setting it up

[wilds42]

I have a 29ft. pontoon boat, basically a flat deck on floats(no seats, other then captians bench for covered storage, and fixed fiberglass cover over back half) seeing that it gets used buy extended family and freinds for fishing, camping, and fun day trips dont really want to chamge anything permantly, figure we will add fish finder to control tower permantly, add a diver freindly first aid supplies to exsiting first aid box, we have a hand held gps and figure pick up a handheld ships radio or emergancy band unit for the few times we are not in cell coverage, figure weight distribuion is most important so dont know how to make a center line tank rack thats removable any ideas ???? Also need ideas for some type of portable bench for donning equipment, wondering if thier would be way to secure tanks under said bench????? need some good ideas and surgestions on other thinkgs needed to make it a more safe,comfortable, and diver freindly craft. I am located in northwest Louisiana and will be diveing mostly in local lakes in Arkasas, and Texas, already have ladders, and flag holders for dive flags.

 

[Peter_C]

Bring oxygen! and know how to use it.

Got pics of the boat?

 

[rambaldi]

The boat is about the size I would consider using a permanently attached radio rather than just a hand held unit. It means you will never forget it and will be more powerful/allow you alternatives that provide more varsatility (rather than UHF, use single side band). I see lots of recreational divers consider a marine radio as something extra and just rely on their cell phone but in the marine environment that really isn't appropriate.

Skipper training, it is an odd one but I think it can help out in emergency situations. You sound like you already know how to pilot the boat but still think about a "day skipper" or "master of a small boat" courses (might be called something different where you are), they will teach you things you didn't even realise you didn't know. A first aid course might be useful if you don't already know it all. One of the big courses to take if you are going to be diving off the boat is an O2 provider course, it isn't hard but you want to make sure you can rig everything up under stress (it isn't like a scuba cylinder + reg).