diver dave
Guru
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2017
- Messages
- 2,570
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Coquina
- Vessel Make
- Lagoon 380
I will toss my hat into the ring for ideas, I've had a little bit of experience with these ideas.
Zero Asia diving experience; only North America, so I have not had to deal with vast ocean travel to arrive at some very interesting, and demanding diving. I've also done very little diving, relatively, on others boats. But, I have done small team diving in various places including small islands, deep open water, in the jungles, etc. I'll split up the response by type of vessel.
Early in the game, I arranged to rent a 42' T Tub trawler to deliver some 6 cave divers about 140 miles out to destination. In that era, lots of doubles were involved. I brought two dive compressors, both gas and electric. Due to draft, we actually did zero diving off the 42'. We only used it for the long distance transport vehicle, meals, sleeping, and used instead skiffs and inflatables to actually bring divers to various sites; whether they were jungle, tidal creeks, or even open ocean. We recharged tanks with the electric 8kW trawler genset.
On my smaller sportfish, I started the use of my current Avon inflatable. At one point, I kept the compressor on the big boat, and ran 20 foot recharge hoses onto the small boat. Absolutely no need to bring tanks and gear on/off the big boat, until we pack and leave.
Much later, the transport vessel was various, but usually not directly transporting kitted up divers. We improved our technology of diving, using side mounts, on-site nitrox continuous blending methods, and even did some mix diving into around 100m depth cave sites. Compressors got a bit larger, but still gas powered, and most times was operated in the field, at the site of interest. I realize that the schemes here are really about diving both inland and close to island sites, not usually on seamounts, or barrier reefs, etc. Some exceptions, but all in all, precious few dives actually off of larger boats. We did an Andros trip by renting small aircraft and slept in the jungle. We used a couple of inflatables to dive the barrier reef. I suppose if you ever try to maneuver a larger boat around in water divers, this may make more sense. Also, scanning for shipwrecks (if you don't have the exact marks) via larger boat, is just a hassle. So much easier with a 12' rib with a bottom machine. And, anchoring large boats in deep water, etc. I much prefer entering a soft boat in seas, than a hard boat.
Anyway, I'm close to winding down my latest search for a dive barge. It will be a cat sailboat, with twin inboard diesels. Mostly, just my wife and I, but will have various types flying in from other places. It will have sub 1 meter draft. The dink will continue to be key. I have a 10' Avon now that has propelled me to my most technical diving, ever. 3000' cave penetrations at 100' avg depth, laying line and surveying out. You might be impressed by how many scooters, stage tanks, and misc stuff one can fit on a 16' Carolina skiff or 10' inflatable. Even so, many dives took a day of gear transport, before the actual dives.
I suppose all this is taken from the folks at spanish wells, and other Bahamian fishing techniques. You have a mother ship to sleep on and fix stuff on, but all the fishing is done from the parade of small boats, in tow. There have been times even a 10' rubber boat is way too big and too much draft.
Zero Asia diving experience; only North America, so I have not had to deal with vast ocean travel to arrive at some very interesting, and demanding diving. I've also done very little diving, relatively, on others boats. But, I have done small team diving in various places including small islands, deep open water, in the jungles, etc. I'll split up the response by type of vessel.
Early in the game, I arranged to rent a 42' T Tub trawler to deliver some 6 cave divers about 140 miles out to destination. In that era, lots of doubles were involved. I brought two dive compressors, both gas and electric. Due to draft, we actually did zero diving off the 42'. We only used it for the long distance transport vehicle, meals, sleeping, and used instead skiffs and inflatables to actually bring divers to various sites; whether they were jungle, tidal creeks, or even open ocean. We recharged tanks with the electric 8kW trawler genset.
On my smaller sportfish, I started the use of my current Avon inflatable. At one point, I kept the compressor on the big boat, and ran 20 foot recharge hoses onto the small boat. Absolutely no need to bring tanks and gear on/off the big boat, until we pack and leave.
Much later, the transport vessel was various, but usually not directly transporting kitted up divers. We improved our technology of diving, using side mounts, on-site nitrox continuous blending methods, and even did some mix diving into around 100m depth cave sites. Compressors got a bit larger, but still gas powered, and most times was operated in the field, at the site of interest. I realize that the schemes here are really about diving both inland and close to island sites, not usually on seamounts, or barrier reefs, etc. Some exceptions, but all in all, precious few dives actually off of larger boats. We did an Andros trip by renting small aircraft and slept in the jungle. We used a couple of inflatables to dive the barrier reef. I suppose if you ever try to maneuver a larger boat around in water divers, this may make more sense. Also, scanning for shipwrecks (if you don't have the exact marks) via larger boat, is just a hassle. So much easier with a 12' rib with a bottom machine. And, anchoring large boats in deep water, etc. I much prefer entering a soft boat in seas, than a hard boat.
Anyway, I'm close to winding down my latest search for a dive barge. It will be a cat sailboat, with twin inboard diesels. Mostly, just my wife and I, but will have various types flying in from other places. It will have sub 1 meter draft. The dink will continue to be key. I have a 10' Avon now that has propelled me to my most technical diving, ever. 3000' cave penetrations at 100' avg depth, laying line and surveying out. You might be impressed by how many scooters, stage tanks, and misc stuff one can fit on a 16' Carolina skiff or 10' inflatable. Even so, many dives took a day of gear transport, before the actual dives.
I suppose all this is taken from the folks at spanish wells, and other Bahamian fishing techniques. You have a mother ship to sleep on and fix stuff on, but all the fishing is done from the parade of small boats, in tow. There have been times even a 10' rubber boat is way too big and too much draft.
And instantly end up in prison or worse. 
