Tethering Divers

[200 Bar]

Are there any PSD here that routinely search ship bottoms..?? Do you tether the divers...?? I am asking as I (we) are trying to supplement our SOP with this question...If there is decent (6-10 feet) of vis under the ship I don't tether, others say we should regardless...We no longer use hardwire comms as our port (under docks) is riddled with re-bar and crap and the wire would get hung up...The wireless was hit or miss because of the steel...Looking for recommendations...

The search usually consists of (after the tag out) two port side/two starboard,(bilge keels) then the sea chest(s) after the port/starboard shutdowns..then the rudder, rudder room...

Thanks all....

 

[ditch-diver]

If we are sending one diver to check out a sea chest or specific area, we send them on a line.

If we are sweeping an entire hull.... provided a diver on the keel can see ambient light to see their exit, we'll send numerous divers in on a 'half-necklace'. They have a line to assist in dressing and may even have a hand loop for each diver, but they are free swimming. We never tie two divers into the same line.

 

[200 Bar]

If we are sending one diver to check out a sea chest or specific area, we send them on a line.

If we are sweeping an entire hull.... provided a diver on the keel can see ambient light to see their exit, we'll send numerous divers in on a 'half-necklace'. They have a line to assist in dressing and may even have a hand loop for each diver, but they are free swimming. We never tie two divers into the same line.

Thanks....

 

[espantoon]

We normally do two man teams on hull searches, no tether. Our harbor has bad vis (0-10ft), we usually run jack stays over the bow thrusters and sea chests. The vis is usually 5-10ft around the bilge keels, so we have one diver check the top of the keel and one check the bottom. The divers stay in contact with the ship at all times, and stay within a few feet of each other for safety. A tether would cause problems around the running gear, and we have wireless comms.

 

[200 Bar]

We normally do two man teams on hull searches, no tether. Our harbor has bad vis (0-10ft), we usually run jack stays over the bow thrusters and sea chests. The vis is usually 5-10ft around the bilge keels, so we have one diver check the top of the keel and one check the bottom. The divers stay in contact with the ship at all times, and stay within a few feet of each other for safety. A tether would cause problems around the running gear, and we have wireless comms.

Thanks George that's exactly how we do it...Have ya ever found anything on the bottom side of the bilge keel...??

 

[espantoon]

Our team is sorta new (2 years), but another team was working with Customs a while back and found a long box filled with coke attached to one of the bilge keels with C-clamps.

 

[Lucy's Diver]

Bite reg scuba, half necklace, as many guys on he necklace as we need to keep in visual or tactile contact with each other, bottom guy on the keel, top guy a foot or two deep.