Looking for a small zodiak

[Cafka]

Hey,
I'm looking for a zodiak to take out to the local kelp forests. Something around 10' with a (preferably) a hard bottom and a 4-5 hp engine.

My question is where would you look for such a vessel? I've looked through the recycler and the paper, but have come up with nothing. Can anybody help me out?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[DennisS]

http://www.boattraderonline.com/

This is pretty good site for searching for a boat, they have a good listing.
I wish you were in S Florida, I have a 12 ft Achilles I'm gretting ready to sell.

 

[Arnaud]

Cafka, have you given any consideration to how you're going to moor/anchor the boat in the kelps, having to leave someone on the boat, carrying sufficient O2, etc.?

You may be looking at a small boat but you'll have the same problems than a bigger boat, without the benefit of their electronic gizmos, extended range and...compressor.

 

[Cafka]

I figured I would have a bow anchor and stern anchor. And I wouldn't anchor it in kelp, but somewhere close. I would only be going with my brother and we would only need two tanks max, but most of the time we would only have one. This boat was mainly just to get out to the breakwall or kelp forest for a 45 minute dive.

-Tom

 

[pasley]

Arnaud has a good point. Waves come up, the wind comes up, and your little vessle may slip anchor and leave you behind. Of course there are always those rare sticky fingered baboons who may aquire your new boat. Leaving a boat with no one on board does have some hazards. Having said that, I know of several people who leave their boats unattended while diving (including my friend and I).

Remember the anchor need a line at least 3x the depth of the dive site and should have a chain of at least 10 feet.

If leaving the boat unattended while diving, I would suggest limiting your dives to sites you could potentially swim home from.

 

[Arnaud]

How do you make sure that you don't kill a diver when tossing your anchor in the water?

Also, leaving a boat unattended when diving is a really bad idea. What if you or your buddy has any problem underwater and you come up to the surface where no boat is to be seen?

 

[JustAddWater]

Cafka,
I too am thinking about getting a small boat or Zodiac for diving and fishing in small coves. I'm at the stage of dropping hints to my wife. "What would you like for Christmas, Honey?"
Good luck on the search.
JAW

 

[Arnaud]

JustAddWater once bubbled...
...I'm at the stage of dropping hints to my wife. "What would you like for Christmas, Honey?" ...

It sure beats the ol' steam iron...

 

[DennisS]

Arnaud once bubbled...
How do you make sure that you don't kill a diver when tossing your anchor in the water?

Tossing an anchor is generally a bad idea, lowering it while watching the line is a lot better. It gives you a chance to undo that weird wrap that somehow got in the coil since the last time you used it.

It also prevents killing divers

 

[Cafka]

We would only be going to places that would be a 20 minute surface swim. The boat is just there to make the trek easier. You wouldn't just throw your anchor over you'd lower it down carefully. If there were other divers, they'd have a flag or vessel around. These are the same problems you would have if you had a 30 or 40 foot boat. There could always be someone diving under you at any time.

And of course, everytime we would go out, we'd check the weather and still scope it out. We want to always play it safe rather than having something happen.

-Tom