What’s the future for California dive boats?

[Wookie]

The extra crew member who will be responsible for the safety night-watch will/should be the most "tipped" crew member on the boat.

Everyone has their job to do, from the hash slinger to the navigator to the night watch.

 

[drbill]

A bit too much speculation here for my taste. We won't know what actually caused this fire until the report is released. Let's focus on honoring the dead rather than blindly trying to suggest causes of the fire.

 

[Fastmarc]

I suspect a lot of the focus will be on the emergency exits. I heard a report this morning with a lady involved in the investigation speaking about them investigating the other boat and after they tried the emergency exit, she basically said she (they) couldn't get through without much difficulty.
I'm watching it keenly as I do plan on going on LOB in the near future and until this happened I never gave a scenario like this fire a thought.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

A bit too much speculation here for my taste. We won't know what actually caused this fire until the report is released. Let's focus on honoring the dead rather than blindly trying to suggest causes of the fire.

This is a separate thread from the Conception thread.
I started this thread so we COULD discuss the future of dive boats (any boat), boat fires, and boat safety overall moving forward.
I avoided as much discussion of this type in the other thread exactly for the reasons you mention.

 

[sea_ledford]

The boats were safe when built for the service and routes services. Then life changed. This won't just effect the California b=dive boats, but all Small Passenger Vessels (a formal term) on overnight service. Whale watchers, head boats, especially long range tuna boats, both in California, Texas, and the East Coast. My guess is over 100 boats will be effected.

Many operators will find insurance making their operations not profitable. Many will drop to 12 pack charters. (there are no regulations whatsoever for a 12 pack boat)

As much as I am loath to question you on matter related to boating regs, are you sure on the 12 pax? Is that just for overnight vessels? I've worked on COI boats with less than 12 (especially after the adult weight rating changed). I thought it was 6pax or less that were exempt.

I also think we are going to lose a significant number of options for dive boats, through insurance increases, required deck modifications, requirements that are just not feasible with specific layouts, etc. I also wonder how all the GOM crew boats will fare.

 

[Marie13]

It is 6 packs that are exempt. They’re mostly all we have on the Great Lakes.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

They will have to have emergency exits out of any confined space directly outside and not leading into another room to be able exit.
This would be a tough retrofit on some of those Socal boats.

 

[BadElectrician]

In regards to the horrific tragedy involving the Conception, what effect do you think this may have on the rest of the California dive boats, especially the multi day LOB’s?

Will there possibly be some major retrofits happening with similarly constructed vessels?

Will there be new protocols involving electrical devices being charged or even allowed on board regardless of whether or not this is the determined cause of the fire on the Conception.

Will all the boats possibly put a second person on watch in the galley and to roam the lower decks all night on special fire watch?
Would you be willing to pay the added cost of an additional crew member for peace of mind?

How does this affect your feelings towards using one if these boats in the future?

I think this latest incident will change a lot of stuff. I just hope it doesn’t snuff out the remaining industry.

To be honest, I don’t know if I’m ready yet to go out on a multi day for a while. Maybe if I took a pad and a sleeping bag and crashed out on the deck under the stars?, but being down in the hole, I don’t think I’d sleep to well right now.
I’ll stick with day boats for now.

This whole device fanatical frenzy of toys needing to be charged, jeezuz!
Last time I was on a Socal LOB I couldn’t find an outlet to save my life! I just wanted to top up my electric razor. All I saw were chargers with cords everywhere.
Maybe new rules should be made: no chargers plugged in overnight, no exceptions.

I have never been on a live aboard boat but it is on my to do list. This event doesn't change how I feel. To me it is no different than driving a car knowing there have been terrible wrecks, going on a cruise knowing many ships lie at the bottom of the water, or riding on an airplane knowing many even in recent times have gone missing.

I think the whole sport of diving can be summed up in this because it too is dangerous and many people have died yet everyone on here will ju.p at the prospect of diving.

We all need to learn from this, mourn the loss of life and move forward.

 

[Wookie]

As much as I am loath to question you on matter related to boating regs, are you sure on the 12 pax? Is that just for overnight vessels? I've worked on COI boats with less than 12 (especially after the adult weight rating changed). I thought it was 6pax or less that were exempt.

I also think we are going to lose a significant number of options for dive boats, through insurance increases, required deck modifications, requirements that are just not feasible with specific layouts, etc. I also wonder how all the GOM crew boats will fare.

Those boats would easily exceed 100 tons ITC. That's why Spree had dual tonnage, 100 tons GRT and 141 ITC. A vessel over 100 tons may carry 12 pax as an UPV.

 

[Wookie]

As much as I am loath to question you on matter related to boating regs, are you sure on the 12 pax? Is that just for overnight vessels? I've worked on COI boats with less than 12 (especially after the adult weight rating changed). I thought it was 6pax or less that were exempt.

I also think we are going to lose a significant number of options for dive boats, through insurance increases, required deck modifications, requirements that are just not feasible with specific layouts, etc. I also wonder how all the GOM crew boats will fare.

GOM crewboats have their emergency exits through a horizontal bulkhead, as they are exempt from most of the provisions of the PVSA. On their COI, look for an Oil and Minerals Exemption. This means that your standard crewboat may not carry passengers for hire, as they do not meet the provisions of the PVSA.