Diving w/your own boat
Stephen King
worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
Greg
I live here in the Freeport Texas area and dive from my fishing boat (21'
pursuit cuddy cabin) whenever the weather allows. If I'm not diving, I'm
fishing for Snapper and Kingfish. My 13 year old daughter has always manned the
boat while my buddy and I are down, but since she is about to be certified,
the question of who is going to man the boat will have to be answered very
soon. Having my own boat allows me to plan my dive and my dive trip at my total
leisure.
Clark Anderson
<ski...@nospam.bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
> worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
> so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
I have a kayak I dive off of all the time. Only cost me about $500, a
small fraction of the price of a motorboat, and a lot easier to maintain.
I drift dive with it a lot. It's quite nice, since you just drift along
until you're low on air, come up and paddle back. If you're trying to
get to sites that are 10 miles off shore you might want to get something
with an engine.
--clark
JKrase
One tip is tie off 4 ft. lines over the sides of your boat. These lines can be
used to clip to a d-ring on your weight belt and bc. Then you can take off
your gear before climbing back on board.
Make sure you take your weight belt off first!!!
Always keep someone top side who knows how to operate the boat and is strong
enough to pull the anchor.
LtlBlueFsh
I don't disagree with the usefulness of lines over the sides but brings up a
subject I have yet to understand.
I don't have a boat. For many reasons I wouldn't want to have one either. Now I
see the benefit of having your own, mainly the freedom of choosing the time,
place, duration, etc.
What amazes me, based on the handfull of dives I've done from private boats is
the lack of a decent access system. Wouldn't that be an important consideration
if the main idea behind owning a boat is to dive??
I do have a kayak, my number one concern when choosing a model was: How do I
get back to it?
It makes no sense that I can get back in my kayak easier and faster than some
of the private boats I've dive from, specially considering that the ones with
the worst access are filled with all kind of fancy stuff on board.
A+/-24" wide ladder installed in and angle with lead attached to the lower step
to limit movement is all it takes... wish I had room in my kayak for one :-)
Ana
Bob Crownfield
>
> I dive off my own boat. Lots of fun, but owning a boat can be expensive.
>
> One tip is tie off 4 ft. lines over the sides of your boat. These lines can be
> used to clip to a d-ring on your weight belt and bc. Then you can take off
> your gear before climbing back on board.
> Make sure you take your weight belt off first!!!
> Always keep someone top side who knows how to operate the boat and is strong
> enough to pull the anchor.
>
Also, remember that if it is your boat, then you are responsible for
planning to avoid accidents, and that you have planned how to handle
them should they occurr.
As others have said, a boat is a hole in the water, surrounded by wood
or plastic, into which you throw money. dock fees, launching fees,
insurance, maintenance (the combination of salt, water, and sun damages
almost everything.), fuel.
--
Bob Crownfield: Pilot, Photographer, Diver, Delphi RAD addict
-
Unsolicited commercial email in violation of federal code
will be addressed in court.
RDecker388
>Bob Crownfield: Pilot, Wrote:
>As others have said, a boat is a hole in the water, surrounded by wood
>or plastic,......
As opposed to a hole in the air, surrounded by aluminum..........? 8-)
RDecker388
Well, I have a little 25 foot cabin crusier I use for a personal dive boat.
>Is it
>worth the investment?
Now that's a tough question!
Owning a private dive boat allows me: 1) going diving when the shop's
boats are too full to catch a ride. 2) going diving when my schedule conflicts
with the shop's boats. 3) to go to the sites I choose as opposed to where the
'group' may happen to be planning on. 4) go on days the charter boads lack
enough passengers to run (primarily off-season). 5) visit sites that are off
the beaten track. 6) troll for "the big one" during surface intervals. 7)
entertain family and friends with boat rides.
Of course I get to enjoy the pleasures of paying dock fees, maintaining the
vessel, boat insurance fees, etc.
And then there's that ever present question, "will I be able to find
someone to watch the boat during the dive?"
Bob D.
RDecker388
>is
>the lack of a decent access system. Wouldn't that be an important
>consideration
>if the main idea behind owning a boat is to dive??
I've done a few dives off of private boats over the years. In most cases,
using the vessel as a dive boat seems to be an after thought rather than the
primary reason the individual bought the boat in the first place.
In contrast, my main motivation for owning a boat is diving and, as such,
things like fishing and pleasure boating are after-thoughts. I'm setting my
boat up with a roomy swim platform, fins on boarding ladder, underwater line
system, tanks racks, GPS for site locating, etc, etc, etc.
Bob D
Bob Crownfield
Fortunately, I let others buy the plane, and maintain it. I let them
know when I want it. much cheaper. Also, no salt, and little water to
cause the problems.
William P.N. Smith
>Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
>worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
>so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
I've started adding dive features to a boat I have access to to make
it more Scuba friendly, but it was already set up for snorkling (full
width aft platform, ladder), so it's mostly just a matter of adding
tank management gear, a dive flag, and a few other bits.
The _real_ advantage of owning your own boat (or having access to a
boat) is being able to make your own schedule, diving when and where
you want, taking two tanks but only using one if the weather changes,
or waking up in the morning and deciding to dive without having to
make reservations or getting to the dock by a certain time.
The real disadvantages are the aquisition and maintainance costs. In
your case, finding a good enough mariner to be able to handle the
boat, track your drift dive, and deal with picking you up without
chopping you up, or dealing with separation of divers might be very
difficult. I don't know _anyone_ I'd ask to drive for me on a drift
dive, though I know plenty of good mariners, none of them have any
experience with tracking divers or close-in manuevering with divers in
the water. I wouldn't even drive someone else on a drift dive!
Anyway, if you have a boat, or want a boat anyway, it's a great help
for diving, but buying aboat for diving is going to detract from your
dive time, IMHO.
William Smith wp...@compusmiths.com N1...@amsat.org
ComputerSmiths Consulting, Inc. www.compusmiths.com
CMccar31
>Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
>worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
>so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
It's tough to say if the cost is worth it. There's a lot of factors to
consider with the first probably being how much your leisure time is worth.
If I tried to break down the cost per trip or per pound of fish caught on
fishing trips the numbers would definately be discouraging and hard to justify.
You can make a lot of trips on commercial boats for just the price of dockage
in So.Florida unless you have your own.
Before buying a boat, look in your area for a dive club to join that has one.
If theres none, consider starting one. Spreading the costs among members eases
the financial burden, assures dive buddies and the logistics of drivers, and
should you need to relocate, you may find it easier to sell your share than a
boat without taking a financial hit.
Charlie
bullshark
>
> Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
> worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
> so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
I would say 'No.'
First, you are asking if it is 'worth it'.
This shows two things, really pointing up one:
You are probably not a boater. Boating is a disease characterized
by a lack of wisdom that you're simple question demonstrates you
have.
A 'boater' is usually infected at a young age, and never asks
permission to buy a boat, only forgiveness (from spouse and banker).
A boater more typically asks a question like:
"Should I get *another* boat?"
Second, BRKA is an 'investment'. A boat, *any* boat, is an 'expense'.
Boats are a PITA. When you are not washing them, you are fixing
them. When you are not fixing them, you are pumping gas.
Occasionally, you drive them.
Diving from a small boat is difficult. Diving from an Outboard
is a nuisance. Diving from a small outboard is dangerous in all
but the calmest conditions.
If you have the scratch for a 30' inboard diesel, go for it.
The ante is about 30K-400K, with 300/mo for dockage, and expect to
burn 5-20 gallons/hour in fuel depending on power and your
driving habits. Meanwhile, expect to spend at least 100/month
replacing *something*. Larger boats are like cities. The
infrastructure includes, Power system, electrical grid, water system,
waste management, electronics, refrigeration, and all are subject to
rapid decay, because of the environment.
The 'ABYC' is a set of marine construction standards. For reasons
known only to naval architects, everything on a boat *MUST* have
all of its vital/delicate/consumable components mounted in the
bilge, or similar crawl space too small for access and strategically
located where necessary tools cannot fit. No matter what breaks,
there you are.
If you're not a do it yourself guy, good with electronics and wrenches,
willing to spend long hours in stuffy cramped spaces, at unbelievable
temperatures, expect to pay somebody else a lot of money to do it
for you.
Outboards are simpler, but come at the price of fuel, reliability,
increased maintenance and of course, stink. Ignoring for the moment
that you will be boarding a pitching boat with an inadequate ladder,
with a giant motor in your face:
(from http://www.yamahausa.com/marine/perfbull/v4v6perf.html)
A 200 hp outboard will burn:
rpm gph
idle 2.2
4000 10.0
5000 15.1
WOT 19.3
A pair of 150's will burn:
rpm gph
idle 4.1
4000 18.8
5000 28.4
WOT 34.9
Bear in mind that in FL, all marine fuels are heavily taxed.
E.g. price at street: 1.00/gal - price at marina: 1.80
You will *not* find someone to 'drive the boat' while you and
your spouse dive, at least not someone you are willing to bet
your life on, unless you hire a captain. The number of problems
encountered while you're diving are many, and difficult beyond
belief. Following drift divers in the crowded waters of SoFla
is not a job for the inexperienced. Picking up divers safely in
currents, wind and possibly high seas is a challenge beyond my
(30 years or so) experience.
Did we talk about the educational burden?
What about the $600 or so you will spend at the yard every couple
of years to haul and paint?
I forgot the $1000 or so per year for insurance.
You could opt for a small inflatable. A good one will set you back
anywhere from 3-20K. It's a much better dive boat. But the first
trip out Boynon Beach Inlet (considered un-navigable by CG) with
all your dive gear, will convince you that you made a mistake. If
that doesn't do it, beating yourself to death in 3' chop and
frying in the sun for lack of shade, will.
Take all the money I'm trying to save you, and take 5-6 week-long
dive vacations anywhere in the carribean, instead.
safe diving
bullshark
Bob Crownfield
> <ski...@nospam.bellsouth.net> writes:
>
> >worth the investment?
I sat down and made a spreadsheet of boat costs one day, and based on
the annual overhead for 32 trips per year, it cost $38 just to start the
engines. Leaving the dock cost more.
annual costs:
Dock
registration
insurance
repairs
adding new toys
It was no problem to use $300 of fuel running the trips.
Lee Bell
>
> >Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
diving
> >so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
> It's tough to say if the cost is worth it. There's a lot of factors to
> consider with the first probably being how much your leisure time is
worth.
> If I tried to break down the cost per trip or per pound of fish caught
on
> fishing trips the numbers would definately be discouraging and hard to
justify.
> You can make a lot of trips on commercial boats for just the price of
dockage
> in So.Florida unless you have your own.
> Before buying a boat, look in your area for a dive club to join that has
one.
> If theres none, consider starting one. Spreading the costs among members
eases
> the financial burden, assures dive buddies and the logistics of drivers,
and
> should you need to relocate, you may find it easier to sell your share
than a
> boat without taking a financial hit.
I have several boats and my take on the question is a bit different. If all
you are trying to do is compare the cost of boat ownership to the cost of
charter services, the charter services are almost certainly cheaper. My
boating costs run close to $1,000 a month when all maintenance, fuel,
dockage, insurance, boat payments, etc. if figured in. For me, however,
boating is not just transportation, it's a way of life. In addition to
taking me diving, my boats go fishing, go cruising, go to dinner, anchor and
party, serve as a motel on trips with other boat owning friends and do all
of the above for trips to the Bahamas, the Keys, etc. I would be unable to
do much of this without a boat of my own. For me, the question is not one
of cheaper or more expensive but one of whether what I do with the boat is
worth the cost.
If you're going to continue doing drift diving only, then your going to need
to find some very good friend/divers to share trips. Very few people find
more than one (spouse) person who they can comfortably spend a lot of time
in confined space with over a period of years. Also remember, that under
these conditions, each diving pair winds up spending half their time sitting
on the boat. I tend to dislike drift diving for just this reason. I have
friends I like well enough to spend the time with, but both they and we want
to be part of each dive. Nobody wants to sit.
You're not limited only to choices of owning or chartering. There's another
option which many have found viable. Check into the cost of joining a
boating club such as Club Nautico. While membership is not cheap, it's
cheaper than owning a boat for yourself. You pay an annual fee and pay a
reduced price for use of a boat you are reasonably sure has been properly
maintained. Insurance and maintenance costs are factored into the price
formula but are shared by others who use the same boat. If, however, you
want to take multiday trips or leave U.S. waters, you're probably stuck with
ownership. FYI, the last time I checked I figured that someone who used
their boat an average of twice a month was around the break even point for
ownership versus club rental.
Lee
R. Beasley
>Stephen King wrote:
>>
>> Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
>> worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
>> so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
>If you're not a do it yourself guy, good with electronics and wrenches,
>willing to spend long hours in stuffy cramped spaces, at unbelievable
>temperatures, expect to pay somebody else a lot of money to do it
>You could opt for a small inflatable.<snip>
I'm married to a boater. We have a boat. I told him we could have a
boat if he were get certified to dive and if we could dive off the
boat. With the boat we got an inflatable.
We have a sailboat, so the fuel thing isn't too much of an issue. We
motored for two days this week because the winds were all from the
wrong direction and used maybe 15 gals of fuel. Of course we are very
slow, but I don't mind that. He is a DIY type guy and messing with
the boat is fun for him.
We've dived (dove?) off this type boat in the virgin islands and it
worked out OK. Couldn't do drift dives too easily though I admit.
grandma Rosalie
S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44
SJM FLA
>Stephen King wrote:
>>
>> Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
>> worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
>> so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
>
>I would say 'No.'
>
>First, you are asking if it is 'worth it'.
>This shows two things, really pointing up one:
>You are probably not a boater. Boating is a disease characterized
>by a lack of wisdom that you're simple question demonstrates you
>have.
>
>A 'boater' is usually infected at a young age, and never asks
>permission to buy a boat, only forgiveness (from spouse and banker).
>A boater more typically asks a question like:
>"Should I get *another* boat?"
>
>Second, BRKA is an 'investment'. A boat, *any* boat, is an 'expense'.
>Boats are a PITA. When you are not washing them, you are fixing
>them. When you are not fixing them, you are pumping gas.
A former Bayliner owner I presume?
--
SJM
Ecnerwal
> boat, track your drift dive, and deal with picking you up without
> chopping you up,
One thing I've always found curious - I've yet to see a propless dive
boat - that is, one with a jet drive (a grown-up jetski-type propulsion
system). I'm aware that there are efficiency advantages to propellors
.vs. jet-dive impellers, but I'd expect to see a few, anyway - the
safety advantages are rather obvious. Or perhaps a dual system with
small jet thrusters for puttering along with divers and a prop main
drive for going back & forth - of course, that would be an additional
expense...
Only the capitals to email - robots not welcome.
Stephen King
Walkaround, with O/B. I understand that it is difficult to dive off a boat
like this, but any of you familiar w/the Boynton Beach area and remember
"Manta" has experieced this. The ideal boat would have a "christmas tree"
ladder, large swim platform and a transom door. I know that this is an
expensive purchase and not an "investment" (poor choice of words) and I
appreciate all the feedback that everyone has given.
bullshark
>
>
> A former Bayliner owner I presume?
No. Being a student of boating for many years, when
I saw the notation: "Depth in Bayliners" in the legend
on my navigational charts...I got a clue.
safe diving,
bullshark
RSGTb
sailboat when possible. Its necessary to be inventitive but well worth the
time if you like independence. When going off shore, any distance I dive from
a professional dive boat. All other trips are done at my leasure with my own
boat. Small privayte owned boats also have the trailer ability to dive sites
that normally arent accesable from shore. This includes large inland lakes and
resoviors that allow boats. Enjoy and good luck
William P.N. Smith
>William P.N. Smith wrote:
>> boat, track your drift dive, and deal with picking you up without
>> chopping you up,
>One thing I've always found curious - I've yet to see a propless dive
>boat - that is, one with a jet drive (a grown-up jetski-type propulsion
>system).
Actually, the boat I use is a jet drive, for it's shallow draft, but
while it'd be safer in the water than a prop, I still wouldn't like to
be trying to get on board while the drive is running. When the
transmission is in gear the pump is running, and the 'bucket' moves up
and down to balance between forward and reverse. While it's possible
to do station keeping (with some practice), you'd still want the drive
to be disengaged while picking up divers, and I'd hate to be hit by
_any_ boat at _any_ speed.
IMHO, an anchor or mooring is the way to go for private dives, I'd
only trust an extremely well experienced drift dive captain for that
kind of diving, which gets back to commercial dives.
SJM FLA
>Wow - thanks for all the responses. The boat >that I am looking for is a 21'
>Walkaround, with O/B. I understand that it is >difficult to dive off a boat
>like this, but any of you familiar w/the >Boynton Beach area and remember
>"Manta" has experieced this. The ideal boat >would have a "christmas tree"
>ladder, large swim platform and a transom >door.
<snip>
Just put some lines in water,tied off
near the stern. Upon surfacing get rid
of your weight belt. (preferably
into the boat) Then, clip your
tank & BC off to the line.
Next, its up and over the gunwale
using your fins foran extra boost.
(A swim platform is even better)
Beats climbing up a ladder with
all that weight on your back.
Haul in the BC/tank after a towel
off and a cold drink.
Be sure you have a good boat
operator when drift diving. (Can they
restart the boat if it stalls out?)
The "Manta" ?????????
--
SJM
Stephen King
<snip>
>
>The "Manta" ?????????
Small 6 pack that used to run out of Boynton Beach. O/B 200 (I think),
ladder and a swim platform. No transom door, back roll in. All in all a
great boat. Larry would leave 15-20 min after Loggerhead and Pelican and
still arrive at the dive sites well before them.
CMccar31
<ski...@nospam.bellsouth.net> writes:
>The boat that I am looking for is a 21'
>Walkaround, with O/B. I understand that it is difficult to dive off a boat
>like this,
Some of the newer combination platform/outboard brackets may be the ticket.
They give you room to stand and you can rig one of several different kinds of
ladders.Good luck.
Charlie
Capt Jack
Stephen King wrote in message ...
>Wow - thanks for all the responses. The boat that I am looking for is a 21'
>Walkaround, with O/B. I understand that it is difficult to dive off a boat
>ladder, large swim platform and a transom door.
I have a 20'4" G/W W/A with a 175 O/B I've used diving in the Keys and, more
frequently, off NJ the past four years. It has a "small" swim platform with
steps and has been very easy to dive from. As another post indicated, you
remove your weights and BC/tank prior to boarding. I have climbed aboard
with the gear (6MM wetsuit, 25# of weights) but that's the hard way. (We're
putting the G/W up for sale when we tow it back from the Keys next month;
we're getting a center console in June and hope it works out as well as the
W/A.)
Lee Bell
William P.N. Smith
> IMHO, an anchor or mooring is the way to go for private dives, I'd
> only trust an extremely well experienced drift dive captain for that
> kind of diving, which gets back to commercial dives.
Actually, there are more people with the right kind of experience than you
think. Any water ski driver, and there are a lot more of us than dive boat
drivers, has the skill and experience necessary to operate a boat safely in
close proximity to people in the water.
In response to the original question, there is a dive boat manufacturer
making jet drive boats. So far, I have not seen any of them in use here in
S. Florida.
Lee
Lee Bell
dive platform and step through, but no ladder. I also dive off my 15 foot
trailerable boat which has neither dive platform nor ladder and my similarly
lacking 9'6" inflatable.
You adapt to what you have. On all my boats, I run a tag line to which we
hook our equipment. It's a lot easier to climb into a boat without all that
gear. We use the Cruiser because we cruise and that's what we have. I use
the 15 footer for one or two day trips that would require all our available
time in travel in the larger boat. I use the inflatable in Bimini when we
don't want to and don't need to disconnect everything from the dock and the
inflatable will reach the planned site easily. I don't dive from my two
airboats, my row boat or my lake sail boat, at least not yet. Yes I have 7
boats. I admit it, I'm a boating addict. Then again, what did you expect
from a S. Florida native?
Lee
Stephen King <ski...@nospam.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:uenQ2.364$CU.1...@news4.mia...
> Wow - thanks for all the responses. The boat that I am looking for is a
21'
> Walkaround, with O/B. I understand that it is difficult to dive off a boat
> like this, but any of you familiar w/the Boynton Beach area and remember
N2...@webtv.net
cost of a dive and the respnsibility of maintaining and insurong the
boat,dockage fees and costly repairs(all boats).
all you really need to make it worth the investment is a real desire to
do it your way , on your schedule, and you hve to have what it takes...$
bullshark
> Actually, there are more people with the right kind of experience than you
> think. Any water ski driver, and there are a lot more of us than dive boat
> drivers, has the skill and experience necessary to operate a boat safely in
> close proximity to people in the water.
But no experience whatever in high seas, and little if any in
currents. I have seen few water skiers get separated from their
dive buddies/flags and even fewer 'ski drivers' (yikes) that
knew where to look for them. Water skiers never drift through
vessels engaged in fishing, or surface near party boats with
50 lines in the water.
Silly me. All I had to do was go borrow that kid down the street
that goes water skiing all the time with daddy's bass buster.
'Any water ski driver' - I'll have to remember that one.
safe diving,
bullshark
John Goodwin
<bull...@my-dejanews.com> wrote:
snip
>I forgot the $1000 or so per year for insurance.
No you didn't.
Look, there it is quoted above :-)
JG
Lee Bell
bullshark wrote
> Lee Bell wrote:
> > Actually, there are more people with the right kind of experience than
you
> > think. Any water ski driver, and there are a lot more of us than dive
boat
> > drivers, has the skill and experience necessary to operate a boat safely
in
> > close proximity to people in the water.
> But no experience whatever in high seas, and little if any in
> currents. I have seen few water skiers get separated from their
> dive buddies/flags and even fewer 'ski drivers' (yikes) that
> knew where to look for them. Water skiers never drift through
> vessels engaged in fishing, or surface near party boats with
> 50 lines in the water.
All potentially true, but a different question. Ocean and current
conditions are different from what most water ski drivers experience.
Congestion may or may not be. Also, I probably should have added the word
"experienced" to my original post. Like any boat operator, there's a vast
difference between someone who has done it once and someone who has the
experience and knowledge to do it right.
> Silly me. All I had to do was go borrow that kid down the street
> that goes water skiing all the time with daddy's bass buster.
Maybe, but probably not. When I was younger, I was a member of the Greater
Miami Ski Club, not to be confused with the snow ski club. The club had a
training and semi formal certification program for drivers, particularly for
competition drivers. Our club had a confined facility which ensured against
the congestion and problems that arrise in non-exclusive locations. Many of
us had prior experience in congested areas. A good water ski driver gets to
his skiier quickly and safely, has experience with putting a boat between
this skiier and other boats/boaters and is skilled in safely operating a
boat close to someone in the water. Like any sport/discipline, there's more
to being qualified than meets the eye.
> 'Any water ski driver' - I'll have to remember that one.
Make that any qualified water ski driver and it's better. The point, at
least my point, is that there are more people with the right skills than
those that consider only experienced dive boat operators. Of course, this
does not change the fact that not just anyone can or should be trusted with
this responsibility, which was someone else's point.
> safe diving,
You too.
Lee
William P.N. Smith
>William P.N. Smith
>> IMHO, an anchor or mooring is the way to go for private dives, I'd
>> only trust an extremely well experienced drift dive captain for that
>> kind of diving, which gets back to commercial dives.
>Actually, there are more people with the right kind of experience than you
>think. Any water ski driver, and there are a lot more of us than dive boat
>drivers, has the skill and experience necessary to operate a boat safely in
>close proximity to people in the water.
But not with people who might be _under_ the water... There are some
significant differences between a single person on the surface and
several people below the surface.
Charlie Hammond
In article <3711FC...@SOuthernVERmont.NET>,
Ecnerwal <Lawren...@SOuthernVERmont.NET> writes:
>One thing I've always found curious - I've yet to see a propless dive
>boat - that is, one with a jet drive ...
I dived from one at the Blue Marlin resort in Belize about two years ago.
A "Pro 42". I have seen at least on other.
--
Charlie Hammond -- Compaq Computer Corporation -- Pompano Beach FL USA
(ham...@peek.enet.dec.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.
ky...@ibm.net
"Stephen King" <ski...@nospam.bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Just curious how many people own their own boat and dive from it. Is it
> worth the investment? I live in south Florida and do primarily drift diving
> so my wife and I would obviously need to have someone go w/us to drive.
>
>
a lot of good info in this thread, here is my .02. I've been an avid boater
and diver for over 20 years. Both require an equal amount of aquired skill,
both imply risk. I could not even imagine diving off a cow boat. the analogy
would be going on a tour bus vs off on your own hike. if you like the bus go
with the cow boats. my tips on boat ownership, keep the boat on a lift out of
salt water(when not in use). when diving from your boat and no one is left on
board, our case, use two reels, one fron the bow cleat cliped to a breakaway
string at the anchor and the second reel cliped to the first reel at the
anchor, overkill i know but in over 1500 dives here in s.fl, i have had while
diving, a (noaa)mooring buoy line break, a anchor break free and one
attempted theft of the boat. all resulted in a long swim back to the boat.
While this sounds resrictive it isn't as the second reel is 300 feet, we dive
the outer ledge system in the keys(all that is left worth seeing) with the
anchor set in sand @90-100' a slow dive into the current at this depth is not
restricted by the line. cost is not a issue. it is far more expensive to do
your own diving and cruising so the cost benefit is measured in how
desirable this freedom is to you. one warning, the boat collection seems to
grow, a variety of boats are required for different objectives:go fast, go
shallow, sail, dive, sleep, party,.... so on and so forth. regards, Dave
Scott
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