Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

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JasonDiver
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Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by JasonDiver »

The Exotic Aquatics facebook page just announced that their dive charter - The Salish Explorer is under new management and is no longer doing dive charters.
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LCF
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by LCF »

What do we have left in Puget Sound for charter boats? We have the Bandito boat/s in the south, Howie's Aluminator in the mid-Sound, and LuJack's Quest in the San Juans. Is there anything else?
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renoun
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by renoun »

LCF wrote:What do we have left in Puget Sound for charter boats? ... Is there anything else?
Bill "Dalco Diver" Minton still has his trailerable boat based in Tacoma.
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JasonDiver
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by JasonDiver »

There are plans for a Port Townsend based charter on a temp or perm basis in the future.
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by Grateful Diver »

Lu Jac's is out for me, due to Phil's insistence that if you're an instructor you must have his boat as a rider on your insurance policy.

I don't understand this, since I'm not using his boat for teaching classes ... but I'm not carrying his business on my insurance policy ... that's just accepting liability that as a paying customer I shouldn't be responsible for.

But it's his rules, all I can do is write him off as a someone I choose to do business with.

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JasonDiver
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by JasonDiver »

Don't forget the wonderful Hood Canal diving and cookies with Don Coleman and Pacific Adventures.
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LCF
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by LCF »

I came back to this thread this morning, chagrined because I had forgotten Don!

I would love to see a charter operator out of PT. I don't like LuJac's, either, for other reasons. But the San Juans are so nice to dive, and it's impossible to get to most of it without a boat.
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Nwcid
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by Nwcid »

Why is there so few charters in the area?

I would have to guess it is a lack of money/business. If it was a good money maker seems like someone would be doing it.......
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by Grateful Diver »

There have been several excellent dive charters go out of business over the past decade ... primarily due to a lack of steady business.

FWIW - Bandito does have a charter op in the San Juans this summer. But I think Silent World bought up most of the spots ... they have openings, you just have to contact SW to get one of them ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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CaptnJack
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by CaptnJack »

Nwcid wrote:Why is there so few charters in the area?

I would have to guess it is a lack of money/business. If it was a good money maker seems like someone would be doing it.......
Its a high cost business (the boat, fuel, moorage,insurance) trying to wring money out of cheap ass divers who think nothing of buying a $3-5K scooter but consider $80 for a 2 dive charter "expensive". And then afterwards they (or their heirs) end up turning around and suing the charter when they screw up.
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FlyinV
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by FlyinV »

I was just out with Bill on the Slack Tide 2 - Non trailer boat out of Tacoma last weekend.

Blog Report:
http://nwdivers.me/blog/northwest-dive-charters/

Well worth the $80 I can't wait to go again.
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SSpiffyDiver
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by SSpiffyDiver »

Places that have a lot of active charter boats are places where shore diving is difficult. Like parts of the Keys where 2 miles off the beach, you're still only waist deep.

Here there is about any kind of diving you want to do that can be done in these waters as a (usually simple) shore dive.
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LCF
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by LCF »

Yes, although the stunning topography and color of the San Juans is mostly not accessible from shore, and neither are some of our best walls, like Waterman's.
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CaptnJack
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by CaptnJack »

SSpiffyDiver wrote:Here there is about any kind of diving you want to do that can be done in these waters as a (usually simple) shore dive.
Seriously?
Few walls (Leschi and Lobster shack don't count, DIW and Sunrise are not really walls, Dalco is a wall, all the San Juan and Rosario Strait area walls are boat only). Very few wrecks of significance without a boat either, the Honey Bear and EUP don't count as 'wrecks'.

There are whole books of boat dives here that only get done by private boats or maybe a charter once a year. So "any kind" of diving is a bit of a glossed over picture IMHO.
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by jeffgerritsen »

Arranged a charter yesterday (6/11) with Bill (slack tide) out of Narrows marina. Spouse works all Fri - Sun. So weekday charters are hard to come by. Bill provided very good service and I highly recommend him.

Having sold our 35 foot Pearson sailboat last Oct, I know full well the issues these charter operators are facing. After owning three sailboats over the last 8 years, I will gladly pay $80 for a two tank dive plus a tip any day. Even if the charter operations need to raise the price by $10 per diver to cover increased fuel costs - no problem. It's still cheap compared to boat ownership!
FlyinV wrote:I was just out with Bill on the Slack Tide 2 - Non trailer boat out of Tacoma last weekend.

Blog Report:
http://nwdivers.me/blog/northwest-dive-charters/

Well worth the $80 I can't wait to go again.
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LCF
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by LCF »

Jeff, you are SO right! We bought a boat with the idea of being able to go out when we wanted, and to sites the normal charters don't go. Every trip out with the boat has resulted in something breaking, and most of those have cost us in the neighborhood of $1000 to fix. Not to mention the couple of hours involved in cleaning the darned boat the day after a dive trip. $80 for a charter looks like a screaming deal to me.
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Peter Guy
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by Peter Guy »

It's still cheap compared to boat ownership!
It's still cheap compared to boat ownership!
It's still cheap compared to boat ownership!
There, I let you say THAT again and again and again!
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CaptnJack
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by CaptnJack »

jeffgerritsen wrote:I will gladly pay $80 for a two tank dive plus a tip any day. Even if the charter operations need to raise the price by $10 per diver to cover increased fuel costs - no problem. It's still cheap compared to boat ownership!
It is but many divers are even cheaper, don't know what they are missing, or just don't value the diving experience enough to keep charters in business. The crap economy over the last 4 years or so did several in. And at least one of those "over bought" on a brand new boat, had major engine trouble with it due to flawed engine installations, and it was impossible to make payments on given the volume and numbers of potential customers while litigating the manufacturing defects.
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
JasonDiver
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by JasonDiver »

I suspect the Salish Explorer was overly expensive to run. They quoted a price to do 2 tank dives to one shop that was $133 per diver. If they could fill the boat for two days in a row the price dropped to $125 per divers.
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by CaptnJack »

JasonDiver wrote:I suspect the Salish Explorer was overly expensive to run. They quoted a price to do 2 tank dives to one shop that was $133 per diver. If they could fill the boat for two days in a row the price dropped to $125 per divers.
Its new and big. Probably cost in the neighborhood of 750K and that's not counting fuel, maintenance, or moorage. Moorage alone would be about $650/month for a 45 footer like that. Nevermind actually making a living wage as a skipper or crew. So even at $133/diver/day I'm sure they were just trying to recoup their costs (not make millions in profits).
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
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BillZ
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by BillZ »

LCF wrote:Jeff, you are SO right! We bought a boat with the idea of being able to go out when we wanted, and to sites the normal charters don't go. Every trip out with the boat has resulted in something breaking, and most of those have cost us in the neighborhood of $1000 to fix. Not to mention the couple of hours involved in cleaning the darned boat the day after a dive trip. $80 for a charter looks like a screaming deal to me.
Amen!

My 18' RIB is relatively inexpensive to run but when you look at the amount I spend on the boat every year it's still much cheaper to charter.
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CaptnJack
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by CaptnJack »

BillZ wrote: Amen!

My 18' RIB is relatively inexpensive to run but when you look at the amount I spend on the boat every year it's still much cheaper to charter.
Use it more, costs per dive go way down :D
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
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thefeve
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by thefeve »

LCF wrote:Jeff, you are SO right! We bought a boat with the idea of being able to go out when we wanted, and to sites the normal charters don't go. Every trip out with the boat has resulted in something breaking, and most of those have cost us in the neighborhood of $1000 to fix. Not to mention the couple of hours involved in cleaning the darned boat the day after a dive trip. $80 for a charter looks like a screaming deal to me.
Bust
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Thousand

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BillZ
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by BillZ »

CaptnJack wrote:
BillZ wrote: Amen!

My 18' RIB is relatively inexpensive to run but when you look at the amount I spend on the boat every year it's still much cheaper to charter.
Use it more, costs per dive go way down :D
True! Headed out to Neah Bay this weekend to amortize that cost :partydance:
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jeffgerritsen
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Re: Salish Explorer no longer a dive charter

Post by jeffgerritsen »

Someone once said, if you like ice cold showers, while tearing up $100 bills, then you'll like boat ownership!
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