Glen-L.com

has any one seen a custom made boat for diving 28 feet or so??
Things like self bailing, good ramp / deployment / retrieval ideas, storage area etc...

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

Bump any one ?

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

I haven't been diving in a dozen years. I have dived off of a boat more than once, and in my opinion, you can customize almost any boat to make it diver friendly. Any boat large enough to hang a dive platform off of would work... seems like it would be best if it were an inboard engine, to avoid interference with an outboard.

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Mike
http://mikesboats.blogspot.com/
Raleigh, NC

Yah thats the idea .... but i wanted to see what would be practical? And what hull shape / design would fit this need better than others.
Mainly its storage space, carrying capacity (divining equipment is heavy) self bailing etc...

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

The dive boats (Bay area, California) I remember were generally in the 25 - 30 foot range motor cruisers. I wasn't looking specifically at the boat, since I was more interested in getting in the water, but I do remember that they were heavy on deck space, and light on cabin space (small cabin forward, but I never went in it). The deck did have a diving platform off the back, with a (flip up) ladder into the water to make it easier get get on board. There were benches built in along the sides, and a rack to hold dive tanks set up the middle of the boat. I think that the boats were production craft... Chris Craft or some such, but I don't recall for sure. Remember, this was probably 12 years ago, when I lived out that way.

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Mike
http://mikesboats.blogspot.com/
Raleigh, NC

Then, I have to go back to an earlier suggestion. Talk to Kens.

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Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

Video of Midnight in Action
Blog

Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.

Well been looking around for a good hull to customize for that role, i dislike ribs as they are not comfortable or practical in rougher seas.

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

Watching some of the Dive vid's I'd sure think longer about your platform and power.

I thought the whole rear deck would drop down as a set of steps to let the returning divers walk up to the deck.
I'd put the outboards, or I/O's, one on each side in a tunnel on each side and raise them when the divers were in the water.
I'd have handholds all the way around the boat at the water line too.

I had a boat with wet deck and scuppers. What a surprise when one of the scuppers lets go while your under way and you get a Shower inside the boat. But that wet deck sure is handy to get right down on the water to work.

OK That is very interesting !! Did you see any ideas like that?

Funny thing i had a similar concept and i though the boat would be high at the bow and step down to the transom and instead of having a fixed swimming deck, the left area would open next to the engine, similar to the picture but from the aft.

The picture below is also a good idea but how sea worthy is such a design ? it is however not practical divers unless the stairs go directly in the area with the door. You have to have some fitness to side step this one !!
This is skying platform but i like the idea

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

While not long as you are thinking about, look at the 19 or 20 foot Chinnok design in the boat plans listings. It all depends on the waters you will be diving in and how rough it gets, but that boat is similar to dive boats I have been on on Bonaire Netherland Antillies, Florida Keys, and British Virgin Islands.

What I would think is that boat design with a larger, longer roof (you can never have enough shade on long trips to and from a dive site) with an added swim platform on the stern and a deep swim ladder would be a dandy dive boat profile. You may way want to up-size the boat in all dimensions to get to your 25 to 28 feet length.

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Another fine mess I've gotten myself into!

The chinook is very close to a design i liked. The boat was 9 meters and is the same layout.

The problem is entry and deployment more than anything. Swim platforms on 20 - 28 ft boats are too cumbersome for divers unless properly laid out specially the transom area. (diver has to go up stairs to swimming platform then up again over the transom, over the bench then on the boat)

The other problem is the boats i have seen are not self bailing which creates a hassle in cleaning and when the divers unpack their gear.
The benches are also too low too allow storage of the gear (bcd, fins, mask etc..) under them, which creates another problem as well as tank storage.

I know boats this size are too small for large operation but my goal is to select and modify a design to make it very easy for a small group of divers to comfortably go diving. (Me included as i have yet to go diving in a comfortable boat!! even larger ones are poorly laid out in Egypt anyways.)

I attached some photos but from 2 diving boats around (18 meters) just for ideas.

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !

Boy those Dive boats have to hold a lot of Gear. They have to be big and have lots of stowage space.
I was just thinking of a couple guys, as many as four, in a 25-30' boat with twin Outboards.
I was outclassed before I opened my mouth!

So need more brain storming sessions !!

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An Egyptian Beginner Boat Building Enthusiast !