Skipper only or 2 crew on offshore trips?

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

slack suggests all divers need to be in the water at the same time

is the motorway (as per your example) empty with no traffic for 30 miles?
agreed you can't stop the "accident" but it will get noticed fairly quickly, in my example the divers aren't due ashore for 6+ hours

many tech dives are "solo"

this problem of solo skippers isnt a concern to scoobie dives (with all due respect)



example for you Hywel

40 miles out, 12 divers in the water, diving to a depth of 75m, one has mishap underwater and rockets to surface, missing 90mins of deco, as dives are done on slackwater, all other divers won't be up for 90mins

casualty is in distress on the surface, the skipper is having trouble getting casualty on board

should the skipper wait 90mins until the next diver surfaces?

In choosing to dive that way, is that something the solo diver accepts as part of the risk of diving solo?

[Diving Dude]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

In choosing to dive that way, is that something the solo diver accepts as part of the risk of diving solo?

Nothing to do with diving solo, even if in a team you cannot be sure what your team will do, as a recent thread has shown,

[warmwaterdiver]

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

In choosing to dive that way, is that something the solo diver accepts as part of the risk of diving solo?

could be a "teamplayer" who's no longer with they're team

EDIT: as per Howards comment

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

40 miles out, 12 divers in the water, diving to a depth of 75m, one has mishap underwater and rockets to surface, missing 90mins of deco, as dives are done on slackwater, all other divers won't be up for 90mins

casualty is in distress on the surface, the skipper is having trouble getting casualty on board

should the skipper wait 90mins until the next diver surfaces?

This may be better on another thread, but:

Just using this scenario as an example, because a trip i'm working on for next year is broadly similar -

For arguments sake there is another crewmember on board and you are 40 odd miles offshore.....There is an incident and the diver needs removing to a medical facility. Is there any legislation to state that the skipper should notify the Coastguard (CG) prior to the start of the trip? 40 miles is a hell of a long way out even for a helicopter.....

Just been doing some figures, and i reckon that you'd be looking at an absolute minimum of 1 hr to get to a chamber, and that's assuming a helicopter will be manned and started and airborne within 5 minutes of the call.....

At least an hour is a hell of a long time to wait if you are in trouble. . . . .

[deepbull]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

I was talking (late!) last night to a mate about offshore trips and whether or not the skipper should have a member of crew onboard.

We came to the agreement that for short distance offshore and for doing wrecks where there was a good possibility of nearby help, then an additional member of crew wouldn't necessarily be required. Whereas 30 miles offshore is a long way out for the skipper alone.

I'm sure this came up last year and someone posted a link to a document of "recommmendations" not sure if it was the RYA's, MCA's or other. I think it was left at the skippers discreation but advice was made. (any idea of a link to the original thread please)

A couple of boats I use, I use specifically because they do have a second memeber of crew, whether they are highly efficient skippers or just learning the ropes matters less, so long as they are "competant crew".

The example given to me was if we were 30 miles out on a dive and the single-handed boats skipper keels over, what was my expectations?

I was shocked to actually think what the answer might be!

twas a thought provoking night ;}
nice curry as well tho a bit expensive

Originally Posted by Mal Bridgeman

In choosing to dive that way, is that something the solo diver accepts as part of the risk of diving solo?

now now mr B it has nothing to do with diving solo is it

are you telling me you DIV boys come up if a buddy goes missing and you blow all your stops!!! so you can help your pal out on the serfice and pop off to the pot with them {i dont think so } or is this a new thing they are training now?

4 eyes will always be better than 2 and even if its a kid or girlfriend well anyone its better than a skipper on there own i think

i was on a wreck once and i had left some porn on the boat when i had a thought flash into my head
if anything goes wrong would the skipper be looking out for yellow bags or watching the porn when he was on his own on the boat for the 3/4h?
maybe he only watched the porn for a few mins i dont know

when i started diving the was always 2 crew on the boat
but over the last 7/8 years it seams the skippers are saving a few quid and going out alone

do skippers ever fall asleep?
fall over?


i just hope i never need help!!



ada

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

Nothing to do with diving solo, even if in a team you cannot be sure what your team will do, as a recent thread has shown,

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

could be a "teamplayer" who's no longer with they're team

EDIT: as per Howards comment

Originally Posted by deepbull

now now mr B it has nothing to do with diving solo is it

Okay, point accepted.

At what point does this kind of diving go beyond the realms of "tourist" and into the realms of expedition. My thinking being that if it's expedition then your whole approach would be different with in water support as well as extra eyes on the boat and possibly even extra boats.

That sort of diving is beyond my pay grade but I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Thanks
Mal

[purple vonny]

As boat crew, I am reading this with interest. Any skipper who manages to safely and efficiently get 12 divers of mixed ability in and out of the water and do everything else involved in running the boat deserves enormous respect and an enormous wage.

[David Wallace]

Originally Posted by purple vonny

As boat crew, I am reading this with interest. Any skipper who manages to safely and efficiently get 12 divers of mixed ability in and out of the water and do everything else involved in running the boat deserves enormous respect and an enormous wage.

Agree - there are quite a few about that have been doing it for a long time.

I dont think they get the enormous wage though

On a serious note - when the brown stuff collides with the fan it dosnt matter where you are or who you are - if your on your own it's a nightmare dealing with a casualty and the radio and the boat and keeping track of where all the other divers are.
The issue closer to shore is that there are very often other vessels nearby who are only to happy to assist and keep an eye on shots, bubbles, drifting SMBs etc. I have even heard a second boat come alongside and do all the radio work for the distressed boat. Typically (yes I know there are exceptions so dont bother correcting me) The further offshore you go the less likely you are to have nearby rapid assistance from other vessels which is one of the reasons that the codes that we all work to require us to have greater qualifications the further offshore we go AND to carry crew over 20 miles.
(that old chesnut again) I'm working on a full and complete post on the subject at the moment. all I will say right now is the letter Vernon supplied does NOT give an exemption to the requirements of the code.

[deepbull]

i was thinking about this last night

is a ladder better than a lift?

with a ladder as long as the skipper puts the ladder in without throwing him selfe overboard at least you can still get out if you can get back to the boat

but with a lift you are stuffed! as the skipper controlles the lift
its a de-kit ant try and get back in if you can

can a solo skipper get 12 divers back on a boat with a broken down lift or a ladder gone overboard?


ada

[warmwaterdiver]

Originally Posted by deepbull

can a solo skipper get 12 divers back on a boat with a broken down lift or a ladder gone overboard?

how many diverboats do you know with lifts, that have a backup ladder or winch incase of lift failure, but thats another thread for another day