The Sand Dollar Dive boat?

[scubavili]

My wife and I are coming to California for the summer (from Finland, north of Europe). I was wondering if anyone here can recommend the Sand Dollar dive boat. I´ve been on the Great Escape and Bottom Schratcher on my previous visits to California. Now, I would like to do a multi-day trip or two during my stay, and Sand Dollar seems to provide the most multi-day trips. Prices seem to be a bit hight though, when compared to other boats.

Any advice about the Sand Dollar and other dive boats are highly apreciated!

 

[scubavili]

Is there really no one who wants to give advice?

 

[daniel f aleman]

Posts #13, #17

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=121802&highlight=Sand+Dollar+dive+boat

 

[Makin Raider]

I can't speak for the Sand Dollar, all I know is that they offer Nitrox and it is the same class as the Bottom Scratcher with some differences in configuration. I can recommend the Peace and Truth Aquatics for multiday if you care to travel north to Ventura or Santa Barbara

http://www.peaceboat.com

http://www.truthaquatics.com

If you pose the same question on http://www.diver.net/bbs you might get more of an answer lots of locals always on there

Mark

 

[robint]

I think the Sand Dollar is higher because they provide the tanks and weights. If you are going to be in the area with a car, you might want to rent tanks at a dive shop and bring them with you to another boat and save the expense. So I am told anyhow.

We have only been out to Calif once, this past Sept, and dove one day with PeaceBoat and one day with Spectre, both in Ventura. We had a great time on both. The price is the same for them both - but Peace is far and away a better deal. Peace had non-stop food (hot and cold) and drinks all day, and a nice sized crew that was able to talk to you between dives about dive sites, critters, etc. Spectre food and drinks are charged extra except for a meager lunch, and the crew was small and overworked with no time to interact with passengers at all.

 

[CaptAdam]

The Sand Doller is A great boat with a awesome crew. You will like them very much.

 

[scubavili]

Many thanks for info! Robint, youre right, now that I looked their website closer, Sand Dollar really include the rent of tanks on their prices, making them a bit higher. I think I will look in to Peace and Sand Dollar when choosing the boat.

 

[mmbawden]

I have been on their boat 5 different times. And every one was awsome. They run a good boat and the food was always great. They found great dive sites for every interest and looked after our every need. I also have been on the horizon out of San Diego. It is a bigger boat, It was good too.