Taking GPS coordinates of a site... captain's permission?

[Tigerman]

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You stated " they should ask you to sign an agreement indicating the rules", which I found silly. So I responded to that statement. The rest of my statements were made to the general public, giving my opinion to the OP and the original question asked.
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No I did not..

 

[Zieg]

No I did not..

Opps, you are right, that was nimoh. I'm sorry.

If they don't want you to record GPS coordinates, they should ask you to sign an agreement indicating the rules, giving you the choice of whether to go on the dive or not. When on the boat about to dive is the wrong time for the crew to inform you that they don't allow it.

But if you come on a forum like this and have to ask the question, then you already know the answer. If you feel that you have to hide your gps or phone while taking the numbers, then you already know the answer. If it is a public number, do your own homework and stop copying off your buddies paper.

What the bloody heck are you on about
I never said I needed to hide anything at all or that Im "writing off my buddies papers"??

And I sure never came in here asking the question..

So then the 'you' I used in this post was not directed at "you" at all but the general public 'you'. Is it straight now?

 

[MaxBottomtime]

With Google Earth, you can zoom in on many sites worldwide, including getting a 2D view of the reef/wreck under the surface. Move your cursor over the spot you wish to anchor and write down the coordinates. There is no need to give the Captain the impression you are "stealing" his numbers.

 

[nimoh]

Opps, you are right, that was nimoh. I'm sorry.

So then the 'you' I used in this post was not directed at "you" at all but the general public 'you'. Is it straight now?

yes, the "you" was intended in the generic sense.

My "signed agreement" comment was addressed specifically at boat operators that will throw your GPS overboard if it is used (as mentioned in the OP). A signed agreement is probably overkill in most cases, but if the operator doesn't allow taking GPS coordinates, then they should put that in a list of rules for using their boat, and make this available to divers before getting to the dive site.

 

[soltari675]

If a captain politely asked me to not use GPS on his boat, I would comply. I generally have my phone off anyway and I can look up coordinates later if I just have to have them. However if a crew member yelled at me and threatened to throw my equipment overboard, I would get the coordinates and if he touched me, he would go overboard..... That's uncalled for and unprofessional. I'm all for "his boat, his rules" but damaging property and physical contact is not ok, I don't care what your problem is.

 

[Searcaigh]

Never dived the Caribbean, but I have used my GPS unit locally with no issues as well as the Red Sea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

 

[Tug]

One of the boats that I frequent has a posted policy that GPS units are not allowed without prior permission of the captains. This boat and crew also does a good amount of exploritory diving and has found and identified a good amount of wrecks in the area so I understand why they have this policy. I would be willing to bet that they would allow a gps unit for some of the known wrecks but for the deeper lesser known wrecks it makes sense.

 

[macado]

I can only speak for New England but there are wrecks or dive sites (scallop beds, lesser known sites, etc) that are only known to specific charters. Charters can (and understandably) be very sensitive about their GPS coordinates since they may have been the ones that originally found the wrecks or dive sites.

It's very bad form to take GPS coordinates off these sites without asking. There are several "known" wrecks that have published coordinates online that aren't even close to where the actual wrecks are.

Some dive charters have policies explicitly forbidding handheld GPS units. I know it's hard to avoid especially in this world where every phone also functions as a GPS receiver and captures coordinates in pictures but I feel that people should abide by the rules of the charters

 

[Tug]

One of the boats that I frequent has a posted policy that GPS units are not allowed without prior permission of the captains. This boat and crew also does a good amount of exploritory diving and has found and identified a good amount of wrecks in the area so I understand why they have this policy. I would be willing to bet that they would allow a gps unit for some of the known wrecks but for the deeper lesser known wrecks it makes sense.

Some dive charters have policies explicitly forbidding handheld GPS units. I know it's hard to avoid especially in this world where every phone also functions as a GPS receiver and captures coordinates in pictures but I feel that people should abide by the rules of the charters

Following up on this, here is a quote from one of the local boats policies

I want the “numbers” to that wreck. Can I bring my handheld GPS onboard?

You may not bring your handheld GPS aboard ***** without prior permission from the Captains. Please ask. We will probably say yes.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Following up on this, here is a quote from one of the local boats policies

I see nothing wrong with that policy. Sometimes people just need to create something to complain about.


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