First post - dive boat

G'day

I'm looking at starting a dive Buisness towards the end of 2013 and am looking at building a boat project which will eventually form the dive boat.

I've become very keen at having a boat built very much like this:

http://www.steber.com.au/steber-38-commercial/

This is a drawing with a dive setup

http://www.steber.com.au/wp-content/uploads/doc/164-38 COM - 03.pdf

The only difference really will be that I plan on having twin outboards instead of inboard engines

I've never taken on a boat project before and will be looking at getting the boat designed & hull actually made by a company. Any advice that could be offered would be great.

Regards
Carl

 

Steber is a good brand

My 2c worth is talk to other dive operators and see what they have
Is there space forward for your customers to 'relieve themselves' if they need to go
(sorry could not open the pdf)

 

Outboards are not the best. When you climb back in with all your gear in rough weather they can be really dangerous.

 

Hey Peter

I love the steber boat but sir pretty dam expensive from what I've seen, this is the main reason I was looking at more of a project boat.

As for the relieving yourselves yes there is a small dunny on their for when nature calls

 

Hey gonzo

Thanks for the advice, the more I look at what I'm trying to achieve the further away Im going from outboards, I think a boat this size should definitely have inboards

 

You might be better off buying a good used dive boat. There are plenty on the market. A lot of them are powered with twin outboards. Nothing wrong with that idea.

 

Why would you want a steber for a dive boat . Most dive operators go for large r i b type craft these days. I guess they would be pricey though.

 

Both of the local dive schools use big, perhaps 13m , IO powered ribs.

Ive never asked why , but Id expect the low freeboard and soft tube surfaces are advantagous for divers.

 

I've dive buiness 3y and 9m RIB look at my site www.balticquest.pl
I realy recomended this setup.
Jacek

 

I'd think a well setup old Grady (or similar) would work as well and for a lot cheaper than a new build. The key to a dive boat is water entry and exit. A modified transom could easily address this issue. This of course assumes a reasonably stable platform.

 

RIBs are good diving boats, because they have a very high stability, are light-weight, fast, have a shallow draft, are beachable, have a good load capacity, low freeboard, the tubes are comfortable soft seats and allow a comfortable backward roll. Plus a single skipper can easily handle alone a very large RIB.

The negative side is that the ride can be a bit jerky in rough seas, and tubes can have a spring effect in head seas at high speeds. Basically, those sitting on the tubes have to firmly grasp the tube ropes in order to not get catapulted. But that can be avoided by simply backing off the throttle if the sea is too choppy.

As about the outboard problem Gonzo has mentioned - yes, it can be a problem if the boat doesn't have an adequate transom platform, which is a must.

Based on my personal diving experience, in my opinion RIBs are excellent boats for short trips. They will get you to the diving spot very quickly and comfortably, and their inherent stability allow a comfortable preparation and dressing up for the dive. Get a boat with a good beam, the widest you can. The tubes, having a big diameter, will steal a lots of useful deck area - hence, you need beam.

Cheers