Scuba diving

Trojan26NC · Post by **Trojan26NC** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:34 pm

Has anyone used their boats for diving? I am not talking about for hire. If so where did you placed your cylinder racks and what kind of boat ladder do you use.

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 8:28 pm

Haven't personally, but have seen a Silverton sedan (30' or 34') rigged for diving. Didn't see where they had the rack for the tanks, but they had what may have been a custom ladder mounted to the gunnel above their transom.
The ladder (welded steel or aluminum unit) base was bolted to the gunnel. A 2x2 steel or aluminum extrusion was bolted to this base; the bolt acted as a 'hinge' to allow them to raise or lower the ladder. The extrustion was probably 6-8' long. Welded across it (at right angles) were other 2x2 extrusions abouit 3' long, so in short there were a set of 18" (or so) 'steps' on each side of this 8' long pole bolted to the gunnel.
With its length, it would probably drop about 2-3 ' under water, and being 'hinged' it could be pulled up and out of the way when not in use. When down, I think there was a 'standoff' attached to the aft end of the regular swim platform to hold this ladder at a predetermined angle.
If I get down to that marina again in the near future, will try to remember to take a picture and post it for you, if interested...

Trojan26NC · Post by **Trojan26NC** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:44 pm

No don't go out of your way, but thanks for the information and the offer. I will figure it out. How hard can it be..

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:04 pm

Take a look here; reasonably close to what I saw...

http://www.nextag.com/Garelick/diver/brand-html

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:49 pm

OK... so I am almost 2 years late with this... Here are the pics I took (actually last summer) showing what appears to be a custom-fab'd dive ladder, off the back of a Silverton. If anyone still cares, maybe it will give you some ideas of what to do for yourselves.

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ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 4:30 pm

Wow that is some serious heavy ladder!! Also looks ugly to me but likely works for a commercial dive vessel like that. I would rather cut a door in the transom.

On larger dive boats like that I prefer to use a tag line to clip the gear to, exit up a ladder and then have the crew

pull my gear on board from the swim platform.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:46 am

I am with you Ready, I mean who wants to cut off half the swim platform, or sport that huge ladder around. We also use a clip line and board on less substantial ladders without our gear, which we pull onboard via the S/P and hand over the back rail.