Scuba Shack's Boat Get Wet Sinks in Key Largo

[Jax]

A salvaging boat tows the dive boat Get Wet, which sank near Molasses Reef, about three miles off Key Largo.
One died and another was hospitalized when the boat went down on Sunday.

 

[Jax]

A double post. Again. Who'd have thunk it? Accompanied, of course, by the "Leave Page" or "Stay on Page" option. :whatever:

 

[Scott L]

Scuba Diving boats, Snorkeling Boats, Fishing charter boats

Their web-site refers to the boat as a 30' Burpee. All other report refer to it as a 25' Lindsey. Perhaps it's just me, but that boat looks a tad small and posiably top-heavy for Florida offshore operation. I doubt I would ever have elected to board for a dive...

 

[SeaHorse81]

Thanks for the solid info, Jax. I just wish it wasn't necessary.

 

[mike_s]

If I am reading this right and forgive me if I am wrong. 8 passengers on board and it is a 6 pack. Does that mean just divers or all passengers?

We seem to have conflicting information.





Here is a quote from that Miami Herald article:

Schecter said the boat was not overloaded. “We’re authorized for more than six passengers. I believe it’s 14,” he said.
​

6 divers + a captain and dive instructor/divemaster=8 total occupants


reefman
key largo

For everyone who might be wondering. There are different limits based on it's use.


The boat has a USCG Manufacturer Certification Limit. You can put this number on the boat for PLEASURE USE or have it commercially inspected if you want it for commercial use. . This XX number of people or Y,YYY pounds of passengers, gear, fuel, etc.

For this most it was MOST LIKELY 14 people as referenced above. That means the boat is USCG certified for no more than 14 people

That decal would look like this. (from a much smaller boat example)

However, this boat was operating under a USCG Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) license. The OUPV license allows captains to operate a boat up to something like 60 or 65' with up to 6 paying passengers without annual USCG inspection.

This six paying passengers doesn't include the crew. Which could include 5-6 crew. (some small liveaboards operate as a six pack and have multiple crew).



If the captain wants to take out 14 passengers and he only has a OUPV license for the boat, it has to be a "pleasure trip". (like taking family members out, etc, not for hire).



So... easy to confuse the two ratings. One is a boat rating for max occupants regardless of use.

the other is a license and inspection restriction.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

aimee Rhoades sounds familiar, I think she is a scuba instructor, Her dive shop went out of business but still taught scuba, something like a2z scuba.

 

[ScubaSteve]

aimee Rhoades sounds familiar, I think she is a scuba instructor, Her dive shop went out of business but still taught scuba, something like a2z scuba.

I thought I read earlier the person that died was a DSD person that had been coerced into the DSD by friends and family.

 

[Wookie]

The Get Wet is an Inspected Passenger Vessel, not a 6-Pack. Her record of contacts from the Coast Guard is available Here. Notice that in May of 2010, the Coast Guard told the owner to fix a hole in the hull on the Starboard side. There is no resolution of that finding by the Coast Guard. There are many additional findings, but they probably aren't that serious. I'm concerned about the deck support over the fuel tank. If the main deck let go (was improperly supported), you could take on a lot of water really fast. The Coast Guard is usually very good about keeping these items updated.

The record also doesn't show that she was inspected this year. You can slip your inspection dates a little, but no more than 3 months.

EDIT. Annnnnd this Get Wet appears to be a vessel from another dive shop, not the subject vessel. My apologies for the confusion, and specifically to the other dive shop owner. Thank goodness there isn't another Spree (passenger vessel) in the USA. I'd get all kinds of confused.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Her spelling of name on her website is amy rhodes.

 

[Wookie]

aimee Rhoades sounds familiar, I think she is a scuba instructor, Her dive shop went out of business but still taught scuba, something like a2z scuba.

I know Amy Rhodes from A2Z Scuba. Spelling is different. Didn't know her shop went under. Sad.