Bottom Cleaner Killed in Palm Beach

[HopCar]

Scuba diver dies in accident at Old Port Cove Marina | The Triton

This is really bad.

 

[rwidman]

Yes, that's bad. Diving on boats has it's risks. I came back from a cruise last year and backed into my slip as usual. I got off my boat and there was a diver on the other side of the dock. Apparently, he had been cleaning the boat next to mine when I backed in.

 

[Marlinmike]

Wow, can't image this happening, thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the diver.

 

[seasalt007]

Very sad. We were in this marina 6 weeks ago and saw the boat.

I have forwarded the link to my diver.

 

[Donna]

Too horrible for words. My heart goes out to all who love and know him.

I often wonder why it is not mandatory for a diver down flag to not be put on a bouy whenever a diver is anywhere in the area.

So sad.

 

[diver dave]

Ouch! LOCK-OUT/TAG-OUT. Same goes for main engines, and high power (military) sonar arrays.

 

[hfoster]

This is truly sad and my heart goes out to the Divers family. It's a damn shame!

Ouch! LOCK-OUT/TAG-OUT. Same goes for main engines, and high power (military) sonar arrays.

I have always lock-out and tag-out my vessel when a driver is in the water cleaning the bottom. It's safe for them and me.

H.

 

[CDreamer]

Awful and sad. This could "almost" be considered a freak accident, but the truth is that diving around propellers and other boats in a crowded marina is more dangerous than it seems. Certainly the divers and marinas should create a list of safety practices...locking out the boat's starting procedure, place warnings or caution tape or diver down signs posted around the work area, maybe even someone up top, watching. On a yacht like that Westport I'd assume a paid captain or crew member could be available.

After this tragedy I'd avoid working around the props if I wasn't sure it was completely safe.
In my marina we have divers regularly. They're pretty quiet and not real easy to see and often go unnoticed.

 

[rwidman]

My diver comes without me being there so it's not possible to install any sort of lockout device. That would be the same for most of us. Having someone watching would double the cost of service.


A sign on the boat might help but in a case like I mentioned above, there's not much that can be done except for the diver to pay attention and get to a safe place when he hears propellers nearby.


In the case mentioned above, I suspect it all happened too quickly for the diver to take action.

 

[psneeld]

Diving on small boats is one thing...obviously the size of eqipment and types of operations require a different level of vigilance.

I will wait if ever all the true facts come out.

 

[knotheadcharters]

No matter what, I am always nervous when ever I am near the stern while swimming, even though the boat is shut down. Sad thing to happen.

 

[CDreamer]

I guess I was thinking more about the mega yachts in Palm Beach, etc. where various people might be aboard, as was the case here. In that situation a warning sign at all the helm stations might have helped.

 

[sbu22]

"There are divers over the side, do not rotate screws, cycle rudders, operate sonar, take suction from or discharge to the sea, blow flood or vent any tanks, or operate any underwater equipment without first contacting the Chief Engineer and the diving supervisor." over the 1MC every 15 minutes. Thats after lockout/tagout of these systems. Navy stuff.

From the looks of that boat (complete with helo), there's a professional crew aboard. I would think similar procedures are used in the big-boy yacht world for liability concerns, if nothing else.

Sad story.

 

[Group9]

That's pretty horrible.

I'm a little surprised that boats with thrusters big enough, and powerful enough, to suck people into them, that obviously may be operated where people might be in the water, don't have some kind of grates or guards on them.

 

[rwidman]

That's pretty horrible.

I'm a little surprised that boats with thrusters big enough, and powerful enough, to suck people into them, that obviously may be operated where people might be in the water, don't have some kind of grates or guards on them.

That would seem to make sense although the danger from the actual propulsion props would be much worse.

There are hundreds of ways to lose your life and this is probably a pretty rare one. Every now and then, some government agency tries to legislate guards for boat props in general but it seems they interfere with the boat performance too much.

 

[diver dave]

That's pretty horrible.

I'm a little surprised that boats with thrusters big enough, and powerful enough, to suck people into them, that obviously may be operated where people might be in the water, don't have some kind of grates or guards on them.

This thruster was likely on the order of 75 HP and 18" prop diameter. He was likely in there to remove barnacles from the blades. Unfortunately, these things have no warm up time or warning. RIP.

 

[healhustler]

an unthinkable horror for those involved. Prayers for healing. Hard to get over something like that.

 

[Gmarr]

Horrible accident for sure. I wonder if there is any "accrediting" body of any sort that might suggest the lock out/tag out recommended to be the divers regular protocol

 

[diver dave]

In 2004 Osha introduced rules/standards for commercial diving operations. I haven't read them. My only commercial dive was in Lucaya, where I earned $20 for retrieving a dropped gas cap.

 

[High Wire]

Someone energized the thruster so someone was onboard. At my old place of work, just having a diver in the water in the slip without the thruster and main engines locked out would have the responsible supervisor AND the divers fired.

 

[Ski in NC]

Divers need to be careful. I have gone down to a boat to troubleshoot a transmission issue and down in the engine room I spent about 15min getting familiar and was close to doing a start. Heard a funny noise coming through the hull. Then saw prop shaft rotate!! Diver rolled the prop while cleaning!!! I walked out of the ER and saw his equipment on the finger opposite of where I boarded.

I am used to industrial tagout procedures, and boat divers don't seem to take this seriously. There are some simple steps like "diver under boat" signs on boarding ladders that would help. On a big boat with several crew, a proper tagout makes sense.

 

[BruceK]

Without fully knowing how this tragedy came about, a diver could attend a boat to do a regular clean without the boat knowing of his presence. I used a dive service at one time and they would do the job midweek in my absence, when it suited them when they were in the area,when the water was clear enough to do the job well. I knew they`d been when I got the report.

 

[Benthic2]

I don't mean to be callous...but this is simply a case of a diver who did not understand and compensate for the risks of his task. It's tragic for sure....but entirely and easily preventable. This is like a "baby in a hot car death"....sure....its sad...but only happens when there is a total lack appreciation for the situation. That diver screwed up and paid for it with his life. He should have known better.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Not only callous but cold and insensitive. Kinda paints you as an ass.

 

[Art]

I am very sad to hear of this worker-diver tragedy. Rule one for any working-diver should be to not go under boat and especially not near any props before making very sure with captain on board that all power sources to prop are locked down.

For decades I've gone under our own boats for cleanings, anode replacements, petting their pretty bottoms - lol... etc. It's one of my great enjoyments of boating. That way I stay as one with our boat baby and really know what's going on underneath. Also, I tell Linda before I begin going under and she sits on sundeck or in cockpit [depending on boat model] paying attention to my doings. She hears me each time I surface for breath and we often chat as I take extra moments breathing deep to catch additional breath. BTW, Linda is an excellent swimmer.

Of course, being the captain I make sure there is no chance of either engine getting turned over or God forbid starting by hanging the keys in our "special" place.

That said: I can't imagine the complications for cleaning and servicing the bottom of 100 ++ foot long mega yachts.

Obviously, bad shat can happen.

 

[BandB]

This thruster was likely on the order of 75 HP and 18" prop diameter. He was likely in there to remove barnacles from the blades. Unfortunately, these things have no warm up time or warning. RIP.

I believe 135 hp, dual 24" props.

I woke up as it's 6:30 AM here and that was the first thing I saw. A horrifying occurrence. I'm speechless over it as it's one of the fears I have. I could be called and have been called obsessive and excessive over safety matters like this, but somehow these things still happen. Here's the story from the Palm Beach Post which corrects some information and expands on other. It also has a photo of the man who was killed.

Diver killed while cleaning boat in North Palm Beach is ID'd

Most definitely a full time crew of at least 3 or so. The boat runs probably with a crew of 11, some full time, some only when in use. Captain would be very experienced.

 

[BandB]

Not only callous but cold and insensitive. Kinda paints you as an ass.

Yes, plus jumping to a conclusion not yet supported. We don't know who took what precautions.

 

[BandB]

Without fully knowing how this tragedy came about, a diver could attend a boat to do a regular clean without the boat knowing of his presence. I used a dive service at one time and they would do the job midweek in my absence, when it suited them when they were in the area,when the water was clear enough to do the job well. I knew they`d been when I got the report.

Among the many reasons we don't allow the bottom cleaner to clean without an employee of ours or us present. Now, that would not seem to be likely to have been the case here, as obviously someone was present, and probably more than one crew member.

 

[Benthic2]

call me a ass all you want, but I've dived under commercial ships..... If I don't have a representative on the bridge, I don't take the job. Any diver who goes under a ship knows the risks, and its his ( or her ) job to mitigate them.

Any death is tragic. This death was due to a lack of due dilligence of the diver and he paid the ultimate price for it. Respect it. Learn from it. But do not mourn it. Carelessness kills. We have seen that before and will see it again. It is not unique to boating. It is universal. In all fields, in all disciplines. Carelessness kills. It is one of the few absolutes in life.

 

[BruceK]

Benthic2, your opinions, which I won`t even quote, are not getting any better. How about waiting until what happened is established? A coronial inquiry, (depending how USA does things) is certain to be held.