Another from Hawai'i

[diverdad]

I also saw this whilst I was over on the big island.
We did not dive off it but I was impressed with the sheer size.

It has an aluminium hull.

What a monster.

[Rick Coles]

Hi all, in keeping with the theme of honking big aluminum zodiacs, the Ms. and I did a day trip on the bigger one below out of Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia a couple of years ago. Picnic and beach stops through the Whitsunday Islands. Rather civilized!

The craft was close to 50 feet. The second one in one of the pics was just over 30’ I believe; it belonged to the competition. Our craft had four, count em, four 200+hp Yammies, I think. The details have gone out of my head. When he did open it up, it was very impressive.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by diverdad

I also saw this whilst I was over on the big island.

Haven't been there for a few years, but I remember seeing several larg(ish) RIB's while I was there.

From what I recall: a humongous black-and-yellow-tubed (8m?) fiberglass RIB at Keauhou, a couple of 6 to 7 meter RIB's used for "adventure" rides (not sure where they launched out of), and another couple of large aluminum RIB's out of Honokohau harbor.

Probably more, but they didn't register in my long-term memory.

FWIW, I get bored with the diving in Hawaii pretty quickly: They have 3 type of coral, and they're all beige. Aside from the fish and the occasional sponge, the diving is rather monochromatic... Warm clear water, though, which is a nice change (my home diving is usually 50 or so degrees F, and averages about 20 feet of vis.)


jky

[diverdad]

I normally won't even get in the water without there being a wreck on the sea bed but, I was blown away with the turtles in Hawai'i.
They are such characters it would take me a long time to get bored of diving there and not a wreck in sight!!

Lee