Trusting your anchor while diving.

[mmcdanie]

I've been diving from my boat a few times now and 2 out of the 3 times with someone aboard while my buddy and I are down. (First time we didn't have anyone onboard while we went diving). The boat is a 31 sport fisherman, and even with someone aboard my anx about the boat some how drifting off while we are diving is fairly high. Please tell me that the anx level goes down with experience and or somethings to do to help calm me down about it.
Thanks

 

[mathauck0814]

I've been diving from my boat a few times now and 2 out of the 3 times with someone aboard while my buddy and I are down. (First time we didn't have anyone onboard while we went diving). The boat is a 31 sport fisherman, and even with someone aboard my anx about the boat some how drifting off while we are diving is fairly high. Please tell me that the anx level goes down with experience and or somethings to do to help calm me down about it.
Thanks

I wouldn't trust it in our waters.

 

[KD8NPB]

Get a second anchor?

I would advise against leaving your boat unattended.

What happens if the current drags you away? If someone were on the boat, it would be as simple as deploying an SMB and waiting for them to come pick you up.

 

[OBXDIVEGUY]

You're absolutely right to be anxious about leaving a boat unattended on an anchor. In our area, we have some permanently installed mooring systems along the reefs. I wouldn't even trust those without doing a thorough inspection of everything on the way down.

I used to be in the Coast Guard. There was a situation where some divers left the boat anchored, unattended, and when they surfaced, it wasn't there. I forget if the line frayed or what, but they were lucky another boat was nearby that could pick them up and chased their boat down current.

Now, with someone on board on the other hand, I still have a bit of anxiety. It all depends on who I leave up there. I try to make sure they know emergency procedures, when to expect us up, how to drop anchor and come and get us if necessary, and all kinds of other stuff. But sometimes, you just never know. We tend to do more drift diving around here, and our boat operator has to deal with the additional challenges of keeping track of the divers.

Maybe to help ease your concerns, make sure the boat person is at least a diver. That way, maybe they can appreciate some of the concerns you have. Try to do a 2 diver down, 2 diver up rotation. That way there are a couple of folks who can handle the boat if they have to weigh anchor for some reason, or it starts to slip.

 

[Peter_C]

If you plan to leave someone onboard a Nautilus Lifeline would be in order so you can hail the boat without calling the Coast Guard. If you plan to dive from an unattended boat, get a personal locator beacon and carry it in a canister. The ACR Resqlink + seems to be the best current unit on the market for diving.

On that note we dive from an unattended boat all the time. I trust my slightly overkill anchor and have plenty of heavy chain, plus run a decent amount of scope. We also descend down the anchor rode every time and check that the anchor is properly set. You have a much BIGGER boat though and that is going to require setting the hook with reverse.

 

[rhwestfall]

been there, done that, don't do it......

 

[pensacolaracer]

I have over 300 "dead boat" dives in South Florida from 60-200 feet (Ancient Mariner to the Lowrance) on both a 25 foot Wellcraft Sportfisher and a 30 foot Grady White. Never had either one "disappear" or have I been "swept away", so it can be done.

That being said, here are my thoughts on keeping it safe...

As you know from your angst, there are risks associated with it, thats a given.

1. Scope is your friend. We have a 500 foot anchor line and when "dead" 400 feet of line goes out... ALWAYS. We have a saying on the boat, there is no such thing as too much scope. We also have scooters, but I will get to that in a bit.

2. Chain is your friend. The more chain the better.... to a certain point. Put as much chain on as you can move underwater. Its best to start with too much and cut it down as needed if its too hard to move underwater.

3. Always check your shackles. We keep a zip tie running through all the shackles to show if they have backed off at all.

4. If you cant tie a knot, tie a lot. We tie the anchor line on the main cleat and then tie it again on at least one other cleat.

5. We ONLY dive a dead boat on wrecks. If the anchor is fouled when we go down the line, we move the anchor to the downcurrent/outboard side of the wreck. That way
no matter where you are on the wreck, the current will eventually take you to the anchor.

The other part to this is... reefs all tend to look the same after a bit. A wreck has TONS of good reference to know where you are and where the anchor is. For reef diving, we ALWAYS live boat.

6. We have another saying, "If you are not 100 percent sure where the anchor is and are NOT 100 percent certain you can make it back to the anchor, don't come off the anchor.

7. Down the anchor line, up the anchor line. There is NO other way.

8. Tag line ALWAYS goes out the back of the boat.

9. Slow ascent up the anchor line and check it for nicks EVERY dive.

10. Unfoul the anchor upon descent if its fouled on the wreck. The wreck may possible chafe the line through and then you are screwed.

11. If you are uncomfortable, watch the anchor until you are comfortable. This may even be the entire dive.... so what. It's worth the piece of mind and comfort will come. The first time I took the Grady White out, the owner and I spent about 15 minutes just staring at the anchor in 65 feet of water. I knew it was good, but he had to get comfortable.

12. If the current is ripping, dont dive or do a drift dive. without a scooter, it can suck going down the anchor line regardless.


Like I said earlier, we all pretty much use scooters, but thats not necessary, just a benefit. Know where your anchor is and keep the piece of mind to be able to get back to it.

There will be those that disagree with me, but as I have said, we do it and it works for us. We have over 50 dead boat deco dives this year alone ranging from 135 to 200 feet. Some folks wont do it. Necessity tends to drive motivation to do things... we want to dive, don't always have access to a live boat operator... we anchor up.


Sent from 115 FSW.

 

[mmcdanie]

I made the mistake the first time but will not leave the boat unattended again. But still some anx even with someone aboard. Second anchor, SMB, Nautilus Lifeline and 2 up and 2 down, are great suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Akimbo]

Depends on conditions. One of the reasons I started diving solo was so one of us could stay on the boat.

 

[Altamira]

If you leave your boat unattended, eventually you will be left unattended.