Best practices and gear for boat diving

[renoun]

There was some good discussion about gear for boat diving that I wanted to spin off from a few recent threads; Don’t fear the reefer and attempted SMB hijacking with video, Agate redux, and Omar and Agate Pass. I suspect that there are a lot of folks who are divers first and boaters as necessary to dive. I, and several others on the forum, have probably come from the opposite direction. Lets talk about safe boating.

If you don't have training or experience consider taking a boating course from the US Coast Guard Aux. or the US Power Squadrons. Perhaps you can take the class with your dive buddy or likely boat tender. You'll probably get a discount on your insurance and it may be required to get a boater education card.

Lets take a little time to discuss some best practices and legal requirements for diving off small boats. Next I'll post about radio communications. I'll follow up up with a third thread next week about local rescue resources, what the Coast Guard typically does, etc.

Get Legal

• Check to see that your boat is equipped with legally required items with an online safety check
• Fly a dive flag (when there are actually divers in the water).
• Meet mandatory boater education requirements in Washington, Oregon, or British Columbia.
• Understand how the Vessel Traffic Service constrains the movements of large ships.
• Stay away from:
  1. Naval Vessels over 100'.
  2. Oil Tankers(but not barges).
  3. Large Passenger Vessels (ferries & cruise ships over 100').
  Don't approach closer than 100 yards without permission and operate at minimum speed following official instructions when closer than 500 yards.
• Don't dive too close to ferry piers and navy bases.

Plan your trip

• Don't forget that you are subject to any other possible boating emergency and should appropriately prepare for those contingencies also.
• Get a current weather report.
• Review tides and currents for the area.
• Float plan filed with trusted friend/family ashore.
• Ensure that you have appropriate fuel to travel to and from you dive sites while maintaining an appropriate reserve.
• Identify alternate places to beach or dock the boat if weather deteriorates, you need to meet with Medics, you have a breakdown, etc.
• Discuss dive plan and contingencies with both the dive team, the boat tender, and any buddy boats.

Gear for the boat

• GPS - find your site, know where you are, understand how fast the boat is drifting.
• Trail Line so divers can hang onto the boat if appropriate. Make sure it floats so it is less likely to wind up in your propeller.
• Throw Bags are an easy way to throw a line to a diver in the water
• Binoculars are essential for searching, 7x50 binoculars are the most common for marine use and are available in waterproof versions. West Marine Advisor. I really like Fujinon Mariners.
• VHF Radio, the standard marine communications tool. A perminantly installed radio is best but a handheld radio may be the only option for smaller boats. Turn on the radio and actually listen to it.
• Spot Light (see all the reflective tape on your divers, illuminate divers in the water or their SMB if vessels approach them, or signal your position to others).
• Distress Flares (SOLAS Grade are best).
• Strobe (flares don't last very long but a strobe will go all night long).
• Anchor & Line Recent Discussion.
• Buoy for anchor line (important even if a live boat) so the anchor can be abandoned and recovered later.
• Oxygen kit & first aid kit.
• Reserve fuel or kicker motor with separate fuel tank.
• A way to assist impaired divers aboard by parbuckleing.
• Radar Reflectors if diving in/near shipping lanes, at night, or in poor visibility.

Gear to make diver more visible

• A hood that isn't black (perhaps thick and custom from Otter Bay)
• A strobe ( will last much longer than your primary/backup lights) Aqua Strobe $25
• SOLAS Grade reflective tape on SMB, Hood, suit (forearms, upper torso)
• Very loud whistle or dive alert
• Sausage style SMB that can be used for surface signaling (a lift bag isn't that great for waving around and disappears in wave troughs)
• Dye and signal mirrors may be helpful depending on conditions
• For high risk dives a VHF radio in canister West Marine Advisor Article may allow you to communicate with both your own boat and other searchers.
• A PLB in canister for offshore divesMcmurdo Fast Find $300 alerts SAR authorities but doesn't help your own boat find you.
• Flares may be useful but are dangerous to safely launch with cold hands and difficult to keep dry

Consider personalizing your SMB or lift bag so that you can be identified before you surface. Be sure that your dive buddies and boat tender know what kind of signaling equipment you carry. It is helpful for SAR controllers to understand what they are looking for so that they can create an appropriate search plan. If it is dark, you are covered with reflective material, carry a strobe, have bright dive lights, etc. they can create a wider search pattern and hopefully locate you more quickly than if they are looking for a guy in a black suit with a black BC on a moonless night.

[pensacoladiver]

I have to give it to Ross. He is a well stocked Boy Scout. He showed up to my boat with a kaypock life preserver on stocked full of goodies. He is a walking save a dive kit... except when he forgets his own lead... dohhh.

[spatman]

great write-up, renoun! as a non-boater (currently, at least), this was very informative. i'm looking forward to your follow-ups.

[supacooper]

Ross even brought beer for after the dive. Do they give boy scout patches for that?

[lizard0924]

Hey Renoun - props to you for covering some key boating safety items for divers (who are boaters by default whenever they boat dive). I am a huge advocate of ensuring that all divers understand the basics of safe boating (disclaimer: I write the monthly boating safety article in Northwest Dive News, so I am slightly biased).

I could not agree more that the USCG Auxiliary's Boating Seamanship & Safety course is invaluable if you plan to spend any time on the water (whether you are captaining a vessel or not). Remember - you may not start off the captain, but circumstances may dictate you become the captain mid-voyage. I took the class before we took delivery of our bigger boat, and it was extremely helpful. I was always amazed at the antics I saw on the water from "captains" (and, really, I use that term loosely) who clearly had no friggin' idea what the heck they were doing on out there. Scary, indeed!

No matter what size your vessel, you should (at the least) have onboard a VHF radio (installed or hand-held) and know how to use it. It is a fun past-time for boaters to sit in their slips and listen to the marine radio transmissions (Channel 16) about all the yahoos out there who are totally unequipped for the inevitable emergencies that arise on the water. Nothing like trying to summons help when you don't have a radio on board.

Have a safe boating season everyone!

[boydski]

Wow Ross,

Excellent, excellent list of gear for boat diving. I can only think of a couple of things that I would add to your very extensive list. I didn't see Life Jackets (but I know you meant to put them on the list) apropriate for the waters you are diving in (that means Type 1 PFD's with lights for you Neah Bay boaters).

One of the items that Charter Boats are required to carry, that would also be very useful for all boaters is a copy of the ColRegs ( Collision Regulations - Navigational Rules). Or one of the plasticized cheat sheets with the same information. I find it very useful to be able to look up unusual sound signals in the fog or day shapes that I don't recognize. It will definitely take some of the "guesswork" out of what is happening around you when conditions deteriorate.

Another very useful item that Charter Boats are required to carry are paper charts for the local area. For small boats, the waterproof chart books of Puget Sound are very useful items to have when the Chart Plotter or GPS crap out and you have to get home by compass.

[dsteding]

For small boats, the waterproof chart books of Puget Sound are very useful items to have when the Chart Plotter or GPS crap out and you have to get home by compass.

Agreed. Add a compass to the list too.

[LCF]

Well, everybody diving off my boat is likely to have a compass . . . :-)

Renoun, THANK YOU for this excellent piece, into which you clearly put some time. My especial thanks for the reference to a parbuckle. One of the things that has troubled me about our boat is how high the freeboard is, and how difficult it would be to get a larger person dragged back onto the boat, if he were disabled. This has become much more troubling as we have had some technical dives done off the boat. I think I can create a parbuckle-type apparatus out of polypropylene rope tied as netting, and it will work.

I am seriously hoping to take the Power Squadron class, but my work schedule is so erratic that it is very difficult to commit to any multi-week class that meets on the same day (it's really a wonder I ever got scuba certified, for that reason). So I'm trying to learn as much as I can elsewhere, and pieces like this are really, really valuable to me.

[renoun]

I could not agree more that the USCG Auxiliary's Boating Seamanship & Safety course is invaluable if you plan to spend any time on the water (whether you are captaining a vessel or not). Remember - you may not start off the captain, but circumstances may dictate you become the captain mid-voyage.

The full length courses are great but they also have an abbreviated four hour course called Suddenly In Command to help folks with the basics if the find themselves in the situation you describe.

I didn't see Life Jackets (but I know you meant to put them on the list) appropriate for the waters you are diving in (that means Type 1 PFD's with lights for you Neah Bay boaters).

I think that Pensacolaracer was ribbing me about the Life Jacket I brought on his boat with its flares, radio, strobe, Rescue Laser, knife, etc. Seriously the best PFD is the one you wear. Around here if your boat is sinking you are going to want a full on immersion suit unless you are already dressed for diving. There are also Float Coats and Work Suits that are ideal for the boat tender. They act as both fowl weather gear and Life Jackets while providing some protection from hypothermia.

Another very useful item that Charter Boats are required to carry are paper charts for the local area.

For small boats Waterproof Charts are a good compromise since they inlay large scale charts of critical areas on a single regional chart. You can also have OceanGrafix print laminated or folding charts for you. IMHO full size charts are not practical on small boats but they are great to have. For planning at home you can download NOAA Charts and if you feel industrious print custom charts for your dive sites. I like using GeoGarage's Demo a Google Maps mashup for quick planning at home since it overlays the NOAA charts on maps and satellite photos. Finally you can use NOAA Chart #1 as a key for all the symbols (including bottom composition).

I think I can create a parbuckle-type apparatus out of polypropylene rope tied as netting, and it will work.

There are commercial products like Sea Scoopa and Markus Rescue-net. You could probably DIY with some mesh fabric and sewn webbing loops for grab handles and connections to the boat. I would look around at Seattle Marine next time you go buy Atlas gloves and get the remaining supplies at Seattle Fabrics. Larger boats should probably be equipped with at Lifesling and lifting tackle to recover folks from the water.

[gcbryan]

Best thread ever! I don't have a boat but like to know what 's going on when I am on a boat. I've been on a few private boats where I don't think the captain knew even as much as is contained in this thread!

[Mattleycrue76]

Thanks fort the valuable info renoun. I too will be watching for the upcomming installments.

[CaptnJack]

The waterproof charts are great, I have found that there's really not that much on the local mariner's notice that needs updating anyway. The most disappointing thing locally is having the canadian charts copyrighted. There's something just "wrong" about that.

For desktop research (esp here at "work") the online NOAA chart viewer is quite functional
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer ... able.shtml

And if you are looking at one of the little "wk" symbols you can generally learn more about in NOAA's automated wreck and obstruction database available here:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/hsd/AWOISreg13.html

Lamont was slick enough to actually google map alot of them:
http://www.scriptkiddie.org/bath/awois.html

[renoun]

Lamont was slick enough to actually google map alot of them:
http://www.scriptkiddie.org/bath/awois.html

That is really neat. I wonder if this could integrate with the NOAA charts at GeoGarage and overlay the obstruction database on top of current charts.

[gcbryan]

I just found this free online basic boating coarse for anyone who is interested.

http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/cont ... /index.php

[coachrenz]

I just found this free online basic boating coarse for anyone who is interested.

http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/cont ... /index.php

Nice, but, it doesn't appear that it meets the requirements for the Boating Education requirement in Washington.

[gcbryan]

I just found this free online basic boating coarse for anyone who is interested.

http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/cont ... /index.php

Nice, but, it doesn't appear that it meets the requirements for the Boating Education requirement in Washington.

I think it's good for someone who wants the knowledge. As far as the requirement, there is no requirement for a passenger. For a boat owner/captain it's still good information until you can schedule a proper class.

Anyway, I know a bit more now than before I went though the online course/tests. :biggrin:

I also just noticed that they have some practice exams (by subject) for the USCG Captains exam.

[sunnydude]

Thanks for posting this Ross. I see some things to add to my 38'er to make sure we are fully prepared for diving from the boat.

[pensacoladiver]

Well, everybody diving off my boat is likely to have a compass . . . :-)

Renoun, THANK YOU for this excellent piece, into which you clearly put some time. My especial thanks for the reference to a parbuckle. One of the things that has troubled me about our boat is how high the freeboard is, and how difficult it would be to get a larger person dragged back onto the boat, if he were disabled. This has become much more troubling as we have had some technical dives done off the boat. I think I can create a parbuckle-type apparatus out of polypropylene rope tied as netting, and it will work.

I have 2 gaffs inside my boat that work very well for getting a disabled diver back onboard.

The puncture marks heal up in no time.

[billandwende]

Thanks for you posting. There is a lot of great info here.
When I get my boat fixed I need to add a few items. Never really thought about how Id get an injured diver onboard. Now I know. Also never heard of a rescue laser. These 2 items alone may save someone someday so I thank you.

[no excuses]

I also like to pack a couple of small paddles.

Stan

[Aquanautchuck]

I also like to pack a couple of small paddles.

Stan

I have a couple also onboard. Have you ever tried to paddle a 15' zodiac/ Not real easy.

[no excuses]

I also like to pack a couple of small paddles.

Stan

I have a couple also onboard. Have you ever tried to paddle a 15' zodiac/ Not real easy.

yep not easy but better then using a pair of fins :naka:

[boydski]

Have you ever tried to paddle a 15' zodiac/ Not real easy.

It has to be better than paddling a 22' cabin cruiser with waterskis!

We actually made it almost a mile before someone took pity on us and towed us in. However, it was an excellent lesson in fuel management...

[Aquanautchuck]

Have you ever tried to paddle a 15' zodiac/ Not real easy.

It has to be better than paddling a 22' cabin cruiser with waterskis!

We actually made it almost a mile before someone took pity on us and towed us in. However, it was an excellent lesson in fuel management...

A 22' dang, now that must of been a workout. I had to do that also with my 17' ski boat years ago and it was tough.



Lets have a roll call of all those that have had to paddle their boats for one reason or another?

[no excuses]

Have you ever tried to paddle a 15' zodiac/ Not real easy.

It has to be better than paddling a 22' cabin cruiser with waterskis!

We actually made it almost a mile before someone took pity on us and towed us in. However, it was an excellent lesson in fuel management...

A 22' dang, now that must of been a workout. I had to do that also with my 17' ski boat years ago and it was tough.



Lets have a roll call of all those that have had to paddle their boats for one reason or another?

in

thats why I carry paddles now, have used water skis on a 21' river sled, glad it was only a couple hundred feet from the dock lol.