Sailboat Diving Platform

[Gudu]

Here is the prototype Diving Platform on my Boat.

Size 8*3 ft. bolted together with SS bolts using 2*6. For easy on/off the platform is held 12" under water by 2 hanging 5gal.(one at each end) Buckets filled with Gravel. The Platform is conveniently acessible from the Boat via the Boarding Ladder.

When Boat is underway the contraption is pulled up and lashed to the Solid Reeling.

Will easily hold 2 Divers at same time and allows them to put Finns and BCD on/off while on Platform.

Cheers.

 

[OldNSalty]

I like it. How is diving from a sail boat? I have thought often of getting one but I feel like I would spend all day just to get to the dive sites.

 

[t-mac]

Nice. I wonder if there's a better weighting system than the buckets of gravel. You probably don't really need much weight in them. The water in the buckets should buffer up and down movement alot -- maybe only need 10 pounds or so in each. Could just use some spare weights from your weight belt? I'm just speculating. Maybe your experiments have already proved me wrong. Fair winds!

 

[Gudu]

I like it. How is diving from a sail boat? I have thought often of getting one but I feel like I would spend all day just to get to the dive sites.

It works for me becouse I take the Summer mostly for myself and can go when I please. There are some excellent Diving spots nearby and many more within a two hours Sail or the Diesel. Only drawback is the cold water nessesitating 7mill wetsuit which takes a lot of Lead to sink.

---------- Post Merged at 08:37 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:27 PM ----------

Nice. I wonder if there's a better weighting system than the buckets of gravel. You probably don't really need much weight in them. The water in the buckets should buffer up and down movement alot -- maybe only need 10 pounds or so in each. Could just use some spare weights from your weight belt? I'm just speculating. Maybe your experiments have already proved me wrong. Fair winds!

Actually the two Buckets filled with Gravel are there to hold the wooden Platform under Water, not as a buffering device. Having the Platform 12 inches under Water makes it very easy to get off or on. Spare Weightbelts would certainly acomplish the same. I might make use of your Idea when I have some extras, thanks.

 

[Wolfie]

I like it. How is diving from a sail boat? I have thought often of getting one but I feel like I would spend all day just to get to the dive sites.

I have dove from my sail boat when my dive boat buddies weren't around. It's not bad if your wreck is a mile from the anchorage, beyond that it can be painful. I did one dive waaaaayy out there one time. I was moving the boat from one harbor to another (60 miles 10 hrs) it was nice to take a break from the diesel to dive a wreck that doesn't have much traffic because it's 20 miles from the nearest harbor. I use the inflatable dingy as the dive platform. This system looks pretty cool. How does it stow.

---------- Post Merged at 12:52 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:44 AM ----------

And yes, lead holds its weight better underwater so you would need less ballast to keep it down. If you could raise the lead above water it would be more effective. Maybe a ss stantion that you could clip the lead to. This would be easier to stow than sailing around with 2 buckets of gravel....

 

[Gudu]

How does it stow,

For the Summer just lashed against the Reeling, big Boat lots of room. In the off Season I probably just store it at my House.

 

[socaljohn]

Very cool and I really like the step being 12 inches under water. I dive from the swim step on my buddies cabin cruiser and it is a pain getting back on board. (Not that I am unappreciative of having a buddy with a boat for dive trips regardless of the swim step situation.)

Only drawback is the cold water nessesitating 7mill wetsuit which takes a lot of Lead to sink.

7mm...welcome to my world... So Cal.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Did you try using the ladder without the swimstep?