Fishing and Diving?

skein · 12-16-2002, 02:04 PM

This is sorta chapter 2 of "Boat Buying Season."

Do any of you guys (gender non-specific) ever do any diving out of your boats? I have a 21' Jetcraft Whitewater that would be great as a dive boat - lots of open room, nice wide swim platform, etc, except for the fact that I'm hesitant to take it out over the bar. You see, I have a rendezvous at Tuna Town next summer, and my sled is not a 40-mile-offshore boat.

So, on to the gist of this post:

My wife *really* loves to dive, so I'd like to get a boat that could handle three or four divers and gear; one that they could get in and out of the water safely and easily. I'm thinking Port Orford or even the reef out of Newport. I like to dive, but could easily spend my time topside fishing. She, on the other hand, absolutely loves it.

I know there's quite a few divers out there - what kind of boat do you have and have you ever set it up for diving?

Skein

[ 12-16-2002, 03:10 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

Miss B Haven · 12-16-2002, 03:20 PM

hey skein- sounds like a match made in heaven. You sit up top and fish. Your wife can dive down and hook 'em up for ya! :grin:
Oh man- I can't EVEN tell ya how many times I've wished someone would do that for me.

Threemuch · 12-16-2002, 03:22 PM

Fourscuba divers is a TON of gear. You would need a really big boat to do that with any comfort at all, like 30'+ for four divers. I have dove (freediving) out of my boat and Louie Louie (Lou Shinen's 21' Arima). But two divers for our little boats is still a bunch of gear.

Think about it. Four divers. That's 8 tanks. 8 TANKS! Yikes. BCs, fins, goodie bags, gear bags, weight belts, spearguns. And that's if you are wearing your wetsuit. God help you if you want to change out there.

Another Scenario, you load your four divers and ton of gear into the boat to go dive. Vis turns out to be a foot or less. Switch to plan B; fishing. But there is no room to fish!

I hate to be a downer, but my scuba diving adventures out of small boats were dissapointing. Freediving is another story, because you shed alot of the gear, which is why that is all I do. But not enough that you could take more than three divers in my boat.

BTW, winter is the time for diving here in Oregon, in between storms. Short sands beach is a short drive and has good access and protection. It's a hike, but you can use the wheelbarrows. Count me in for a shore excursion!

KB

fishwhenican · 12-16-2002, 06:56 PM

Skein, I have done a lot of diving out of a 14' Zodiac. It is not a real easy boat to get into (easy out). We would hang 3 or 4 ropes with big clips on the end, when you are done with the dive, you just clip your weight belt, tank/bc and catch bag onto the clip. Then we would put our spears in the boat over the transom, push ourselves under and kick up over the side. That would be very hard to do on a larger boat though. I have a 20' sled (with a deep V bow) that I am going to set up for diving with a ladder off the stern and I figure I will also hang ropes off of it so that you have less gear on to try to get back into the boat. Also don't forget Coos Bay there are some good reefs just off shore there and if you are going to get "blown off" the water there is some good diving inside the bay.

skein · 12-16-2002, 07:13 PM

Threemuch,

Good info. I've never dived from a small boat, just dive boats (85 ft with a ramp) or shore dives. I was thinking one-tank dives, but I guess you're right, everyone wants two. That's why I was thinking short runs like out of Port Orford.

Fish,

I also have a 12' zodiac (Quicksilver) that I've thought about using, even going so far as to load it on the doghouse in my sled to see if that was feasible. It seemed to work okay, but we didn't actually try diving. The clips make a lot of sense - good idea.

Where's Short Sands Beach? We mostly dive Hood Canal in the winter and dodge the Pacific Browns. Last time up there was for a Feb dive and the water was 37degrees. Brrrrr. We also do Edmonds. One of these days we'll do a warm-water dive, just not sure where yet.

Skein

[ 12-16-2002, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

Threemuch · 12-17-2002, 06:52 AM

Good point about the short runs. That way, if the vis is lousy, you can scratch the dive, run in and drop your gear, and then go fishing. Short sands is just south of Cape Falcon, AKA Smugglers Cove. Lot's of surfers there. Nice camping too. Very crowded in the summer, but deserted in the winter.

As to a warm water dive, I always enjoy the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara, CA. Not too warm, but 60s anyway. I really want to do a multiple day bug trip to Cortez banks.

KB
KB

skein · 12-17-2002, 07:07 AM

Threemuch,

You're a tough hombre...

Quote:

As to a warm water dive, I always enjoy the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara, CA.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">We've done a couple of week-long trips out to the Channel Islands with Truth Aquatics (Vision) and, buddy, that water ain't warm! Of course, I'm still wet-suiting it, so that first jump overboard is a real wake-up call. My wife, because she has such a loving, caring husband, has a drysuit.

I'm talking WARM water, like Belize or Costa Rica or Rarotonga. Let's see...Costa Rica during tarpon season - that has a nice ring to it.

Skein

fishwhenican · 12-17-2002, 05:12 PM

Skein There are a few people looking at going to Baja in June/July???? that's warm water. Except you can only spear fish if free-diving. Almost all the dives we have done out of the Zodiac have been 2 tank dives, unless we are within a mile or so from where we launched. 3people (6 tanks) get too crowded. We also take a big cooler and set it sideways in the boat , we use it for a seat and a place to put the catch between and after dives. Finding a way to stap down gear is sometimes a challenge. Some of the good spots out of Port Orford can be up to 6 miles, you would want 2 tanks unless you planned to fish after only 1 dive. It has been quit a few years since I dove Hoods Canal, but The old floating bridge (no longer floating) was interesting and just a short boat ride as many others are. Before the 14' we used a 12' inflatable with a 20 hp engine. You know you had a successful dive when it wouldn't get back up on plane because of too much weight. :tongue:

EVERREADY · 12-19-2002, 09:41 PM

I have a 21' CABO by harvey marine. That is still work in progress. I put in tank holders that fold out of the way when not in use. I still need to add on a better ladder(haven't found one I like) getting back in the boat is the hardest thing about diving out of it. Having the a strap hanging off the boat to attach BC's and weight belts is a big help. We regularly dive three out of it and then go fishing after diving. I just put all the scuba stuff in the hold. I must admit though a bigger boat wouldn't hurt.
There is some great diving out of newport. Last time we went out we anchor in 40' of water and could see the bottom with a school of sea bass swiming near the surface.

Popeye · 12-25-2002, 12:53 PM

Hey skein, this is Dave Marler, Popeyes Brother.Remember me?
It's been a long time.Seems like another lifetime.If you get a chance drop me a line.
DUNERIDER04@hotmail.com.
Look forward to hearing from you.

Hamachi · 12-28-2002, 06:10 AM

I have a 22' bayrunner that comfortably handles 2 divers/gear. While I have not gone diving up here, I dived extensively in So. Cal.

Threemuch, while a 2 dayer to Cortez would be awesome, (if the swell layed down), I would recommend a short trip to the Santa Monica pier breakwell if you want bugs. A limit of seven bugs up to 12lbs is easily caught. One opener I was over the side at 11:58pm and back in the boat at 12:15am with a limit of bugs up to 4lbs. It doesn't get any easier than that. Man, I miss the Dive n' Surf Lobster Mobster!

[ 12-28-2002, 07:12 AM: Message edited by: Hamachi ]