The Ultimate Charter Boat - Your Views

[Andy the Coastie]

Originally Posted by AndyG

Andy
I do "get where you are coming from" but surely by working all those hours you are not rested correctly and must have been knackered on the Sunday?
Andy

Yes, you are very correct.... Thats why we did just the one dive and as it was a long hard wet weekend for all, and the weather got worse,,,, we all decided to call it a early day

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by Andy the Commie

Yes, you are very correct.... Thats why we did just the one dive and as it was a long hard wet weekend for all, and the weather got worse,,,, we all decided to call it a early day

Kinda goes with the territory ...thats why they call us a service industry ....we work the 18 hour days so you can enjoy your holiday or dives .... just the way it goes
just for the record ... we have divers on the boat from sunday morning 8.30am to friday 5.30 pm with a saturday changeover day so we dont realy get a day off either ...from may till october lol

poor us !

snikker

[londonsean69]

RIB/Hardboat - Hardboat by miles
O2 - You even need to ask?
Onboard Compressor (free fills or happy to pay) - Would be nice, saves bringing 2 cylinders etc.
Teas/Coffees (on tap or limited) - Must have hot chocolate as well
Snacks - Jaffa Cakes
Speed (planing hull or non planing) - Quick is good, but stable is better
Diver Lift - Depends on the diving, but always VERY useful
Deck Area - Bigger the better
Shelter - Enough for all (even if it is a squeeze)
Toilet - Yes, with working lights
Kitting up Bench - Essential
Emergency Cylinder & Reg on line. - Upto divers and dependent on their plans/methods
Dry Access & Egress from boat - Doesn't bother me
On board storage (overnight) - Ditto
Overnight tank fill service - Nice for those weekend trips
Basic scuba spares for sale (eg masks,o'rings, fin straps, goodie bags,batteries etc) sale or borrow, there must be bits left on boats all the time
fresh water washdown (deck shower/hose) - Not essential

A decent list of marks is always handy, as is a skipper who can hit them.

[Angleseyskipper]

Originally Posted by divebiatch

Kinda goes with the territory ...thats why they call us a service industry ....we work the 18 hour days so you can enjoy your holiday or dives .... just the way it goes
just for the record ... we have divers on the boat from sunday morning 8.30am to friday 5.30 pm with a saturday changeover day so we dont realy get a day off either ...from may till october lol

poor us !

snikker

could be worse you could have 2 boats to run and look after!
all the best elfyn

[Redeemer]

We have all what you are looking for and more! - Bay Marine Falmouth

Hard Boat (fast, cruises at 15 knts)
Good Skipper (4 years worked as skipper for commercial diving company)
Good Crew (15 years working for commercial diving company)
02 Kit (trained skipper + crew, 02 Onboard)
First Aid (trained skipper + crew)
Diver Lift (vertical on stern)
Cylinders (safely secured on side with bungees + refilled overnight)
Space (Good open aft deck, easily fit 12 - even all with twins)
Toilet/Shower (Clean / fresh water)
Beverages (Constant hot or cold)
Welcoming (very)
Spares (Yes)

See for yourself on www.baymarine.co.uk

We look forward seeing you all.

[Hazel W]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

We have all what you are looking for and more! - Bay Marine Falmouth

Hard Boat (fast, cruises at 15 knts)
Good Skipper (4 years worked as skipper for commercial diving company)
Good Crew (15 years working for commercial diving company)
02 Kit (trained skipper + crew, 02 Onboard)
First Aid (trained skipper + crew)
Diver Lift (vertical on stern)
Cylinders (safely secured on side with bungees + refilled overnight)
Space (Good open aft deck, easily fit 12 - even all with twins)
Toilet/Shower (Clean / fresh water)
Beverages (Constant hot or cold)
Welcoming (very)
Spares (Yes)

See for yourself on www.baymarine.co.uk

We look forward seeing you all.

Damn .. wish id thought of that !

[Hazel W]

RIB/Hardboat Hardboat
O2 essential
Onboard Compressor (free fills or happy to pay) a must free if poss
Teas/Coffees (on tap or limited) nice
Snacks tuckboat?
Speed (planing hull or non planing) enough to get you where you want to go .. in reasonable time
Diver Lift nice but at the least a good ladder
Deck Area large kitting up space
Shelter essential
Toilet a must and clean
Kitting up Bench yes
Emergency Cylinder & Reg on line. up to the divers
Dry Access & Egress from boat if possible
On board storage (overnight) yes
Overnight tank fill service nice if possible but not a must
Basic scuba spares for sale (eg masks,o'rings, fin straps, goodie bags,batteries etc) good to have a box of goodies ... but not an onboard LDS
Diver Recall System (thunderflashes etc) (come up ...we are sinking !) errrrrrfresh water washdown (deck shower/hose) nice

[louigi]

if it floats it'll do.

[Finless]

Whilst everything said about hardboats is true don't forget RIBS/RHIBS are fast (well, the ones I've been on are - VERY). "My" current one (Inspiration, Eastbourne) will have us out to the site and shotted before the hard boats are even there. Also, we are back enjoying a pint ...... well, I'm sure you get the idea.

Whilst the kitting up, esp for multi cylinder types, is not as easy as on a hard boat the help we get from Markus and Bill whilst kitting up makes up for most of that (I use 3 cylinders if doing deco).

I certainly thought I would not like going back to RHIB diving but ..... once into the "swing of it" I found that I have had no problems with it (in other words I was worried if my tired old bones could get themselves back in after the dive ).

I never been a great fan of the second drift dive (although I have had some memorable ones) so a two dive day on a RHIB tends to be two wrecks!

Oh, going back to the "would like to see" question, did anyone mention "a moon pool" (why are they called that?) - Markus has promised me he'll get one installed.

Naked female dive attendants would be nice.

Ladies are welcome to naked men if they want them....I suppose you'd have somewhere to hang your towel?

[Jayne]

Autumn Dream is a great boat with a very good skipper.

Jayne