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

[oly5050user]

If its a secret site and they ask you not to use a GPS, that's fine with me. Its their boat, their rules, but if they don't tell you and they get in a huff about it, that takes care of the tip issue. If they try to toss it overboard, loosing the tip will be the least of their worries.

I think it's just a tip loss,big deal. What can you do about the GPS going overboard while you are on a dive? Complain about its loss to the police when you return? What are they going to do? They did not witness its loss and you did not see who threw it over the side because you were in the water during a dive. Your word against their word you lose. No witnesses to actual action.

 

[redacted]

I think it's just a tip loss,big deal. What can you do about the GPS going overboard while you are on a dive? Complain about its loss to the police when you return? What are they going to do? They did not witness its loss and you did not see who threw it over the side because you were in the water during a dive. Your word against their word you lose. No witnesses to actual action.

Yeah, it is not like anybody has ever sunk somebody's boat.

 

[oly5050user]

And I would have you arrested for assault and theft. ANYONE touches me or my sh** is in for a world of hurt. For any reason.

Your toy was tossed while you are in the water on a dive. It can accidentally fall in the water on its on. You can be sure no one on board witnessed it be thrown. Cannot have anyone arrested for theft if there is no proof and never was witnessed.

 

[iluvtheocean]

reading thru the thread again --- seems like no easy clear cut answer one way or another -- many of the new cameras have built in GPS and most of the divers won't care who takes them out but if they are treated well they will return to you -- poor customer service will get you a lot of headache and lost business
throwing an expensive camera rig overboard isn't going to win you any friends
one solution would be to carry something like the Nautilus GPS with you -- -and follow the item overboard... if it floats catch it and flip the distress switch. it'll cause you a headache, but also the captain...still extreme solution like others mentioned though..


if you don't want GPS coords logged by a paying customer -- state it up front before/during the booking of the trip - if wait until the dive briefing and is disagreed on - that would be an unhappy customer who would lodge complaints about the business and give bad reviews..
fish in the ocean don't stay in one spot unless they have made a home on a reef or a wreck.. am i right?

so it's possible the numbers might get out somehow for a sweet spot on a new wreck that hasn't been announced to the world yet... most divers don't have private boats and charters tend to be cheaper down here at least than owning your own boat. and in order for a charter to show profit, you need lots of divers yes? you get the divers by having good service. Advertising a secret spot even if it's not really secret generates interest -- but it's how you treat the customer whether they will come back and whether they will recommend you or not...

bottom line is unless you're a commercial fisherman that isn't taking passengers - the charter fishing & diving industry is very much service orientated -- so go with the flow, you'll make more money that way..
i know i'm rambling a bit...

 

[Diver0001]

Our captains locally (NJ) do not want you locking in GPS coordinates when on their boat. They view it as that is their business/income, they put the time and effort in to find/get to the wreck and that is it. Information is out there, it is up to you to put the time in, find the coordinates, get in your boat and actually find and tie into the wreck/site. Some of the sites we dive are well known (we get there and tied in quickly) others aren't so to hit those uncommon or virgin wrecks is great and that's why I pay to go on the boat.

I think this can be a legitimate point for a business.

Around here when I see captains being secretive about the locations of wrecks, however, it's not for business reasons. It's because they want to strip the wreck of all the "goodies" before anyone else finds it.

R..

 

[NAM001]

Honestly there is only one way to keep any secret.... Dont tell anyone....
The moment you tell a secret is the moment you agree to make it public...

 

[captain]

Captains who have issues with customers recording GPS position should invest in

15W 6 Antenna Mobile Phone GPS WiFi Jammer - GPS WiFi Signal Jammer

 

[Tigerman]

Captains who have issues with customers recording GPS position should invest in

15W 6 Antenna Mobile Phone GPS WiFi Jammer - GPS WiFi Signal Jammer

Doesnt stop theh camera from recording locations once youre off the boat on a drift though..

 

[iluvtheocean]

Captains who have issues with customers recording GPS position should invest in

15W 6 Antenna Mobile Phone GPS WiFi Jammer - GPS WiFi Signal Jammer

http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/jammerenforcement/jamfaq.pdf

if they are U.S. based - not legally they can't -- can't say about other countries.


now i don't know off the top of my head whether the camera GPS stores the GPS coords continuously while on, or just while taking a pic. will have to look into that.

and again.. like Wayne@Diveseekers -- if the captains don't want them stored or whatever -- i'm saying be upfront during the booking. some people just really like to keep good records of where they dive -- sometimes if you can give them a name of the place and general location, it helps and will deter any customer issues. It's all in how you talk to the customer about it and if you're up front about it.

 

[Steve_C]

Just another example where GPS is important are fossil dives. There a good GPS location = happy customers and too many boats can mine it out.