U-853 charters out of Galilee/Snug Harbor area

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

matt_unique:
Dude - you have sh*t luck with the U.

Yeah, now you understand my title of "Cursed Mother Founder" over on TDS (hint, Founder is to be substituted with another "f" word). :)

Hopefully soon....we're looking into a charter in Sept with a different boat. Funny thing is, the weather didn't seem that bad when it was cancelled. Oh well.
 
v_1matst:
The only one I know of going out of Snug Harbor is the Metro West Dive Club. Check out the link for more info:

http://www.mwdc.org/boatdive_u853.html

Just to clarify (and to expand on Soggy's post above), MetroWest Dive Club does not operate any charters itself. We usually schedule a charter to one dive site or another with different operators, and open it to club members. You get the benefit of a boat-full of people you already know, and depending on the charter operator, we sometimes get discounted rates as well.

On another note, I've gone out with Narragansett Pier Dive and COULD NOT in good conscience recommend their charter to anyone. The boat is older than dirt, slower than a snail, you're lucky if it starts, and if it does, you run the risk of it stalling and stranding you at sea. Boat was falling apart at the seams, with gunnels looking like they were about to be ripped off the boat while we were moored on the U-boat. Crew was talkative (informative?), but unhelpful. People climbing aboard in heavy doubles after a dive were left to their devices trying to climb over the transom (no door) as the boat was bobbing, jerking, and creaking in 3ft seas - the crew merely stood there and made snide comments instead of lending a hand. For all of that pleasure you're then charged a rather inflated (IMHO) $90. In other words - AVOID!!!

For comparison - a $90 charter on a certain dive boat out of NY (the name left out on purpose) buys you a 2-tank trip to a wreck 30+ mi off-shore on a very comfortable, modern and safe boat, run by a most efficient and helpful crew, and comes complete with a steak feast prepared by a gourmet chef during the surface interval.

-Roman.
 
All you people with your needs for "FANCY / MODERN" boats can stay outta the water then. Narragansett Pier dive shop doesn't have a modern boat, but to label a dive shop with such crude mannerism's is just wrong. being from south county RI up till a few months ago, it's convieant for myself and friends to go local.. Help out the local dive shop, and not travel hours to NY.... for a charter. So the boat is old, and it's a lil slow.. More time to go over dive plans, make friends, and "chat".. no wonder they didn't help u over the rail..(though I doubt they didnt' help).. did You bother to ask for help??? Probally talking smack all the way out there.. well u can have ur fancy dive boat, i'm going LOCAL....
 
notabob:
Just to clarify (and to expand on Soggy's post above), MetroWest Dive Club does not operate any charters itself. We usually schedule a charter to one dive site or another with different operators, and open it to club members. You get the benefit of a boat-full of people you already know, and depending on the charter operator, we sometimes get discounted rates as well.

On another note, I've gone out with Narragansett Pier Dive and COULD NOT in good conscience recommend their charter to anyone. The boat is older than dirt, slower than a snail, you're lucky if it starts, and if it does, you run the risk of it stalling and stranding you at sea. Boat was falling apart at the seams, with gunnels looking like they were about to be ripped off the boat while we were moored on the U-boat. Crew was talkative (informative?), but unhelpful. People climbing aboard in heavy doubles after a dive were left to their devices trying to climb over the transom (no door) as the boat was bobbing, jerking, and creaking in 3ft seas - the crew merely stood there and made snide comments instead of lending a hand. For all of that pleasure you're then charged a rather inflated (IMHO) $90. In other words - AVOID!!!

For comparison - a $90 charter on a certain dive boat out of NY (the name left out on purpose) buys you a 2-tank trip to a wreck 30+ mi off-shore on a very comfortable, modern and safe boat, run by a most efficient and helpful crew, and comes complete with a steak feast prepared by a gourmet chef during the surface interval.

-Roman.

Just to clarify this, Pier dive shop does not actually own a boat. The boat you are describing is one they hire from a local captain. I believe they are using some other boats as well this summer. The guy that owns that boat is a friend of the shop owner, so it was the main boat they were using last I knew.

Charlie, the owner of the dive shop can be a bit much, and will get on some people's nerves. Also they aren't the most "service oriented" shop in the area. However, flip side is that $90 is probably the cheapest price of the local shops. Most of them are more like $100.
 
busraider1:
All you people with your needs for "FANCY / MODERN" boats can stay outta the water then. Narragansett Pier dive shop doesn't have a modern boat, but to label a dive shop with such crude mannerism's is just wrong. being from south county RI up till a few months ago, it's convieant for myself and friends to go local.. Help out the local dive shop, and not travel hours to NY.... for a charter. So the boat is old, and it's a lil slow.. More time to go over dive plans, make friends, and "chat".. no wonder they didn't help u over the rail..(though I doubt they didnt' help).. did You bother to ask for help??? Probally talking smack all the way out there.. well u can have ur fancy dive boat, i'm going LOCAL....

Dude, you need to relax...

I know notabob and dive with him regularly. He is certainly not a "talk smack" type of guy nor one to spend the ride out telling everyone how good he is. I also know other people that were on the same charter. A boat is your lifeline...if you can't rely on the boat or the crew, then you need to find a better boat.

If you like the boat, fine...shout praises, but don't tell someone they are wrong because they found it unsatisfactory. He provided reasons why he didn't like them. If you have reasons why they are "good", please present them so we can learn something rather than have a *****fest.
 
busraider1:
All you people with your needs for "FANCY / MODERN" boats can stay outta the water then. Narragansett Pier dive shop doesn't have a modern boat, but to label a dive shop with such crude mannerism's is just wrong. being from south county RI up till a few months ago, it's convieant for myself and friends to go local.. Help out the local dive shop, and not travel hours to NY.... for a charter. So the boat is old, and it's a lil slow.. More time to go over dive plans, make friends, and "chat".. no wonder they didn't help u over the rail..(though I doubt they didnt' help).. did You bother to ask for help??? Probally talking smack all the way out there.. well u can have ur fancy dive boat, i'm going LOCAL....

What crude mannerisms are you talking about? I am the second person to say my experience was poor because of the boat (primarily). There is a difference between a fancy boat and a boat lacking in proper maintenance and convenience. The boat I was on did not have seats. One engine quit halfway to the U. This was 4 years ago - this is not a coincidence we are talking about the same problems with the boat. The captain is obviously cutting corners with maintenance.

--Matt
 
matt_unique:
What crude mannerisms are you talking about? I am the second person to say my experience was poor because of the boat (primarily). There is a difference between a fancy boat and a boat lacking in proper maintenance and convenience. The boat I was on did not have seats. One engine quit halfway to the U. This was 4 years ago - this is not a coincidence we are talking about the same problems with the boat. The captain is obviously cutting corners with maintenance.

--Matt

Being a local I can back this up. I don't use that shop for charters, however, I have heard several stories about that boat, including some from the owner of the shop himself about problems with it starting etc.
 
quonniediver:
You might want to try Ninigret Divers in Charlestown. It is about 15 minutes west of Snug Harbor. He runs out of Quonochontaug Pond. Captain Jim Beardsley is very professional. I may have a bias because he was my OW instructor. His website is www.Ninigretdivers.com.

That's who we were using. He's a bit overly conservative when it comes to sea state, it appears.
 
matt_unique:
Did you get out there?

--Matt

Thanks to everyone for the advice. We booked a charter with Ninigret divers out of Charlestown. The captain seemed pretty friendly and accomodating (didn't have any problem with my partner and I hanging an oxygen line for a 10 ft stop, unlike some other boats). Now I just hope the weather holds out!

-Chris
 

Back
Top Bottom