3 Tips for Dive Boat Safety

Pat Green   Sep 21, 2021

There 2.7 to 3.5 million scuba divers in the United States, and up to 6 million active divers worldwide. This fascination with the ocean isn’t surprising since water covers 71% of our planet.

Because some of the prime snorkeling and scuba diving locations can only be accessed by boat, familiarizing yourself with boat diving will open up more dive areas for you to explore while traveling on vacation. The following three tips from Alert Diver will keep you safe while boat diving.

1. Be Prepared.

Assemble your snorkeling equipment or diving gear and check it carefully to ensure that it’s working properly. To keep extra diving gear out of the way in the boat, stow it in an out of the way place. That will enable everyone to move around the dive boat more easily and more safely. In addition, be sure that your tank is properly secured in a rack. At the dive platform, be prepared to go into the water. On the majority of dive boats, this entails having your regulator in your mouth and your mask on beforehand. Attention to these details results in safer and more enjoyable diving.

2. Be Attentive.

After you’ve checked your diving gear and snorkeling equipment, it’s essential to pay careful attention during roll call and safety briefings. These briefings are required by the United States Coast Guard and were developed to promote safe diving. In addition, you’ll gain valuable information about the dives you’ll be doing, as well as learning how to maximize marine life encounters. By listening attentively, you’ll be able to fully utilize the in-depth knowledge that the boat captain and crew are sharing.

3. Be Aware of Your Surroundings.

Whether you’re still on the water’s surface or you’ve gone underwater, stay aware of your surroundings at all times. If you’re close to the boat, don’t ever turn your back to it, because currents and winds can quickly push you toward the boat propellers, the diving platform, or the hull of the boat. When you’re around the boat’s ladder, be aware of leaving plenty of space between you and the diver in front of you. That way, if they should they fall or slip, you won’t be directly under them.

Boat diving opens up new opportunities for scuba divers. By preparing, being attentive, and staying aware of your surroundings, you’ll have a great time on the boat dive — and you’ll be safe as well.