Dive boat

Dive boat

A dive boat is a boat that recreational divers or professional scuba divers use to reach a dive site which they could not conveniently reach by swimming from the shore. Dive boats may simply transport divers and their equipment to and from the dive site for a single dive, or may provide longer term support and shelter. Some features, like convenient access from the water, are common to all dive boats, while others depend on the specific application or region where they are used.

About Dive boat in brief

Summary Dive boatA dive boat is a boat that recreational divers or professional scuba divers use to reach a dive site which they could not conveniently reach by swimming from the shore. Dive boats may simply transport divers and their equipment to and from the dive site for a single dive, or may provide longer term support and shelter for day trips or periods of several consecutive days. Some features, like convenient access from the water, are common to all dive boats, while others depend on the specific application or region where they are used. There are a range of specialised procedures for boat diving, which include water entry and exit, avoiding injury by the dive boat, and keeping the Dive boat crew aware of the location of the divers in the water. The usual classification of recreational dive boats based on operational parameters includes: Some overlap of function is possible. dive boats may be privately owned and operated, or run as a commercial business. The structure, layout and size of a dive boat for any given application may vary according to regional traditions, and convenience. These are usually open boats used for short distance, short dive sites, or sometimes for two tank dives on the same dive. Divers only spend a few hours at a time on these boats, but are exposed to wind, spray and sun during the trip. It is common for divers to kit up in their dive suits before boarding, for protection from the sun and spray during the sun, and for candy-divers after an after-dive trip.

Diving safety equipment: On larger boats additional diving support facilities may also be present: If the freeboard of the boat is too high for the divers to climb back on board unaided, a ladder or other aid must be provided. A diver lift is a platform which is lowered into the water on which the diver stands while being lifted up to deck level. The space allowed for walking between platform and boat should take into account the equipment likely to be carried by the diver, such as side mounted cylinders. In most cases the lift will be suitable for transporting a fully kitted diver in a standing position, but in special cases seating may be provided, as a lift generally can only be lowered deep enough to stand up after swimming over the platform, which for most divers will be between 1 and 1.5 metres. The lifting platform should have enough space to stand wearing fins, and there should be suitable handholds to allow the diver to be stable during lifting and lowering with a low risk of getting equipment or body parts in pinch points. The lift mechanism constrains sideways motions of the platform and has sufficient hand-holds for the Diver to stand securely during lifting. A liftmay also be used to lower a diver into the sea, but a lift may also provide seating for the diver in the standing position. It differs from a diving stage or basket, which is lowering to diving depth, as the diver generally can Only be lowered to 1-1/2 to 1/2 metres deep.