OPS Boats

The selection of an Ops Boat is commonly driven by your Teams’ Mission!

In search of a new boat for your team or simply evaluating the one you have to maximize its utility or for future replacement? You will want to read on; the choices available are as different as your operations!

As you well know, Ops/Work Boats come in many shapes, sizes and styles. The number one deciding factor that will drive your team’s decision is often geographical as well as operational. What body of water will you need to operate in? From rapid flowing rivers, to lakes, to area ports, to open ocean operations or navigating the flooded roadways of a community… the vessels available are as different as the work they do.

There are three basic “starting points” to consider that will help to narrow the dizzying field. These are hull configuration, power and size; at first glance, these parameters may appear over simplistic, but let’s take a closer look.

There are a wide variety of hull materials and styles to consider, from inflatables with “pliable” or “soft floors” to inflatables with rigid hulls, smooth vs. ribbed, mono-hull vs. twin v. Once you arrive at a decision as to the type of hull you will select, what comes next? In an array of options, the most important deciding factor for many is POWER! Depending on the hull design you select, the options will vary and will be as simple as having the vessel rigged to hang outboards off the transom, straight inboard(s), inboard/outboard(s), drives or jet drive(s). Most importantly, you will need to decide whether your team’s application and operations will require single or twin power.

The next equally important decision will be size. We all think we know bigger is better, but this is not necessarily the case in this situation. Once you answer the usual questions as to the number of team members to be deployed, payload for required equipment and “weight allowance” for unexpected “guests” (ranging from extra gear to rescued civilians) you will start to close in on an ideal size. Often, the most common question I ask is “Where will the vessel be housed: At dock, in the water, on a lift, or on a trailer?” Most often, where the vessel will be stored and deployed from will likely drive the required size.

There is a long list of additional considerations:

  • What will be the draft and how much water will you draw when deployed in a variety of configurations?
  • Speed: How important is it in your mission? Are you rescue or recovery? Are you first responder or scene investigations? Are you tactical? Each will require different considerations.
  • Distance needs and fuel load considerations
  • Fire suppression system needed?
  • Patient carrying capabilities?
  • Water-tight storage compartments? If so, what will they house?
  • Lifting capabilities: By crane or helicopter for deployment or quick egress from an unexpected situation
  • Built in closed cell configuration?
  • Safety, stability and versatility
  • Diver friendly and durable

Mission specific options are available from a variety of manufacturers. Whether your team is doing Water Rescue, Law Enforcement, Fire Suppression, SWAT Deployment or Flood Evacuation, there is a vessel already out there to fit your needs. Seek them out, test the vessels in “like” conditions with “like” loads and talk to operators that have experience with them in the field. Remember, when it comes to your team’s safety, quality is paramount. Your work platform is one you should be able to take for granted when doing the job; when well maintained, the vessels operation should be seamless and unnoticeable; in other words, it should be hassle free!

A search for rescue boats will generate a variety of manufacturers, but here are a few diverse considerations that may be a good starting point:

https://www.rescueone.com
Creative double stacker shown

https://www.zodiacrescueboats.com
Zodiac Inflatable’s- a long standing and well recognized name

https://www.munsonboats.com
Recognized for their aluminum work boats

https://www.brunswickcgp.com
Whaler Guardian 25’- well respected vessel

Regardless of what type of OPS Boat your team may have, there is nothing more important than constant training!
Contact us at ERDI and let us help build a training program for you and your team.

Call 207.729.4201 or 888.778.9073

LOCAL DIVING Gives YOU MORE Access and DIVE TIME!

While we all have that “special place” we must see, do not miss out on what we have close to home!
Years ago, I recall hanging out around the set of a TV station for an interview about diving. Teaching a local college diving program for many years had brought me the distinction of being somewhat of a “diving expert,” a nomenclature that I will always scoff at!

 

On the way to the interview, I thought of the places I’ve had the good fortune to dive and those I still would like to visit. I had it nailed in my mind. “Ask away; I’m ready!” I reflected. I sunk into the well-worn couch and waited for the first question.

 

I heard nothing but a murmur during the introduction process as I continued to rehearse my answer to the inevitable question, “What is your favorite place to dive?” Without a second thought  I blurted out, ”Locally, right here at home!” I certainly didn’t rehearse that!

 

Despite my quick response, I still stand by my statement to this day. There really is no diving like local diving. Local diving gives you unequaled access and in most cases great variety if you are creative in your approach. Now you may be thinking, “but there’s only one dive site near me!” To this response, I ask: Have you ever seen it through the eyes of other divers? I can assure you the dive you make each time will be as unique as your dive partner if you simply insist they take the lead and ask them to point out anything they see of interest.

 

Local diving sites can offer many challenges and rewarding moments. They’re a great place to socialize, meet more divers to add to your contact list and a better place to try new gear or acquired techniques.

 

Here are a few suggestions to stir some interest in your local diving:

 

  • Get the word out– A simple posting in the Dive Center, Divers blast e-mail, newsletter or social sites will work nicely.  Set up a meeting- Don’t be scared. This isn’t meant to be a serious work meeting; it will be fun! Talk about local diving opportunities and places that someone in the group “has always wanted to check out.”
  • Create a social gathering surrounding the dive– We all know that in the scheme of things a two- dive day does not require a lot of time. But having a barbeque, volleyball match or round of drinks will fill the day nicely.
  • Set a date– Select a time each month to get together, dive, grab a coffee, see a movie or go bowling. After all, you share an important common bond: you are divers!

Remember, everyone’s definition of local diving will vary. One particular group of local divers invited me to one of their monthly rituals. Early on a weekend morning we met at the Dive Center, the regulars retrieving their coffee mugs that proudly hung on the wall. We grabbed a coffee and a donut and marched into the classroom, a destination they had selected last time they met a month ago. We arranged who was driving with whom, consolidated gear and headed out the door.

Any place that could be dived and return home in one day was considered local, but the adventures often spanned a full day. As we headed out the door, the group split, some heading to the 2/3 of a day option while I jumped in with the “let’s go for it all day!” crowd.

By the time we returned to the rendezvous point that night at the Dive Center, it had been long closed and we meandered to our vehicles. As I wearily pulled away, I was approached and asked, “Hey, want to join us for a cold one?” Their day was not over yet, but I was too tuckered out to continue.

You see, local diving is where the fun and friends are! You meet new ones to go explore and answer the ever-burning question: “Hey, I wonder what is at the bottom of …?”
So, what are you waiting for? Start diving locally! Make it happen & make it safe!

To Snorkel or Not to Snorkel: That is the Question

 

How did this become such a point of contention for so many?
A long debated issue amongst divers, instructors and training agencies is: do divers need to wear snorkels? Before we explore this topic, a little bit of history is in order.

 

In the beginning, snorkels were a very useful and important piece of equipment. In the early days of SCUBA training, free diving or snorkeling was a big component of the course, acting as an air management tool. Divers were taught to hold their breath and dive down to depths so instructors could assess their comfort in the water.

 

In addition to cylinder volumes being less, given that SPG’s were not a part of the regulator, the diver only knew the tank was full because the person that filled it said it was. Towards the end of the dive when the “J” valve stopped delivering air and the diver pulled the shepherds hook to get the reserve amount of air to get them to the surface, it was quite possible that the surface swim would have to be performed on the snorkel.

 

Fast forward to present day: we now have SPG’s, air integrated dive computers, snorkeling skills are not as big of a part of training, and our training materials teach better air management practices. Also, today more divers are going into overhead environments and diving in areas where snorkels become a liability and not an asset. So this brings us to the question: snorkel or no snorkel?

 

There are still dive sites that require a surface swim, and a snorkel will conserve the air in the cylinder for the dive. There are also locations where snorkels are required by law. In these situations, snorkels are a must.

 

Where do snorkels become more of a liability? On high current dives, snorkels create a drag and tend to cause the mask to flood. In overhead environments, such as wrecks, swim troughs and caverns, they can cause the divers mask to be dislodged and cause a leak or flood. When diving around kelp or areas where monofilament line is known to be, snorkels become an entanglement hazard.

 

Another deciding factor is the comfort level of the diver; are you comfortable wearing a snorkel or not? One thing a snorkel should never replace is proper planning of air supply. Divers should always surface with enough air left to make a surface swim to their exit point, be it a boat or shore.

 

By breathing off the second stage, the diver avoids the possibility of breathing in water that has entered the snorkel due to choppy surface conditions, waves or poorly aligned snorkel (snorkel leaning too far backward or forward). A variety of pocket snorkels have also entered diving, allowing the diver to “always have one with them” although not necessarily attached until it is needed. With all these details, it’s easy to see wearing a snorkel or not depends on the type of dive that is planned.

There is possibly no better exercise and opportunity to interact with sea life than going out for a swim across the surface of the ocean, lake or river. In this case, a snorkel is exactly the right tool for the job. With the brightest sun light, it attracts the highest concentration of life. Find a good fitting snorkel, mask and fins, and the experience is sure to be amazing!