New boat Help

[HybridDiver]

Hello,
My dad passed down his old four winns 16 foot bow rider outboard engine boat to me today. I would like to use it as a dive boat, im not picky cause it was for free. How can i do this, its pretty tight but do able. What kind of entry are we going to use and where from back or front, The front seems little safer from this boat. Anyways just need help with ideas to make the best of this small little boat.
Chris

 

[OceanObsessed]

You might want to consider puting your tank on in the water. Hook it up, air on, inflate the bc, tie it off to a line and toss it in the water. Hop in the water wearing mask & fins and put your tank on. Practice in the pool if it seems difficult. If the boat does not have a swim platform just tie your tank off and climb up the outboard motor. Turn the wheel to hard left of right before you get into the water and it makes it a bit easier.

My first boat did not have a dive/swim platform and I used to climb up the outboard all the time. On some boats its easy to do this and other boats its not so easy.
Good luck.
-Chris

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I think you'll find that putting your tank on in the boat and entering via a back roll to be
more convenient. Be sure to straighten your legs at the knees so you don't whack the
back of your calves on the gunwales (it hurts). And be sure to gather up your console,
BC inflator, light, etc. (anything loose) and tuck it under your forearms before your roll,
and put a hand on your mask and reg. This is OW1 stuff, but a lot of folks forget it.

If you do end up putting your BC on in the water, blow it up good to put it in, then
drain it down so it's just (half a pound) positive before you put it on. If it's all blown
up, it wants to be on top of the water, which means you need to be under it to put
it on.

And if you are either taking the BC off or putting it on in the water, you want to put
enought lead on the BC so it's a couple of pounds negative when bag and tank are
empty. That means YOU will be a couple of pounds positive, which is a good thing.

And take the USCG Aux or US Power Squadron course. Best to take it where you will
be boating to get the local knowledge.

 

[Nemrod]

Generally when diving from small boats you do not use the resort style giant stride. The proper entry is to sit fully equipped on the gunwale (side) and then back roll in. This is a standard entry and actually the best entry. Getting back into the boat will require a ladder. If the boat has no swim platform then a ladder may be obtained to go over the side. Such ladders are rarely a joy to use. A dive ladder may be installed on the stern but on such a small boat that may not be possible. The alternative is to remove the gear in the water on a tag line. Then enter the boat via a side ladder or climb up using the motor as a ladder and then haul the gear in. Good luck.

N

 

[OceanObsessed]

Such ladders are rarely a joy to use.

Thats an understatement

Many years ago somebody gave me one of those ladders. Perhaps I just had a really bad one but I found the ladder to be only slightly more helpful than a dockline thrown over the side. After using it once it was no longer welcome on my boat

 

[Nemrod]

When doing a back roll entry it is best to slightly tuck the legs. All the guys telling you that yu will hit your shins or legs are stiffing it. As you begin your backward roll tuck your legs up and do not straighten them until in the water---easy--no brusies on my legs--EVER.

N

 

[Damselfish]

Many years ago somebody gave me one of those ladders. Perhaps I just had a really bad one but I found the ladder to be only slightly more helpful than a dockline thrown over the side. After using it once it was no longer welcome on my boat

I just picked up one of those ladders from the bottom last week. Maybe it's owner felt the same way.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

When doing a back roll entry it is best to slightly tuck the legs. All the guys telling you that yu will hit your shins or legs are stiffing it. As you begin your backward roll tuck your legs up and do not straighten them until in the water---easy--no brusies on my legs--EVER.

Well. I whacked my calves pretty good the first time I rolled off my whaler. And I've
had several buddies say they should have listened better when I told them to straighten
their legs at the knees. I do agree that if you do an aggressive roll, you don't need
to straighten, but that introduces new problems (lost mask, etc.) for those who don't
have everything tucked under an arm or hand.

 

[Nemrod]

You either have to bend a little at the waist OR tuck your legs. If your going over stiff as a 4X4 then I see how one would whack their legs. Since my wife and I seem to do this entry without damage perhaps we are doing it right--lol. It also helps if just before rolling in that you sit back as far as you can. As my head and upper body begin downward I tuck my feet and legs and they go up and over the gunwales. Once in the water I straighten out and do a half roll to right side up and then away we go. Tucking the legs slightly does make you head heavy and results in a definite head low splash down. You should be holding your mask for sure. Works for me, others may vary. If this method is employed from higher perches a complete somersalt can be achieved. There have been warnings about hitting the boat with the tank as well, this just has not happened with us for whatever reasons. Good luck.

N

 

[matt_unique]

I have never hit the back of my legs doing a backward roll. What I do see often are people rotating too much then doing a flip once they hit the water. Visualize doing a back flop without rotating. Moving your legs out of the way must be very subtle...to the point where I have never thought about it.

You roll on your **** until you slip over the side...maybe the folks hitting their legs are leaning too far forward as they roll back or draping their **** too far over the side?

--Matt