roaches on the Telita either.

 

[Damselfish]

6 liveaboards, no roaches seen so far. On land, I've seen some that needed saddles.

 

[Kleppta]

Your friend is just looking for an execuse not to go. It this proves false, there will be something else!

I don't think so. He dives all the time and in some pretty crazy places.

Maybe he just doesn’t want to dive with me!

He admittedly has a phobia of roaches.

He reportedly saw roaches on one of the aggressor boats and believes that if Roaches can be on a boat of such high standards they must be everywhere.


Kleppta