Unattended boats

[Stone]

Just out of curiosity, who knows how many divers have died because a boat was left unattended?

 

[FredT]

I know of at least 4 off LA, and a pair died off Tampa a few years ago. USCG should be able to give you a "yearly average" number in the GOM, but it won't be 0. I seem to remember hearing about one or two incidents a year where divers are recoverd after loosing a boat and being able to climb up on rig. Several a summer are simply "they went out but didn't come back" type of incidents. Bodies are generally not recovered, and the boat is rarely found, or found swamped with nobody around.

It's really BAD NEWS coming up to nothing!

FT

 

[JT2]

We do it all the time in the local lakes with no problems. Would I do it out in the middle of the gulf or great lakes, no, I would not!

 

[Stone]

Fred,

Do you no longer leave a boat unattended?

 

[FredT]

As a rule no. There are a few rare exceptions when conditions and dive site make it possible for a fast bounce dive. Generally the bounce dive would be less than 10 minutes, with no wind, current of less than .25 knot, but enough to give the boat a set on the moor, and FAC seas, with an identified alternate exit down current in easy range.

I got lucky once. No need to tempt Neptune further.

FT

 

[cavanhills]

We used to abandon our zodiac quite often while diving the St. Lawrence River in the Clayton NY area. We would anchor the boat, put up the dive flag, and jump overboard for a dive. We were always confident that the boat wouldn’t go anywhere, considering we were divers and could do a good job of securing the anchor on bottom. That practice came to an end one day when we surfaced to find the U.S. Coast Guard waiting for us. Apparently a concerned cottager spotted an abandoned vessel out in the middle of a bay and called it in. There were 3 officers onboard and they were MAD. After tearing a strip off us and recording our boat registration number, they let us off with a stern warning. Racing down the river to find an abandoned vessel with 2 divers in the water, then having to wait for us to finish the dive, was something they were quite bitter about – and rightfully so. We were very lucky to get off with a warning, considering fines and boat confiscation are some of the Coast Guard’s options for dealing with people. This incident was pre 9/11, and from what I heard from an American diver in Alex Bay this year, the US Coast Guard have really beefed up their patrols in addition to having added 3 new boats to their fleet. I was down there diving 2 weeks ago and they were a regular sight on the river. As one officer said to us before leaving – Don’t be stupid. Is abandoning your vessel with no tender a dumb idea? Of course it is. Don’t wait until the Coast Guard hears about it, it won’t be a pleasant experience.

 

[Braunbehrens]

If you look out over Monterey Bay on a weekend, you're likely to see about half a dozen unattended boats at a time. I've never heard of the coast guard taking an interest.

 

[Doppler]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...
If you look out over Monterey Bay on a weekend, you're likely to see about half a dozen unattended boats at a time. I've never heard of the coast guard taking an interest.

Next time you go out, call up the Coast Guard and ask them what they think. You might get a surprise. Then again, they may say nothing. Up here, they do take an interest and they do enforce the rules... US and Canadian Coast Guard.

 

[Braunbehrens]

Doppler once bubbled...


Next time you go out, call up the Coast Guard and ask them what they think. You might get a surprise. Then again, they may say nothing. Up here, they do take an interest and they do enforce the rules... US and Canadian Coast Guard.

Thanks, but in this case I prefer "Don't ask don't tell". At least now I can say "Oh, I'm sorry, everyone does this around here I didn't realize it's a problem". Thats' a bit different than saying "Well, I know you told me not to do this, but I did it anyway to spite you".

 

[Doppler]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...


Thanks, but in this case I prefer "Don't ask don't tell". At least now I can say "Oh, I'm sorry, everyone does this around here I didn't realize it's a problem". Thats' a bit different than saying "Well, I know you told me not to do this, but I did it anyway to spite you".

But since you now know that it's countrary to regulations, doesn't that simply reduce your excuse to a bald-faced lie?

Perhaps you should say: "I recently learned that this behaviour is contrary to some coast guard regulations, but decided to go ahead and do it anyway because it's common practice and it's OK to ignore the rules if everyone does it."

You see, I don't think you'd be doing it to spite anyone as you suggested. You'll be doing it because it's a risk you feel comfortable taking... because you can swim to shore, according to an earlier post.

Just seems odd that someone so... well, anal... about chase boats and support divers, is so cavalier about some rather basic safe boating practices.

Just an opinion.

Doppler