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: 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