What makes a good dive boat?

[KeithG]

Space in the sun, space in the shade, space in the breeze, space in the dry out of the rain, place to keep my dry stuff dry, place to rinse my camera, no diesel fumes.

 

[uncfnp]

One that has a toilet.

Make it a toilet that is not standing room only...!

 

[TSandM]

Frank, that's tragic! Of course, the boat with the elevator in the video is in Canada.

I had honestly wondered why more boats here don't do it; the fellow who owns the dive op in Canada didn't put it in for the delight of divers, as much as we do enjoy it. He put it in because he had spent a great deal of time thinking about how he would get a completely disabled diver onto the boat.

 

[Akimbo]

Here is my list:

• Diver’s elevator for sure. Attached are computer renderings of one under construction for disabled divers for the Monterey Bay Veterans. It moves between deck level and minus 4' with a hydraulic winch. The outboard chairs are used for ambulatory divers and their buddy. The center wheelchair is used only for non-ambulatory divers.
• Camera table, preferably with an LP air nozzle to blow water off housings
• Hot running salt water to warm up
• Cold running salt water to cool down overheated drysuit divers waiting to get in the water
• A 2-3 gallon bucket with soapy water for dry suit divers to dunk their sleeves in for donning and doffing
• Decompression stage
• A granny line between the stern and anchor line, unless you are liveboating or dropping a buoy
• Onboard Trimix system
• An onboard laptop that can be used to transfer files from memory cards and USB/thumb drives. Also connected to a large flat-screen to show stills and video
• Since you asked, a double-lock decompression chamber, dual LP air compressors to run it, ~3,000 Ft³ of onboard O2, dynamic positioning, and a moonpool would be nice.

 

[TMHeimer]

I'm "on board" with the toilet thing. I was on a charter out of Pensacola in Feb. without one... It's OK with me if you gotta pee, but what do you do with number two? And starting April boats down there go out several times weekly as opposed to maybe once a month in winter. There HAS to ba a problem with no toilet. Anyway, other stuff I like for a boat are:
Lots of space
Good "dry" place that's easy for all to get to
Obviously good entry/exit situations
And the most important one: Capts. and crews that allow shell collecting! This is not a problem on most boats N. of Florida, as no one cares up here if you take shells.

 

[flots am]

And of course, if you want to distinguish yourself from everyone else, put in an elevator:

Elevators are awesome!

A boat in Tobermory has one and there's nothing like walking on to a water level platform and having it gently raise you up.

This would also get you quite a bit of business from folks that just can't do ladders anymore. There are a lot of us. When the weather is changing, I can hardly walk without a limp, and an elevator would be awesome.

A real marine head that wasn't an afterthought and didn't look and smell like something died would be awesome too.

flots.

 

[Rhodesaz]

When we were at the SunSet House in the Grand Caymans, they provided warm towels after the dive.
That was a very nice touch.
No diesel fumes, that will get me sick quick.

Everything else said above.

 

[Rhone Man]

And of course, if you want to distinguish yourself from everyone else, put in an elevator:

Frank, that's tragic! Of course, the boat with the elevator in the video is in Canada.

I had honestly wondered why more boats here don't do it; the fellow who owns the dive op in Canada didn't put it in for the delight of divers, as much as we do enjoy it. He put it in because he had spent a great deal of time thinking about how he would get a completely disabled diver onto the boat.

Just to clarify, an inspected boat in the USA may not have an elevator, rather the inspection requirements are absolutely insane. The only dive boat I know with one is JT Barkers boat, the Under Pressure.

It might make you unique in the US, but in the UK dive lifts are pretty ubiquitous due to health and safety regs. One of the relatively few times when it is a good thing to be a pampered European.

 

[goflyplanes]

Cookies!!!! You think I'm kidding, but I fall in love with boats that feed me right. Doesn't have to be anything mind blowing, as long as the food is simple and edible and cookies are involved I am the happiest person in the world. And snacks between each dive are a MUST!!!

 

[Colliam7]

The only dive boat I know with one is JT Barkers boat, the Under Pressure.

Which has set the standard for me for a dive boat, and probably spoiled me. Best dive boat I have ever been on. JTs prices seem a bit higher, in my opinion, but I am more than willing to pay higher prices AND drive 2-3 extra hours to dive with him. Plus, you can bunk on the boat overnight - on a space available basis - which saves money on a motel. So, I will use the UP, and JT, as example of what I prefer in a dive boat.

I have never had anything but a great experience on the Under Pressure. But, that is not because of the lift alone.

I like a smaller, well-maintained, clean boat, and JT maintains his boat very well - as he says, it is his home and he takes good care of it (and expects others to respect the fact that it is his home). I prefer a boat with some shelter / heat in colder weather. I like a crew that is prudent, based on a considerable body of experience, and a) willing to try to reach desirable / planned sites, b) knowledgeable enough of weather and current patterns to identify alternative sites and try for them if the primary is not diveable, and c) willing to tell divers before leaving the dock what the overall plan is.

JTs boat not only has heat in colder weather, but AC for warmer weather, a microwave, frig, head and big screen TV with DVDs, so the 2-2.5 hour rides don't seem so long. That may be more than a new charter operator wants to put in, but these are nice features. Again, I am more than willing to pay for that.

I like a friendly, competent crew that knows the sites they take divers to, a boat with ladders that are easy to climb (if there isn't a lift), a boat / crew flexible enough to accommodate various rigs (singles, BM doubles, SM doubles), a boat with enough space to allow divers to stretch out and sleep after a dive - that is a combination of size of craft AND booking policy - just because you can take more divers aboard doesn't mean you should.

Honestly, I have had only a handful of bad charter experiences, diving on a variety of boats, in a variety of locations in the east, from the St. Lawrence down to the Keys, in the Gulf and the Caribbean. If I had to pick one thing that made the majority of them 'good', and a few of them 'bad', it would be the attitude and personality of the crew - friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and communicative make for a good experience; distant / disinterested, inflexible, and uncommunicative don't.