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This piece has been featured in both African Diver and EDA magazines.
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Moreover, small boats are particularly useful when used for shore drift dives or diving in rough sea conditions. In choppy seas when traditional dive crafts fear collision with the reef, small boats are used for divers pick up. In addition, due to their increased mobility, small boats provide additional safety. They are commonly used to recover separated and lost divers, and in at least one incident in the Red Sea they were used as life rafts to rescue divers when their main 30 meters (100 feet) dive vessel sank.
Small boat types
The main types of small boats are rigid inflatable boats (RIBs, sometimes referred to as zodiacs), fully inflatable boats and small fiberglass boats. The size of these boats usually varies from 3 to 9 meters (10 to 30 feet). They are normally equipped with one or two engines ranging from 15 to 225 horsepower. They are either moored at water or transported to land by trailers. Actually some small-size fully inflatable boats fit in car trunks.
Dive planning
Small boats are seaworthy, stable, buoyant and - depending on the installed engine(s) - fast. They have a good loading capacity and a low freeboard (height above the water), which provides easy water entries and exits for divers. Inflatable boats are difficult to sink, even if filled with water or had a floatation chamber ruptured. However, they can easily roll over. Thats why divers should sit on opposite sides so that their mass is evenly distributed. Divers should assemble their equipment beforehand, put on their suits and boots, hang the masks on their necks and get done with putting on the rest of their equipment when they reach the dive site. In rough sea conditions, putting on all the equipment beforehand is highly recommended. They enter the water from opposite sides either by dropping over the side or using the backward roll technique. It is worth noting that in choppy seas a negative water entry is advisable. To achieve that, some divers feel comfortable adding a little more weight to overcome the waters up-thrust force. Others prefer emptying the BCD completely onboard by orally sucking all the air out through the power inflator and exhaling while descending.
A divers down flag should be raised on the small boat as long as there are divers in the water. After the dive and upon reaching the small boat, the diver should hold the boats side with one hand, remove the weight belt with the other, hand the weight belt to the coxswain, remove the equipment (tank, BCD and regulator) while still holding the small boat, hand the equipment to the coxswain, fin upwards with the body in vertical position and climb to enter the boat. Removing the fins before entering the small boat is not a wise idea. On the way back, divers should again sit equally on opposite sides.
Small boat handling
Small boat diving requires extra planning. When the small boat is loaded on a trailer, it is either lifted off the trailer and carried to the water or launched from the trailer directly to the water. In the first case it is launched bow first while in the second it is launched stern first. It is worth noting that if the boat is launched from the trailer directly to the water, special attention should be given to the engine in order not to hit something (seabed, rocks, etc ). Also take into consideration that small boats are easily vulnerable to damage so they must be handled with care.
It is worth noting that the small boat should never be left unattended. Never attempt to act as a coxswain and a diver at the same time. Having a dedicated coxswain onboard is mandatory. Since the small boats low position in water sometimes inhibits the sighting of objects such as rocks or coral pinnacles, divers should always help the coxswain and watch for hazards. Throughout the dive, the coxswain should follow the divers bubbles or look for DSMBs while moving around for divers pick-up. Take into consideration that tying the small boat to the reef or anchoring it in a dive site is not a brilliant idea, as it hinders the operation of divers pick-up. Moreover, being free ensures maximum speed in case of rescue.
When diving out of shore and based on the dive plan, the coxswain should estimate the total excursion time and give an estimated time-of-return to the shore-based personnel. This saves invaluable time if a rescue operation is to be initiated.
Equipment, care and further considerations
Small boats should be regularly inspected and serviced. The floatation chambers of inflatable boats should be pumped to the manufacturers recommended capacity. The engine(s) should be trimmed correctly and the maintenance should be carried out regularly on a scheduled basis. If used to reach far dive sites out of shore, small boats should be equipped with a portable VHF radio to maintain contact with other boats and/or shore-based personnel. A first aid kit, an oxygen kit, fresh drinking water and suitable lamps in case night diving is considered are also mandatory. Flares should be added to the list, local laws and regulations permitting.
It is worth noting that the travel time to the dive site should not exceed 30 minutes, especially in rough sea conditions. Take into consideration that small boats are uncomfortable and a bumpy ride could easily cause motion sickness. They also lack deck space and are usually unsheltered so divers are subject to wind chill. According to the sea conditions, appropriate thermal and wind protection should be considered while planning the dive. Hot drinks could be provided accordingly. If you know that you are vulnerable to motion sickness, use appropriate medication 30 minutes before the ride.
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Small Boat Diving
Small boats open new horizons for divers. Nowadays, more divers with non-diving partners/families/children are trying to split their vacation time so that all family members are satisfied. As the operational cost of small boats is fairly lower than that of bigger ones, they are ideal for small groups and short excursions.
Moreover, small boats are particularly useful when used for shore drift dives or diving in rough sea conditions. In choppy seas when traditional dive crafts fear collision with the reef, small boats are used for divers pick up. In addition, due to their increased mobility, small boats provide additional safety. They are commonly used to recover separated and lost divers, and in at least one incident in the Red Sea they were used as life rafts to rescue divers when their main 30 meters (100 feet) dive vessel sank.
Small boat types
The main types of small boats are rigid inflatable boats (RIBs, sometimes referred to as zodiacs), fully inflatable boats and small fiberglass boats. The size of these boats usually varies from 3 to 9 meters (10 to 30 feet). They are normally equipped with one or two engines ranging from 15 to 225 horsepower. They are either moored at water or transported to land by trailers. Actually some small-size fully inflatable boats fit in car trunks.
Dive planning
Small boats are seaworthy, stable, buoyant and - depending on the installed engine(s) - fast. They have a good loading capacity and a low freeboard (height above the water), which provides easy water entries and exits for divers. Inflatable boats are difficult to sink, even if filled with water or had a floatation chamber ruptured. However, they can easily roll over. Thats why divers should sit on opposite sides so that their mass is evenly distributed. Divers should assemble their equipment beforehand, put on their suits and boots, hang the masks on their necks and get done with putting on the rest of their equipment when they reach the dive site. In rough sea conditions, putting on all the equipment beforehand is highly recommended. They enter the water from opposite sides either by dropping over the side or using the backward roll technique. It is worth noting that in choppy seas a negative water entry is advisable. To achieve that, some divers feel comfortable adding a little more weight to overcome the waters up-thrust force. Others prefer emptying the BCD completely onboard by orally sucking all the air out through the power inflator and exhaling while descending.
A divers down flag should be raised on the small boat as long as there are divers in the water. After the dive and upon reaching the small boat, the diver should hold the boats side with one hand, remove the weight belt with the other, hand the weight belt to the coxswain, remove the equipment (tank, BCD and regulator) while still holding the small boat, hand the equipment to the coxswain, fin upwards with the body in vertical position and climb to enter the boat. Removing the fins before entering the small boat is not a wise idea. On the way back, divers should again sit equally on opposite sides.
Small boat handling
Small boat diving requires extra planning. When the small boat is loaded on a trailer, it is either lifted off the trailer and carried to the water or launched from the trailer directly to the water. In the first case it is launched bow first while in the second it is launched stern first. It is worth noting that if the boat is launched from the trailer directly to the water, special attention should be given to the engine in order not to hit something (seabed, rocks, etc ). Also take into consideration that small boats are easily vulnerable to damage so they must be handled with care.
It is worth noting that the small boat should never be left unattended. Never attempt to act as a coxswain and a diver at the same time. Having a dedicated coxswain onboard is mandatory. Since the small boats low position in water sometimes inhibits the sighting of objects such as rocks or coral pinnacles, divers should always help the coxswain and watch for hazards. Throughout the dive, the coxswain should follow the divers bubbles or look for DSMBs while moving around for divers pick-up. Take into consideration that tying the small boat to the reef or anchoring it in a dive site is not a brilliant idea, as it hinders the operation of divers pick-up. Moreover, being free ensures maximum speed in case of rescue.
When diving out of shore and based on the dive plan, the coxswain should estimate the total excursion time and give an estimated time-of-return to the shore-based personnel. This saves invaluable time if a rescue operation is to be initiated.
Equipment, care and further considerations
Small boats should be regularly inspected and serviced. The floatation chambers of inflatable boats should be pumped to the manufacturers recommended capacity. The engine(s) should be trimmed correctly and the maintenance should be carried out regularly on a scheduled basis. If used to reach far dive sites out of shore, small boats should be equipped with a portable VHF radio to maintain contact with other boats and/or shore-based personnel. A first aid kit, an oxygen kit, fresh drinking water and suitable lamps in case night diving is considered are also mandatory. Flares should be added to the list, local laws and regulations permitting.
It is worth noting that the travel time to the dive site should not exceed 30 minutes, especially in rough sea conditions. Take into consideration that small boats are uncomfortable and a bumpy ride could easily cause motion sickness. They also lack deck space and are usually unsheltered so divers are subject to wind chill. According to the sea conditions, appropriate thermal and wind protection should be considered while planning the dive. Hot drinks could be provided accordingly. If you know that you are vulnerable to motion sickness, use appropriate medication 30 minutes before the ride.
