when diving from our 12ft dinghy, our procedure is : 1°) check the anchor and ensure it will not drag in any current/wind direction change. 2°) if any current, even a tiny, we cancel the dive and try to find another location or someone stays on boat, which is not the purpose of this thread 3°) when coming back, if wind allows the dinghy to drift away of any hazard, we use a lift bag to lift the anchor and we then go back up... we do our 3 minutes stop while drifting ... this allows to avoid a stuck anchor when back onboard.
Techniques for boat diving without surface support
- Thread starter tylerdives
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Still Kicking
Contributor
Totally agree on this point. Current is no go when solo.
As for anchoring, I have taken to using a longer heavy chain (as heavy as I can comfortably haul by hand, about 25 feet of 3/8") and anchor in sand next to the reef when possible. The bruce and chain hold well in sand and there's no chance of fouling the anchor on retrieval.
forgot to add for any dive 1°) someone else on any boat around (we live on our boat so there is nearly always someone around or one of our child not diving yet deeper than 20 that has been trained with VHF) that knows we should get back within 2 ours. otherwise start wondering to call for help.
2°) anchor check for sure that it will not drag...but also that it will not hurt any living thing...
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You can contact VTS and in almost all cases anchoring or diving in any form in the traffic lanes requires you to do so. The boat cannot be unattended though. You will need to submit a written dive plan a few weeks in advance as well. LA VTS will explain their requirements I am only familiar with Seattle Sector VTS
afaik anchoring in the lane is forbidden. in the separation zone between lanes is ok. but you are right a 24/7 lookout is mandatory in any vessel ....
beware with the Radar thing.... with a small dinghy (even not that small) you do not show up on a radar.... so in addition to dive flag (Alpha flag) we also try to add a radar reflector and a 360 white light when night diving.
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Nothing is categorically forbidden. VTS will route inbound traffic into the outbound lane or use all the tools at their disposal to avoid collisions. You have to ask for a deviation from the rules. Diving in the lane is already a deviation, so if anchoring supports their overall goal of collision avoidance while allowing a vessel to engage in diving it's likely to be approved. If not, then they will deny this deviation.'
There's more to this than just calling them on channel 14 ten minutes before splashing.
2airishuman
Contributor
This is not true as stated. I have seen kayaks show up on my radar. Modern radar is extraordinarily good. Much depends upon conditions, in 5 foot seas and light rain the dinghy will not show up.
The international rules for prevention of collisions at sea (COLREGS) require display of red over white over red all-around lights, separated by 2 meters, while divers are down at night.
Still Kicking
Contributor
True. I was spotting birds and mylar balloons the other day.
Having said that, the guy fishing 10 miles out on a jetski in 200 yard visibility was pushing his luck, even though i did see a signature.
unless not practical for the vessel.
There is a caveat.
I don't have to display a 35' mast on 28' boat to go night diving.
My radar is quite good and my metal boat with the cage is basically a radar reflector. I look like a freighter on the return imaging. And I still get ran over by unattended boats while anchored on a wreck.
While I would obviously not intentionally hit another vessel, I don't feel bad when the small fiberglass boat with no radar reflector, no AIS, and no radar anchored out in the fog gets ran over.
Reflectors are dirt cheap, AIS is cheap. Radar isn't, but I consider it a must have if you will be running in anything but clear sunshine.
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