Scuba + Boating

Starting next week I am going to take PADI Open Water Diving class. I am curious if anyone else goes out on their boat anchor it, put up the Dive flags and go diving w/ a buddy?

-Hostage

Re: Scuba + Boating

I haven't done it yet but I plan to some time in the future. Not far from where I live is great cold water wreck diving. I have the boat, the dive gear but no buddy nearby yet.

Re: Scuba + Boating

Diving off the boat is the only way to go. Just make sure to plan your dive and dive your plan. Have good knowledge of currents and take your time gaining experience. As you are new to diving don't enter any wrecks or caves or like structures. Make sure your dive buddy has safety as a main concern. It is always good to go out on a dive charter and see how they operate so that you can emulate it and ask them for tips. You will love it, stay safe.

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My brothers and I do it all the time, its a lot of fun. If I were you for the first couple of dives make them shallow.

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I do here in SE Alaska. You didn't mention where you were but PLEASE let me give you some very important advice before you go. Of course you have a dive buddy, but at the same time you need to have someone above the water and on the boat. Someone that can run your boat too. Also, everyone under must have a DSMB (delayed surface marker buoy). Be sure to talk to you dive instructor on how to use this device, it could really save you should you find yourself lost under water; which is why you need someone on the surface to pick you up.

Re: Scuba + Boating

Biergarden said:

I do here in SE Alaska. You didn't mention where you were but PLEASE let me give you some very important advice before you go. Of course you have a dive buddy, but at the same time you need to have someone above the water and on the boat. Someone that can run your boat too. Also, everyone under must have a DSMB (delayed surface marker buoy). Be sure to talk to you dive instructor on how to use this device, it could really save you should you find yourself lost under water; which is why you need someone on the surface to pick you up.

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Do you think you need (legally) a diver on board a recreational boat like a commercial boat? That would mean a captian and a diver that is ready to go but not getting the chance to dive. I have not tried diving off my boat, but I have not been anywhere that was worth diving.

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In places that are subject to strong currents, such as Alaska, it's a REALLY good idea to have someone on the boat when you're diving. Currents can be unpredictable and there's not much you can do if you're getting carried away from the boat by even a moderate current.

However, there are no general legal requirements to have anyone on the boat while you're diving. That's not to say that there aren't local regulations that require a boat be tended, however, so you should check on those.

In addition warning boaters that there are divers in the water, a dive flag let's everyone know that the boat owner didn't accidentally fall overboard.

If you do leave the boat unattended, it's a good idea to descend down the anchor line and check that it's well set. It goes without saying that you should have sufficient anchor, chain and scope to hold your boat even if conditions deteriorate and that the shackles are secured. One tip I use is to tie the end of the anchor line to a float marked with my name and phone number. If the boat is anchored and I have to move in an emergency, I can throw everything overboard and come back and retrieve it later.

Other than that, good luck with your class. Welcome to the underwater world!

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I can't wait, my first class is today. I tend to not do anything, until I feel very comfortable about it. I live in Rochester, NY and there is the Thousand Islands, which isn't to far away. I don't know if I would ever feel comfortable going into a wreck, though seeing them with my own eyes should be enough. I own a 19" Cuddy, which I feel it could easily handle 5 people and gear. The swim platform and ladder will help a bit and it does have a head. I was thinking of having 1 person on the boat while 4 people go diving. I would also prefer finding someone who has experience in that area to go w/ us. I will inquire about that tonight with my instructor.

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Take it slow and enjoy the process of learning about diving. It sounds like you have a good attitude and are not looking to rush into things. Wrecks are fun to look at -- you have lots to choose from in your area -- but definitely should not be penetrated until you have training for an overhead environment.

As you'll soon find out, the space on a boat shrinks rapidly when you have divers on board A buddy of mine has a 21' center console and it's comfortable when it's just two of us diving. Four divers is possible but it's definitely crowded. When we go out with four we generally dive in two teams of two, with each pair getting in the water separately so that only two people are gearing up at the same time. I'm sure you'll figure out a process that works for you.

When you finish your dive you might find it easier to take off your rig in the water and hang it from a gear line tied to the gunwale. That way you aren't putting so much weight on the dive ladder and it's easier to get over the transom without a tank on.

Once again, good luck and enjoy!

Re: Scuba + Boating

BTW one thing I'll mention about current scuba training is that buoyancy control is a critical skill that seems to get neglected in open water classes. Many instructors (including mine) overweight their students to avoid out-of-control ascents and in my opinion it does the student a great disservice. My son got certified a few years ago and his instructor devoted a lot of time to teach him how to be neutrally buoyant right from the start. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience when you can swim effortlessly in mid-water instead of bumping along the bottom.

You might mention to your instructor that you'd like to spend extra pool time working on buoyancy skills if that's possible.

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Yeah thanks for the tips, just went to my first lesson yesterday. Aced the test/review, but so did everyone else. Oddly enough I think I was more prepared than anyone else in the class. At first the instructor said I needed no weight, but I got annoyed when he told us to go prone on the bottom, but I couldn't. He said I needed to do is relax and I am a pretty relaxed person. Only way I could start to decend was w/ no air in my lungs. After he gave me 2 weights I finally could go prone w/ air in my lungs. When we went to the 8ft deep part of the pool, managing my bouancy was much easier. Other than that I had the wonderful suprise of a free flow 2nd stage, luckily I was in the 3ft deep area.

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It sounds as though you're off to a great start. I'm glad to hear your instructor is not overweighting you -- it's a little harder at first but you'll be better for it in the long run.

Re: Scuba + Boating

hostage said:

Starting next week I am going to take PADI Open Water Diving class. I am curious if anyone else goes out on their boat anchor it, put up the Dive flags and go diving w/ a buddy?

-Hostage

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Hey Hostage. I live in Rochester too and dive off my boat in Ontario usually in pretty shallow water off the Webster coast.

Are you getting certified at the Aquatic center in Henrietta?

Re: Scuba + Boating

Xandre said:

Hey Hostage. I live in Rochester too and dive off my boat in Ontario usually in pretty shallow water off the Webster coast.

Are you getting certified at the Aquatic center in Henrietta?

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Yeah, I am, just had my second course yesterday. It is a lot of fun, need to get some fins. I tried a couple of theirs and it seems a bit crazy spending $75 to $175 for fins 0_o.

I work in Webster @ Xerox. Just found out one of my instructure also works at Xerox

Re: Scuba + Boating

hostage said:

Yeah, I am, just had my second course yesterday. It is a lot of fun, need to get some fins. I tried a couple of theirs and it seems a bit crazy spending $75 to $175 for fins 0_o.

I work in Webster @ Xerox. Just found out one of my instructure also works at Xerox

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Welcome to SCUBA...it's not the cheapest sport in the word! Good fins can make a difference depending on conditions but you don't have to have the most expensive type. Mine are fairly standard. Just don't skimp on more important equipment like your BC and regulator.

I work in Webster as well on Rt250. I'm at the lake everyday at lunch...thinking of diving the Webster pier. Tons of fish...HUGE carp! On a calm day the water is very clear.

Good luck with the rest of your course. When you go to take you open water test in the quarry try to get the first session in the morning. Visibility will be better since a bunch of newbie divers won't have kicked up all the silt/sand. I went in right after the first group and had to deal with limited visibility.

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Yeah, it ain't cheap, but neither is boating. I am thinking of getting some used equipment, though feel very cautious.

I boat on the Bay, I hang out the sand bar sometimes and attempt to do some water sports.

Thanks for the pointer on when to take the course, I want to do it ASAP. I am also interested in trying to get my advance diver this summer. What level diver are you?

Re: Scuba + Boating

hostage said:

Yeah, it ain't cheap, but neither is boating. I am thinking of getting some used equipment, though feel very cautious.

I boat on the Bay, I hang out the sand bar sometimes and attempt to do some water sports.

Thanks for the pointer on when to take the course, I want to do it ASAP. I am also interested in trying to get my advance diver this summer. What level diver are you?

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I would be cautious about used equipment too. Unless you are talking about something rebuilt and certified from the Aquatic center (they know their stuff and are safety conscious...just a little money hungry) I wouldn't go for it. You're life depends on the equipment you take underwater and it's not worth taking unnecessary risks. I will be taking my tank and regulator into the shop for inspection before I begin diving this year. Water just turned in the lake and dropped to 45 degrees near shore. It will go back up though.

I keep my boat on the bay right across the from the bluff/sand bar where everyone hangs out. I got poison Ivy at the top of that bluff one year so watch out! Too bad so many boaters are trashing that place. Garbage left all over, broken lawn chairs and everyone climbing on the bluff is increasing the rate of erosion.

The woman I rent dock space from has friends who dive IN the bay...Sheriffs I think. It's crazy to dive in the bay....besides the fact that it is crowded with boaters who don't know what a dive flag is I'm scared of what I will find in the bay...haha. No thanks.

I'm only open water certified and never bothered to take additional courses but have racked up decent experience in the Carribean where most of my diving has been done. I've stayed on Live-aboard dive boats in Belize (gone to 135 feet in the Blue Hole) and Turks and Caicos (shaaaarks!!!) and day boats at St. Thomas. Many of my dives now focus around under water photo and videography.

I HIGHLY recommend taking a live-aboard trip. 4 Dives a day, all meals and drinks included...you get a ton of dives under your belt in a short time and learn so much. Plus you can take any of the additional courses on the boat while you're there and get 1 on 1 training.

Here are links to the boats I stayed on:

http://www.dancerfleet.com/belize-home.shtml

http://www.aggressor.com/subpage6.php

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I have been to Belize before, that is what got me interested in diving. When I was a kid my parents took me snorkling all over and when I was 18 my dad and I did a restort Scuba class in Belize and we went diving in shark and ray alley. Belize is amazingly beautiful. My old man is advanced certified and he wants to go on one of those liveaboard. He never travels alone and my mom has no interest in scuba. He is one of the main reasons I am getting ceritifed.

How much do they charge for rental space in a private dock? What I do right now is have a season launch pass at South Point for $275 and then store my boat across the street for $40/month.

My g/f is not a big fan of the sandbar. I have found bottles there, though I don't climb the hills at all. When it is just us two, we just drift in the bay and relax.

Also what type of boat do you have?

Re: Scuba + Boating

hostage said:

I have been to Belize before, that is what got me interested in diving. When I was a kid my parents took me snorkling all over and when I was 18 my dad and I did a restort Scuba class in Belize and we went diving in shark and ray alley. Belize is amazingly beautiful. My old man is advanced certified and he wants to go on one of those liveaboard. He never travels alone and my mom has no interest in scuba. He is one of the main reasons I am getting ceritifed.

How much do they charge for rental space in a private dock? What I do right now is have a season launch pass at South Point for $275 and then store my boat across the street for $40/month.

My g/f is not a big fan of the sandbar. I have found bottles there, though I don't climb the hills at all. When it is just us two, we just drift in the bay and relax.

Also what type of boat do you have?

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Wow I never knew South Point had launch passes! I generally have launched at Bay park West at a free launch. Does it get very crowded? I hate boat launches. They are the worst part of boating in my eyes. I'm so glad I have my boat in the water this season.

The woman I rent dock space from charges $40/ft! Pretty sweet. I have to park about a block away from the boat due very limited space on a private road BUT there is dock where I park that I can put all my gear on and then motor over to to pick up so it works well.

I have a 14ft 1966 Aerocraft. Small and not great for diving but I love this boat so much!

How about your boat?

Re: Scuba + Boating

Yeah the launch pass isn't that bad, they have running water, the guys are pretty helpful, they have nice bathrooms and showers. Last time I got a 10% discount card for Bazil's but didn't get it this tiem as the new mgt said it is only for slip renters. The two best things are it is right across the street from where I store the boat so I don't have to trailer my boat 6 miles. Also since it is a little pricer to launch there, not that many people use it. Most often I am the only person there, on a nice day there might be 1 other person launching. On a "busy" holiday weekend maybe 2 people ahead of you. I guess I pay about $500 for the launch pass and storage.

It takes me about 15-20 minutes from attaching the trailer to being underway. I am usually quicker than people at the Marina, because they have to move all their stuff from the car down the dock to their boat and back. I just toss stuff from my SUV into the boat. You also don't get all the waterfoul and bugs dirtying your boat up when it is stored on land.

The big reason I would rent a slip is to be social and so I don't really have to worry about trailering etc. They both have the advantages. The main reason I am trailering is saving money. The worst part is crossing traffic on Empire Blvd

I got a 2000 19ft Maxum Cuddy last year, I love it! It's nice to find other people with similar interests.