If you’re new to scuba diving, here are some useful tips to help you get the most from boat diving. With a little preparation and consideration for your fellow divers, you can make every boat diving experience more enjoyable.
1. Check Your Gear Before Boarding
Save yourself the trouble of going back to the dock or, worse, missing your dive. Make it a habit to check your gear before getting on the boat. Have you got your fins? Have you checked that your rental equipment fits properly and that you have the correct weights? The fastest way to spoil a boat diving trip is to leave something essential onshore!
2. Keep Your Gear Together
Try using small mesh bags to keep all your scuba gear together. This is especially handy on crowded boats. You don’t want to get your stuff mixed up with someone else’s, and keeping your equipment organized helps everyone move around the boat safely.
3. Stow Your Equipment Safely
When you find a seat on the boat, remember to stow your gear in the designated storage area, often beneath your seat. Keep your mask, defogger, fins, dive computer and other equipment neatly organized. This may seem like common sense, but never leave weights on seats where they can roll off and do major damage to someone’s bare toes!
4. Use the Correct Rinse Buckets
Remember that there are different rinse buckets on dive boats for a reason. There may be separate buckets for masks and cameras, for example. Don’t carelessly toss your fins or wetsuit into a rinse bucket intended for other equipment. You’ll annoy a fellow diver! If you’re not sure what goes where, just ask.
5. Arrive Early
Don’t be the diver who makes everyone else on the boat wait! When you’re going boat diving, aim to get to the dive center or boat early to sign in, collect your equipment and make sure everything is in order. Best of all, you’ll have time to assemble your gear and avoid feeling rushed. Once you’re at the dive site, you can relax and enjoy what you came to do.
6. Find Out Who Assembles Your Gear
Here’s a stress-saving tip: find out if the dive boat crew will assemble your gear for you. If so, great! You’ll save time and avoid having to put everything together on the dock or during a rough boat ride. Most of all, you’ll have time to focus on the dive ahead. Make sure you know where everything is and check your equipment before diving.
7. Listen to the Dive Briefing
When boat diving, the divemaster will give you important information, such as how to enter the water, where you’ll be diving, the planned dive duration and the maximum depth. This is the dive briefing, and you must listen to it! You’ll also learn about site-specific conditions you may not know about, such as changing currents that could affect your dive. Even if you’re an experienced diver, always pay attention to the briefing.
8. Be Careful Around Boat Ladders
Take special precautions near dive boat ladders, especially when the water is rough. Follow the crew’s instructions about when and how to approach the ladder, and keep clear of other divers as they climb aboard. A diver falling while wearing a BCD and tank could cause serious injury.
9. Bring a Dry Bag
Taking a dry bag on a boat diving trip is pretty important. Between dives, you can get cold, and having a towel or jacket handy can make all the difference. This is especially true in locations where the weather can vary significantly between the dock and the dive site. Dry bags are also great for keeping valuables like keys and money dry.
10. Protect Yourself From the Sun
Sunscreen is something you really shouldn’t go without. Even when it’s cloudy, you’re still exposed to the sun’s rays. In tropical dive destinations, the sun can be especially intense, catching inexperienced divers by surprise. Bring sunscreen appropriate for your destination, apply it before heading out and reapply according to the product instructions. Sun-protective clothing and a hat can help, too.
11. Respect the Boat and Its Crew
Remember that you’re sharing the boat with other divers, so be considerate of their space and comfort. Keep your gear tidy, respect any designated dry areas and never smoke where it’s prohibited. When diving abroad, take the time to learn about local customs so you don’t cause offense by mistake. Above all, respect the captain’s and crew’s instructions. The boat may be their workplace or even their home, so be mindful of their rules.
12. Follow Safe Boat-Diving Procedures
Follow your dive briefing, surface where directed and make yourself visible to the crew. Approach and board the boat only as instructed, keeping clear of the propellers.
Learn More About Boat Diving
Want to build your confidence and learn more about boat diving procedures? Take the PADI Boat Diver Specialty course. You’ll learn more about boat operations, entry and exit techniques, safety equipment and other essential skills.
Ready to plan your next dive trip? Explore destinations around the world with PADI Travel.
This blog was originally written by Jackie Hutchings and published on the Diviac Magazine.
