Something for the divers here

tue · 14 November 2004, 11:45

Just been reading this. It is in regard to any RIB being used for club diving on a non commercial basis. http://www.bsac.org/techserv/diveboat.htm

Simon B · 14 November 2004, 13:44

They've been working on it for a while, it was supposed to have come out late last early this year. Though some areas may need clarification i.e. flares, it has helped take out a lot of the endless opinion spouting that may affect some dive clubs! It simply gives a reference as to what is felt to be good practice and reccomendation.

Rupert Bear · 15 November 2004, 09:56

Has anybody ever seen a club boat (from ANY organisation0 come even close to satisfying these requirements?

As it is not compulsory it is unlikely we ever will

Simon B · 15 November 2004, 11:16

Tut Tut RB!!

Behaviour that is not compulsory can be changed by peer pressure or identifying it as a real risk. My club is in the process of risk assessing our boats on a "if this broke what would happen" basis, this then throws up what we will then do.

I do take your point though as we have been guilty as charged previously but are working on it.

Andy · 15 November 2004, 11:35

Nothing in that document looks unreasonable ... all makes sense to me. (with the exception of having charts on a RIB ... but then again there are waterproof and smallish charts. Does a GPS with electronic charts count.

tue · 15 November 2004, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert Bear

Has anybody ever seen a club boat (from ANY organisation0 come even close to satisfying these requirements?

As it is not compulsory it is unlikely we ever will

By next spring mine will comply fully. I already have pretty much all the important kit. Just need to sort a few odds like life bouys and get my O2 kit serviced.

It would nice to think that all dive clubs would make the effort to get there boat close to these standards. I know finances are always tight when club boats are concerned but the condition of some club RIBS is shocking and you would not get on it even if it was on the trailer!!

Rupert Bear · 16 November 2004, 09:57

Mine complies with almost all the essential and recommended equipment. The part it doesn't comply with I have no intention of fitting.
Mainly these are the EPIRB and the Nav lights. An EPIRB is just too expensive for what it is and I have fitted one tricolour fot the few times I am out when dark and see no point in going to the expense and trouble of fitting two more lights and getting brackets welded.
Most of the visiting club boats in the area don't come anywhere near satisfying even a small proportion of these guidelines and while they are not compulsory, never will as there is always a group in any club that doesn't want to spend any money on the boat (usually the inactive members)
The easiest way to carry charts is to colour photocopy the bits you need and shrink them from A4 to A5 and laminate them. If you do this for every new area soon you build up a large collection which I keep in the front of the console for emergencies.

Simon B · 16 November 2004, 11:10

RB,

Well done, leading the field among peers!

Is it the 121.5 MHz beacon or the 406MHz? Some of our divers carry the 121.5 ones as they are not too dear, however, upping the ante to 406 is as you have indicated not cheap.

I have encountered similar clubs to RB around & about, they are the sort of outfits that look like an incident waiting to happen. We report our incidents if we have them to BSACs incident scheme, this did cause some resistance initially but I think people now see the value and reslise it is near blame free.

It is the club that never reports/acknowledges its hairy moments that I'd avoid.

Rupert Bear · 16 November 2004, 12:04

The proper one is a 406 and they are just too expensive, can think of other things I could spend that sort of money on

It is easier if it is a personal boat as club boat equipment dives into the murky waters of politics.
I can even rememeber the hassle once it took to get the outboard fixed, it ran OK but used 3x as much fuel as it should have as there was a problem with one of the black boxes and it was £250 to buy. Ran like that for around 6 months and must have used around £500 or more of extra fuel before the club would agree to fix it. The folk that didn't use the boat refused to accept it needed fixed. Now with this attitude it can be seen just how hard it is to get money to buy safety equipment in some branches.

Simon B · 16 November 2004, 17:21

Funny that,

I had to fight tooth and nail to get some people to actually see that a propellor that will only do 4500 @ WOT giving about 15 knots isnt right nor is the loading of the boat.

The fuel use was in gallons per mile, but this still wasnt enough to finance a new prop!!