Question for skippers/boat handlers

[JohnD]

<font color='#F52887'>a question to all you boat handlers out there. I am trying to brush up on my knotwork and what are the most used knot (and for what reason) in diving from small boats. It will make work for those idle hands till diving starts in earnest.

[Janos]

I'm not really an expert boathandler, certainly not compared to some on this forum . I know less than a dozen knots, but find myself using the same 4 over and over again.

They are: Bowline for loops; Reef knot for tying two bits of rope; &quot;Swing knot&quot; for tying rope to a pole or to an anchor; and a figure of 8 for a stopper knot.

Laters,
&nbsp; &nbsp;Janos

[Andy the Coastie]

<font color='#0000FF'>John,

OnLY KNOT divers know is the DIVERS KNOT...... or in laymans terms the GRANNY, and the way to un tie it is with a bloody big knife.

I will dig out some good links for you , some excellent sites around , teaching how to tie all sorts , step by step.

Andy.

I would start with

bowline
clove hitch
round turn and 2 half hitches
fishermans bend
doulble sheet bend
reef knot .

[Helen F H]

<font color='#000080'>Most common one i use (as an ex-watersports instructor) was the round turn and two half hitches

[Andy the Coastie]

<font color='#0000FF'>Another useful one to learn is the &nbsp; &nbsp; EYE splice

[Dr Stevil]

I'd say the most useful are:
Bowline - loads of uses
figure of eight - as a stopper knot and for putting a loop into a shotline
sheet bend (single and double) - joining two ropes, esp of different sizes
RT &amp; 2 half hitches - multipurpose, can be untied under tension
clove hitch - quick to tie and to adjust
and if that's not enough see Here

[JohnD]

<font color='#F52887'>Cheers, lots to be going on with. I know the divers knot Andy. I just would like one that I can undo easily without the aid of a knife. TA!

[Fiji Dave]

My other half is currently working abroad on a research project. I spoke to her on the phone last night and she said that they've been told by the exped managers that when they pick divers up from a dive the twin outboard engines must be turned off and the keys removed from the ignition. The idea being that with divers climbing a ladder close to the outboards, if anyone was to knock the gears/throttle then they could have a messy acident.

She's a little concerned about this, during all her previous boat handling she's been told that the engines should, obviously, be in neutral for picking up divers, but NOT to turn them off. Very often she'll be picking up divers fairly close to a reef, if there's any wind, current or surface swell then with the engines in neutral she can easily manoeuver the boat if need be, but with the engines off and keys out of the ignition she feels there is an added risk of grounding the boat on a reef. As for anyone else on the boat knocking any of the controls, she's pointed out that she'll be right by them so the chances of that happening are remote.

As skippers and boat handlers, what would be your take on this situation? Would you turn engines off completely and remove the keys when picking up divers? Or just keep the engines in neutral?

Cheers
Dave

[jimbo]

Sounds a bit dodgy, outboards can be a pain in the arse to start.

Touch of panic would definitely set in if you were drifting towards the reef and couldn't start the buggers.
Jimbo

[Dr Stevil]

Sounds risky to me, I'd want the engines in neutral and ticking over in case they don't start again