Rigging a small boat for diving

[Aquamaniac]

WreckWriter once bubbled...
18 foot is pretty much the minuimum size boat you should actually go to sea in. You won't be able to comfortably dive 4 people off of an 18.

You NEVER go to sea without a VHF radio in good working condition. Don't consider it insurance, consider it mandatory.

I strongly recommend against leaving the boat unattended while diving but people do it and get away with it all the time. You can play the odds but I don't recommend it.

WW

Im curious, why a VHF? I consider my 27 meg set to be more critical than my VHF.
I also consider the EPIRB to be more important than both of those.
These days, the cell phone ranks pretty high as well.

P.S. Leaving the boat unattended is a REALLY bad move IMHO.
There are many reasons

 

[Braunbehrens]

Aquamaniac once bubbled...


Im curious, why a VHF? I consider my 27 meg set to be more critical than my VHF.
I also consider the EPIRB to be more important than both of those.
These days, the cell phone ranks pretty high as well.

P.S. Leaving the boat unattended is a REALLY bad move IMHO.
There are many reasons

I don't even know what a 27 meg set is. I wonder how useful that is, compared to a VHF which most boats have. I think you are more likely to get assistance from a VHF then from a 27 meg set, whatever that is, unless it broadcasts on the same frequency. Cell phones are more important, I agree, but having a VHF and a cell phone is probably the best bet.

As for EPIRB's, they are nice to have, but the search area is very large and the time to actually getting someone looking for you is pretty long. I don't dive in circumstances where I can't just get on the VHF and send a MAYDAY or call the coast guard on the cell, and if there is a diving accident I sure as heck don't want to wait for the EPIRB system. I think that out of the 4 the EPIRB is the least useful.

So, pray tell, what is a 27 meg set? ;-)

As for leaving boats unattended, I've said it before, if you can't swim home then it's a pretty dumb thing to do. If you can swim home, then it's simply a question of accepting the risk of a long swim and possible loss of your boat.

To the guy who said that 18' is minimum, there are lots of people diving from much smaller platforms. The size of the boat depends on several factors. The further out you go, the bigger the boat you want. The more money you have the bigger your boat. However, a small boat may be more useful in terms of being more mobile on land and being able to launch at more ramps.

I frequently launch at Pt. Lobos State Reserve, and my 17ft Montauk is about as big a boat as you're going to get in the water at this ramp.

BTW, some boats are more seaworthy than others, even though they are of the same size. I'd take my Whaler out further than pretty much any other boat of the same size.

-Paul B

 

[No Fish]

If I remember right that is the CB radio frequency. (maybe sideband too) I guess it depends on where you are but I find that in some areas nobody monitors these frequencies on a dependable basis.

Does anyone know where I can get the Roll control products in Canada? This thread is very helpful to me too. Thanks

 

[Stone]

No Fish once bubbled...
Does anyone know where I can get the Roll control products in Canada? This thread is very helpful to me too. Thanks

Leisurepro.com sells "Roll control". I am very happy with mine.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...


So, pray tell, what is a 27 meg set? ;-)


-Paul B

First, its very important to remember this is an international forum, just because the USA does not use something, that its not correct.
27 Megahertz marine radios are compulsory, and standard equipment in Australia and many Pacific regions. Its the base unit in EVERY Emergency monitoring station. It is beginning to be superceeded by VHF.

A VHF set is absolutly useless with a dead battery, or when you capsize your boat, hence the importance of an EPIRB.

Large Search area???? Do you understand what the "position indicating" part of EPIRB is?

I would not leave the dock without at least one EPIRB on board. Not only because of the safety factor......But once again, its compulsory.
Dave

 

[Braunbehrens]

Aquamaniac once bubbled...

First, its very important to remember this is an international forum
27 Megahertz marine radios are compulsory, and standard equipment in Australia and many Pacific regions.

A VHF set is absolutly useless with a dead battery, or when you capsize your boat, hence the importance of an EPIRB.

Large Search area???? Do you understand what the "position indicating" part of EPIRB is?

I would not leave the dock without at least one EPIRB on board. Not only because of the safety factor......But once again, its compulsory.
Dave

Dave, you are right about the international thing, but I don't think any passing ships are likely to monitor anything other than VHF where I dive. I wrongly assumed that this was an international standard. I'm surprised it's not, because many boats go all over the world.

I couldn't find my reference for the EPIRB but a google brought up this page:

http://www.kcros.org.au/epirb.htm


Here is an excerpt:

"However it may take 2 hours for a satellite to pass overhead and pick up your signal. The signal is only located within 20km"

As you can see, a VHF is much more likely to get you immediate assistance. If you are diving from a big boat, way offshore, then yes, an EPIRB is a very imporant safety item. In my case, the likely emergency is that someone got bent, and the best thing to do is probably to have the EMT meet me at the ramp. So as you see, in my case a cellphone is the emergency item of choice.

However, you make a good point about being capsized. I just don't go out when it's that rough, don't go that far from shore, and generally haven't looked at it as a possibility, but I guess it is a remote one, so I should be prepared for it.

BTW, in addition to the boats VHF I also have a battery powered one in a dry box and a cell phone.

I suppose the ultimate safety device would be to put a small submersible VHF inside your drysuit. I actually know one guy who dives with a PVC tube that has an EPIRB and a VHF in it, just in case.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Location is a major factor with EPIRBS.
None of the Emergency responses (via EPIRB), I have seen in my local waters were actioned via satelite.
Commercial Airliners, Private Aircraft, and all milltary aircraft monitor EPIRB beacon frequencies.
We also have EPIRB Tracking gear in our SAR aircraft (ironicaly it was a RAAF Helicopter linked to AUSAR mentioned in the link you posted).
It just so happens that a bulk of our fishing/diving sites are under a major flight path.
I have seen a rescue when the occupants were back on Dry land 2 hours after initializing the EPIRB, the reason it was activated was a suprise Capsize. Once the chopper was airborne, it just honed in on the beacon, plucked them up and took them home.
You cant do that with VHF, even IF it had survived the capsize.
(unless the GPS also survived and they were able to radio in the co-ords)

Please dont get me wrong, VHF equipment is a very important bit of kit. Like I said, I have a 27 meg set, a VHF a cell phone and an EPIRB. The only one that will work in a complete Charlie Foxtrot will be the EPIRB, I may have to wait two hours, but at least Im waiting for something......

 

[Braunbehrens]

I think different EPIRBS also have different capabilities, but not sure about that. Anyone wanting to get an EPIRB should research this anyhow.

A local windsurfer broke his board while sailing in open water. He called the coast guard on VHF and they picked him up in 15 mn. Now that's service!

I agree, it's best to have all your bases covered. FWIW, I also have a battery powered GPS in the same dry box. Also, the dry box will float....

Still, not a bad idea to get an EPIRB, I'll do it at the next opportunity.

 

[Groundhog246]

Spectre once bubbled...
First... have two anchors. Drop the first anchor and run with the current/wind for at least 3 times the depth [e.g. for 40 ft depth, let out at least 120 ft of line. Now let out another 120 ft and set a stern anchor. Let out 120 ft in the stern anchor and pull up that extra 120ft on the bow anchor.

Anchoring is something I know.
First, have a good anchor. Your typical Danforth type will pull out if the boat swings and will not reset if there's any amount of speed. My preference is a "Bruce" type which will typically set/reset in 2 anchor lengths, plows are also good. Which is best depends on the bottom type. Get the next size up. For a Bruce a 7.5KG would not be too big. Next is the rode, at least a boat length of chain between the anchor and the rope. This keeps the forces on the anchor pulling horizontally, instead of vertically. Use nylon rope which sinks and maintains it's strength when wet, not polypropylene which floats and loses up to 20% of it strength when submerged. Lastly, minimum rode should be 5 to 1 and don't forget to include the height of the bow above water, 7 to one is recommended.
So for the above 40 foot depth, add say 3 feet from the waterline to the bow, so 43 feet X 5 = 215 feet of line deployed. On our boat we carry 30 feet of chain attached to 300 feet of rope (Georgian Bay is deep).

I'd also recommend carrying signaling devices. A horn (Dive Alert) and flares (waterproof pouch) would be great if your boat isn't there when you ascend. You're not only at risk from is dragging anchor, but from someone boarding and making off with it.

Some GPS offer an "Anchor Watch" which sets off an alarm if the boat drifts beyond a certain radius. I wonder if such an alarm could be tied into an underwater speaker to alert you if the boat started to drift.

 

[Braunbehrens]

Groundhog246 once bubbled...


Your typical Danforth type will pull out if the boat swings and will not reset if there's any amount of speed. My preference is a "Bruce" type which will typically set/reset in 2 anchor lengths, plows are also good. Which is best depends on the bottom type. Get the next size up. For a Bruce a 7.5KG would not be too big.

Lastly, minimum rode should be 5 to 1 and don't forget to include the height of the bow above water, 7 to one is recommended.

Not sure about where you get this info about the Danforth, but it's true that the Danforth can "swim" if there is enough speed. This is especially true of the aluminum Danforths. I suspect that more chain would help this, and I also think (but this is just conjecture) that if you keep the weight equal, but get an aluminum Danforth and more chain it will result in better ground tackle.

I'm also not sure that "get the next size up" is such a good idea. I used to subsribe to that idea, but now I think that you are better off using that weight in chain, rather than a larger anchor.

I agree that the bruce is a nice all around anchor. That's what I use.

As for the 7 to one scope, I don't think so. Sure, this is what's recommended, but I frequently anchor in over 100 ft of water. I'm not going to carry 700 ft of rode, that's just plain silly. We typically get away with a lot less, but then there is some data that the deeper your anchor the less scope you need.

Of course, check the anchor first thing on your dive...always.

-Paul B.