Scuba from a trawler

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While I have no interest in diving (or even having a swim platform which hadn't been ordered and therefore not paid for), I've seen few boats with submersed ladders to help recover divers climb onboard. Except for the saloon's roof, my boat offers little storage space for diving equipment.

 
I guess we ( both the Admiral and I ) are lucky in our 50's to have no issues getting back aboard when diving. Since I dive both in the PNW and Southern warmer waters both types of diving have different challenges. As mentioned by someone else.. all my cold water diving gear weighs over 70lbs and is a royal pain in the butt to deal with.

I almost always have a inflatable in the water for safety as currents have a way of separating divers and I dont want to have to hurry to launch it in a emergency to retrieve a wayward diver. Typically I remove weights and place them either in the RIB or on the platform of the boat we are diving off of.. N57, N46, or O.A.40. Then we remove our BCD and tie them off on a line left to do just that. Then .. depending if the platform has a ladder either remove fins and climb.. or do a wide kick and pull onto the platform or over the tube and into the inflatable. NEVER remove fins until your in the boat or on the ladder.

We often dive live boat as the currents in the PNW turn a lot of our dives into a drift dive and a anchored boat doesn't really work. Diving from the N46 is pretty difficult unless it's warm water with minimal weight and a shorty suit... the boat's canoe stern can be down right dangerous to get around in a swell.

HOLLYWOOD
 
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The pics don't show the transom door or the 10x6 lazzerette under the cockpit.
 
Having moved from the Virgin Islands to the PNW we have dive gear on board but have no intention to actually use it unless it is an emergency. In all honesty I put the tanks and weights on board to correct a starboard list caused by the dingy being big and having a 30 hp adding ALOT of weight to that side. Two 80's and lots of lead balanced the boat nicely. Before I dive up here I think I need more than a 3 mil.
 
I'm thinking of a Hookah under the sink or in the aft lazzerte.
 
My boat isn't well set up for diving either, but I inflate my BC and tie it off on the boarding ladder, hook my weight belt to a rung on it too, and climb aboard and then haul the gear in afterwards. If I dove more often I would just use my inflatable as an intermediary step.

If I dove a lot I would be looking for a better solution like you are :)
 
Semi-Retired said:
We also want to get a compressor so we can limit the number of tanks but that still doesn't fix the ability of 2 40+ yr olds trying the haul in tanks after a long dive
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Hi I have two things to add and I'm not being disrespectful:

1) If you are 40 and are complaining about climbing up a dive ladder to the deck with a single tank on your back, then you need to consider hitting the gym really hard. Double tanks... everyone hates those, but not singles. Unless you have some medical issues. Also, buy your wife a couple of 50's (even I like the small bottles when diving shallow waters).

2) A dedicated dive boat is quite specialized. Most recreational bolt-on swim platforms can't handle heavy duty dive operations. For casual diving like most of us however, any trawler is fine so just have a really heavy duty dive ladder constructed from stainless.
 
Semi-Retired said:
We are currently looking for our first trawler. We went and looked at a couple but while talking to the broker, we realized the ones we were looking at would be almost impossible to get tanks and gear back on the boat.

So the question is, if y'all dive, how do you deal with this issue
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Divability was on my list when I bought my boat, which ruled out many many trawlers and cruisers. You really need something with a cockpit (aka convertible) and a walk through transom ideally.

That being said, I have done a ton of diving with massive amounts of in-water equipment from a 37' sailboat and you just have to be creative. Take the gear off in the water, attach it to the boom (in case of a trawler, maybe davits), and climb up the stern, winch your gear up and swing it in the boat.
 
I run a dive charter boat for a living, have taught diving, and led dive trips for over 40 years. The simple answer is you adapt to the situation (boat). When diving out of RIBs (rigid hull inflatable boat), we often put gear lines over the side with clips on the end. First we would remove weight belt or weights and clip them off to a line. Then tank and BCD would be clipped off to a different line. Finally, boarding the boat would be done with only mask, fins, and snorkel. If you fell off the ladder, you could put your fins back on to get back to the boat if there was a current. Once back on the boat, you could pull each item up and into the boat, much easier than all equipment on one line. This same technique would also work on a trawler.

For working under the boat or diving within a hundred feet of a boat, I replace the hose between the 1st and 2nd stage with a 100'+ hose and leave the tank on the boat. It's much easier to move around, and you don't have to deal with the tank hitting the boat when you're scrubbing the boat bottom.

Ted
 
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Lou_tribal said:
I am not sure I understand your question. My admiral and I are quite experienced divers and if you have a swim step and a ladder I don't see why you should not be able to get the gear back??? Except if you are tech diver with 5 different tanks and even in that case one should be able to get onboard and grab the tanks to move them back onboard. Going back onboard an inflatable without a ladder is far more difficult than going back onboard a trawler with swim platform but never got any issue doing it
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We just love to dive and want to get other divers opinions that dive off trawlers. We are in the market for our first trawler and before we decide on which one we want, we are trying be as informed as possible....
 
makobuilders said:
Hi I have two things to add and I'm not being disrespectful:

1) If you are 40 and are complaining about climbing up a dive ladder to the deck with a single tank on your back, then you need to consider hitting the gym really hard. Double tanks... everyone hates those, but not singles. Unless you have some medical issues. Also, buy your wife a couple of 50's (even I like the small bottles when diving shallow waters).

2) A dedicated dive boat is quite specialized. Most recreational bolt-on swim platforms can't handle heavy duty dive operations. For casual diving like most of us however, any trawler is fine so just have a really heavy duty dive ladder constructed from stainless.
Click to expand...
I said 40+ to be kind to my wife. But yes we just want suggestions from divers on our trawler purchase. Trying to get as informed as possible for those of y'all with experience. This is our first live aboard trawler
 
OC Diver has some pretty long years of practical advice...and I wholeheartedly concur.

Unless diving is almost a daily activity all year round.

Pick a liveaboard you love....and let handling the diving situation to creativity.
 
The previous owner installed this custom swim grid and used to dive from our boat. It is about 6' deep from the stern, full width, and very stoutly built. You can see the ladder (when lowered) is long enough that you can hit the lower rung easily.
I have not dived from it much, though the few times I have it was very easy with fins, weight belt, and equipment on. The side posts are extremely strong and can be pulled on to steady yourself with no concerns when climbing the ladder.
And the fish cleaning table is a nice touch!
 

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nmuir said:
The previous owner installed this custom swim grid and used to dive from our boat. It is about 6' deep from the stern, full width, and very stoutly built. You can see the ladder (when lowered) is long enough that you can hit the lower rung easily.
I have not dived from it much, though the few times I have it was very easy with fins, weight belt, and equipment on. The side posts are extremely strong and can be pulled on to steady yourself with no concerns when climbing the ladder.
And the fish cleaning table is a nice touch!
Click to expand...
Does this extend the over all length when paying for slips of do you just pay for the boat. I really like this option. And it would make more boats avalible for our picking
 
Capt.Bill11 said:
Divings doable off a trawler. I used to dive off mine.

But consider getting a hookah rig. I find that easier in the long run.
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If one has, or is going to install, a compressor onboard for filling dive tanks I see no need for buying a separate compressor a.k.a hookah rig. A better solution for those wanting to eliminate donning a full complement of scuba gear for cleaning their hull or doing a quick prop check etc. is to use one of their scuba tanks mounted onboard their boat with a 50' hose with their normal regulator.

If they want a bit more mobility to move around while using a hookah type rig, a 50' hose, they can simply mount one of their scuba tanks atop a scuba tank float system.

Here is just one of many examples of a scuba tank float system:

Hookah Float System. Scuba Tank Float Surface Supplied Diving. | Safety First Diving

*Another, much cheaper, option would be to use a few wheelbarrow sized inner tubes to float your scuba tank.
 
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Semi-Retired said:
We also want to get a compressor so we can limit the number of tanks but that still doesn't fix the ability of 2 40+ yr olds trying the haul in tanks after a long dive
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I bought our boat just for this reason. A good swim ladder and a crane to hoist heavey stuff (dingy etc). I also use the crane to lift heavy stuff to the upper deck & lower. Rear boarding gate. Rig something to your dive gear so you can do a quick clip - this way, if your gear goes overboard, it's tethered to the boat. Then take your gear off and hoist away.
 
Semi-Retired said:
Does this extend the over all length when paying for slips of do you just pay for the boat. I really like this option. And it would make more boats avalible for our picking
Click to expand...

Depends on the marina, but the majority around here you have to pay for overall length including pulpit, swimgrids etc.

A previous poster showed a swim grid that swings up. I was thinking about changing ours to do so, but only so many hours in the day and so many boat-jobs to do....... :)
 
nmuir said:
Depends on the marina, but the majority around here you have to pay for overall length including pulpit, swimgrids etc.

A previous poster showed a swim grid that swings up. I was thinking about changing ours to do so, but only so many hours in the day and so many boat-jobs to do....... :)
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Love that idea for have the ability to fold it. May even be good to fold it up while under way as well.
 
Drake said:
= Defever 49 or 50.
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FlyWright said:
If I was planning to dive regularly, I'd look for:

1. A swimstep with a ladder

2. A cockpit

3. A transom gate.
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The Defever nails it (one of my favorites) and there are many other good comments given. But it really is a fairly subjective conversation without knowing your budget or other parameters. My Mainship is a great dive platform, but the master is forward.
 
Phyrcooler said:
The Defever nails it (one of my favorites) and there are many other good comments given. But it really is a fairly subjective conversation without knowing your budget or other parameters. My Mainship is a great dive platform, but the master is forward.
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We aren't sure of our budget either. Other than the best used trawler for us and as cheap was we can. Lol. I've seen defevers In pictures but never in person.
 
If I was really dreaming, I'd imagine a hydraulically-lifted swim platform to accommodate diving activities and dink storage. It would be submubmirsable to ease loading and unloading.

I know someone here has one b/c he posted a ic of it fairly recently here somewhere. It was a beaut!
 
nmuir said:
The previous owner installed this custom swim grid and used to dive from our boat. It is about 6' deep from the stern, full width, and very stoutly built. You can see the ladder (when lowered) is long enough that you can hit the lower rung easily.
I have not dived from it much, though the few times I have it was very easy with fins, weight belt, and equipment on. The side posts are extremely strong and can be pulled on to steady yourself with no concerns when climbing the ladder.
And the fish cleaning table is a nice touch!
Click to expand...

That does look like a good ladder to use to climb back on the boat. I hate in when the ladder is too short, and especially if it is a bit choppy, a longer ladder is much appreciated and can make it very easy and effortless to get back on board.

Also many private boats lack good seats etc to gear up and sit down on when coming back. Trying to swing up a BCD with tank can be a lot of weight flying around and more likelihood of hitting someone or the boat. But this would take up a bit if space, but this huge transom could accommodate something.
 
I have been PADI and NAUI carded years ago, got bent once.
Now I just want to dive the boat and maybe some local stuff. 35" deep, 100a from the boat.
Any thoughts?
 
CWO KPM said:
I have been PADI and NAUI carded years ago, got bent once.
Now I just want to dive the boat and maybe some local stuff. 35" deep, 100a from the boat.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

At 35" you might as well snorkel. Under the boat, a tank on the boat with a long hose between the 1st and 2nd stages is my preference.

Ted
 
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