What makes a Good Dive-charter Operation? The User Speaks.

[Diving Dude]

Originally Posted by Fiona

......................
A not too grumpy skipper,

Well that excludes Andy then.................

Originally Posted by Fiona

As for Viz, actually don't really care, I am not going to stop diving just coz the viz isn't 3+ metres, any sea dive is a good one. I go on holiday for great viz.

Agreed.


First - Dive site ,vis not too important, as long as you can see to the end of your arm, a bit more is a luxury.
What cracked me up about the Anglesey gig was people moaning about the vis, l had a couple of great 1 mtr vis dives rummaging about in the silt.

Second - Skipper

Third - Boat, lifts are nice but not essential, do-nuts are more important.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

First - Dive site ,vis not too important, as long as you can see to the end of your arm, a bit more is a luxury.
What cracked me up about the Anglesey gig was people moaning about the vis, l had a couple of great 1 mtr vis dives rummaging about in the silt.

Second - Skipper

Third - Boat, lifts are nice but not essential, do-nuts are more important.

I would disagree on the order there. A really nice site can have the day ruined by a shit boat or terrible skipper, but a mediocre site can provide a lovely day's diving from a nice boat with a good and friendly skipper.

A site would have to be truly stunning and have only one boat running to it to tempt me out on a bad boat twice (L**e Divers take note!).

Lou

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by Mark Davies

Enough room to move helps. Decent access onto the boat so loading up and getting off isn't a nightmare. A good ladder (or better still a lift). Some shelter. Other than that I'm not too fussy about the boat.

Skippers are far more important. The 'cantankerous old bastard' has long since ceased to be amusing. This is a service industry and so today's diver expects to be treated as a paying customer and not some bloody inconvenience. I appreciate that we're not all the ideal divers that a skipper might like on a boat, but we're paying, so grin and bear it.

Some knowledge of what you're doing and of your customer's needs helps. I've been on boats where the skipper clearly didn't know how to get divers back in. One was so bad that we just binned the second dive of the day - it was too dangerous. Good local knowledge of dive sites is priceless, as this gives the flexibility necessary to ensure you get a good dive in a wide variety of conditions. And an understanding of local sea and weather conditions is a must - I'd much prefer having a skipper tell me straight that it's too rough to dive than go out pointlessly on a rough, hopeless trip just to throw up and come home again.

Stuff like tea, coffee, buiscuits or cake are a bonus but they do make a difference. It's just going that extra mile for customer satisfaction - and what price a couple of packets of buiscuits if you're taking £300 - £400 for a day's diving? I know your margins are tight but it's that sort of thing that helps get repeat bookings. The best thing I've ever been offered on a boat was a slice of melon to clear the salt from the mouth after the dive. Just fantastic!

One last thing - accurate viz predictions.

Elfyn, you guys don't have much to worry about - in my book you do a very good job.

(Apart from that last bit, of course!)

Got to agree with Mark on this one, some skippers seem to forget who's paying their wages. Repeat bookings demand a good service, those that get repeat bookings and commendations off this site dont have anything to worry about. Apart from that Dave Applin bloke, keeps telling me what a cracking dive U90 is and then not taking me!!

Matt

[Fathoms Down]

For me it would be:

1, A safe, stable boat - It should be well maintained, clean and the safety equipment within test date. I like cats as they tend to be very stable which makes kitting up eaiser and so less stressful.

2, A professional skipper - I don't mind if the skipper is the life and soul of the party or a complete introvert as long as he's professional. In other words, he knows the area, his boat, the dive sites, can get the shot on target and doesn't upset the girlies or the new divers.

3, Good kitting up benches - Large, wide kitting up benches make diving a pleasure especially when you're using twins and stages. Plenty of space under them for dive boxes is also very welcome.

4, Accurate viz reports - I don't mind what the viz is like as long as I know what its going to be like before I get in. Being told its 30m when the fish are having problems trying not to swim in to each other really hacks me off.

5, Dry storage area - Getting out of a damp undersuit into damp clothes isn't fun. Diving with others who are also in damp clothes is equally un-fun!

6, Cup 'o tea or coffee - Gets the salt out after each dive so its very important. Food, hot water and a microwave are also nice but having a good bin on deck is vital. Its very hard to look after the marine environment when the wrappers are flying around the deck!

7, Ladder or lift - Skippers, if you're not willing to get on your boat in twins and stages then why do you expect divers to do it? Get a decent ladder or a lift.

8, Decent engines - Being beaten back to the harbour by the local club RIB is not good for future trip sales!

9, A clean head - Yes, most people can't use a head and its worse when you get out to sea but please keep it clean and fresh.

10, A decent covered area - A nice cuddy or other covered area so you can keep out of the sun/rain/wind.

I tend to dive off the same boats all year round as they fit the above but have also stopped using some boats because they consistanly don't. I believe a skipper should be a good businessman and listen to his customers and take their comments on boatd withut taking them personally. If he is then he'll find customers returning regularly without having to shell out huge amounts of money on advertising.

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

Got to agree with Mark on this one, some skippers seem to forget who's paying their wages. Repeat bookings demand a good service, those that get repeat bookings and commendations off this site dont have anything to worry about. Apart from that Dave Applin bloke, keeps telling me what a cracking dive U90 is and then not taking me!!

Matt

I'll take ya Matt

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

1, A safe, stable boat - It should be well maintained, clean and the safety equipment within test date. I like cats as they tend to be very stable which makes kitting up eaiser and so less stressful.

I like cats when flat calm and the speed is on Good thing about them , if an engine does go down, you have another to get home on. That’s if ya not bound up by fishing net

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

2, A professional skipper - I don't mind if the skipper is the life and soul of the party or a complete introvert as long as he's professional. In other words, he knows the area, his boat, the dive sites, can get the shot on target and doesn't upset the girlies or the new divers.

Professional …yep, as I get a wage. Know the area … Yep, Ramsgate, Dover , France, towards the viz. Know his boat oh yes, the Taurus. ,,, I like to think that I’m good with new divers and even better and nicer with the ladies, the amount of twinsets I have carried.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

3, Good kitting up benches - Large, wide kitting up benches make diving a pleasure especially when you're using twins and stages. Plenty of space under them for dive boxes is also very welcome.

Wait til ya see the KITTING UP BENCHES coming on the Taurus, Theres nothing a grinder and Kent Tooling can’t do watch this space.
Only on Sunday that John Perrin and I was doing drawings and coming up with ideas. He is a clever bloke , and all can be stripped down and left ashore in any config very quickly , if I need the boat for a different purpose.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

4, Accurate viz reports - I don't mind what the viz is like as long as I know what its going to be like before I get in. Being told its 30m when the fish are having problems trying not to swim in to each other really hacks me off .

Does me too, but like most skippers who don’t go out for a couple of days , we listen to fisherman and other divers. Viz at Dover changes with every tide, and although we don’t get the viz like down the South West, we do get to dive all the cracking REAL wrecks.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

5, Dry storage area - Getting out of a damp undersuit into damp clothes isn't fun. Diving with others who are also in damp clothes is equally un-fun! .

You don’t damp as Janos in his Tetley drysuit .

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

6, Cup 'o tea or coffee - Gets the salt out after each dive so its very important. Food, hot water and a microwave are also nice but having a good bin on deck is vital. Its very hard to look after the marine environment when the wrappers are flying around the deck! .

Well I do do the tea’s and Coffee bit, and for 2005 COLD drinks at very low cost price , Now , I got a microwave for the boat from father Christmas, TODAY have been putting in the 240 volt wiring for it, and making a start on welding together a bracket to fit the generator onto , so it can run off my PORT engine ,, Before you ask , the COMPRESSOR will be running off the STARBOARD engine within the next few weeks.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

7, Ladder or lift - Skippers, if you're not willing to get on your boat in twins and stages then why do you expect divers to do it? Get a decent ladder or a lift. .

I understand the bit about the lift, aswell as it being the ideal safety way if you have a dead diver, easier to get them out the water. I love my ladder and get good comments about it, having did a poll a couple of months back and listening to divers that use one on the same sort of boat I have , I decided to stick with the ladder.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

8, Decent engines - Being beaten back to the harbour by the local club RIB is not good for future trip sales! .

yeah , BUT some of them RhIB’s only go half as far and dive for only 20 mins. I’ll rather take it easy , have a nice comfy trip back , without having divers coming into the wheelhouse covered in burns from the hot coffee they can drink whilst coming home.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

9, A clean head - Yes, most people can't use a head and its worse when you get out to sea but please keep it clean and fresh .

Doesn’t matter how often I clean mine with the pressure washer, the air freshner never smells nice for long.

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

10, A decent covered area - A nice cuddy or other covered area so you can keep out of the sun/rain/wind. .

Nothing would help you , your that bloody tall, ya head must be only millimetres from the sun

Originally Posted by Fathoms Down

I tend to dive off the same boats all year round as they fit the above but have also stopped using some boats because they consistanly don't. I believe a skipper should be a good businessman and listen to his customers and take their comments on boatd withut taking them personally. If he is then he'll find customers returning regularly without having to shell out huge amounts of money on advertising.

Think I have done that hopefully oh and £ 9 a month on adverts ……..


OH almost forgot



Nice spanking capstan, all fitted and running well............ NO MORE liftbags to get the shot up

[Andy the Coastie]

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

Got to agree with Mark on this one, some skippers seem to forget who's paying their wages. Repeat bookings demand a good service, those that get repeat bookings and commendations off this site dont have anything to worry about. Apart from that Dave Applin bloke, keeps telling me what a cracking dive U90 is and then not taking me!!

Matt

now now Matt, people might think you wre serious - just because your a weather Jonah

Ps if anyones booked on a U90 trip with Matt, you had better make sure you dont take time off work as he has a bit of a reputation for making sure the weathers Cr@p :d

Andy, your welcome to take his booking......... you will just sit in the harbour watching the big big waves

[tom]

Originally Posted by Skipper

now now Matt, people might think you wre serious - just because your a weather Jonah

I've actually just bought a kite, specifically for dive trips with Matt. We can fly it on the beach when it's too windy for the boat to go out

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by tom

I've actually just bought a kite, specifically for dive trips with Matt. We can fly it on the beach when it's too windy for the boat to go out

Bet it gets plenty of Use