Scuba and C-dory

C

calcoastdive

New member
Hi All, I am considering a 22ft cruiser as a dive-boat to run on Monterey and Carmel Bay CA.

Are there any c-dory scuba divers out there that can share their experience?

Thanks for your comments :D
 
I have scubaed(?) and have owned a 22 but not scubaed from a 22. I will say that unless you figure out a very stout ladder that can be mounted on the side of the boat I would think that it would be very hard to get in and out of the 22. Now that depends where you dive. In your area you are going to have a lot more gear and weight then some one in Florida. If you mounted a dive ladder to the stock swim step you would also need to add a hand hold or rail of some sort. All depends on your abilities to move from the water to the boat. Once a long time ago I could get out of a pool by doing a pull up on the diving board to the sanding positions.. now not so much...
 
I'm in the same boat as Tom. I'm a diver, and I have a 22, but I have not dived from the 22. I think it would be a somewhat mediocre dive-specific boat for a few reasons. One is that either the swim platform or a side ladder are not what I would want to clamber up on in full regalia. Two is that the cockpit is not very large, especially once you have all the "usual" stuff there already (cooler, fenders, lines, maybe a chair, etc.). So stowing tanks would be cramped.

That said, of course I think one could dive from it. Perhaps by donning/doffing gear in the water, or other means one might use from a smaller boat. But I just don't think it would be close to ideal.

As a diver, I look at the Tomcat 255 and drool! But for most of my other parameters the 22 fits just right, so if I do dive from my boat, it will be from the 22 and I'll accept the limitations. More likely I will snorkel from my boat and dive from (other) dive boats.

I think there are quite a few divers here, so you'll probably get some better (from real experience on a 22 diving) info.
 
Thanks starcrafttom...

Good points - as for getting in and out we were thinking...

getting out: gearing-up separately (maybe two at a time) and back-roll from the cockpit.

getting in: leave the BC in the water and use a 'hook over rail' boarding ladder for the driver and a crab pot puller to lift the BCs into the boat.

Currently, from our RIB, we back-roll getting in and leave BC's in the water getting out (then hand lift BC's into the RIB).

What are your thoughts on having 3 or 4 divers on the boat, assuming 350lbs per diver (gear and person)?

all the best,
 
I think 3 to 4 divers with their gear and nothing else could get by as long as you are organized. I would not like to do that dive with more then 3 on board but you could do 4. We fish three to four out of my 22 when I had it. Its not a place for those that need there space, like me. That's why I have a 27 now. Rolling in I think is the only way you can from a 22.

You are not going to make 25 plus knots with four diver and all their cold water gear. As long as you take your limitations into account you should be fine. Just know that you are going to make 16 to 20 knots on flat seas and plan your trip around that.

I only dive from resort boats every 4 years or so. I would love to so some more locally but just cant afford the gear to be warm enough to make it worth it to me. I might have to give it another try.
 
I dive an average of one dive day a week Memeroial day - Labor day. And those days I almost always do two dives. I have a 2008 22" Angler. Its perfect for two divers, good for three divers that know what there doing. Normally its me and two buddies. We don't plan on going in bad weather but have been caught in it , we haven't had a problem. I have a Gull Wing ladder (Don't remember the maker) that is mounted to the swim platform, and I added grab handles near the platform to help myself board. All of us are 200lbs or more. If we are tired we tie our gear to a tag line then when a second diver gets up we help each other lift the gear up over the side, but I often get up the ladder wearing all gear except flippers. Also highly recommend non-skid tape wherever you step. Good luck
 
There was a Tom Cat 255 outfitted as a dive boat. I sea trialed it before I bought my Tom Cat--That boat had a Gas powered Bauer compressor, if I remember correctly. With three people and two tanks each aboard, the boat was heavy, and did not perform as another boat I sea trialed.

The C Dory 22 would be crowded with 4 divers, but it could be done--the one that does not have an enclosed bulkhead would be ideal for this. It has more sitting room in the cabin, easy access to dive gear under the benches on the sides.

As far as getting aboard; We dove for many years from an 18 foot runabout which had less room than the cockpit of the C Dory for getting geared up,and it worked fine--but usually only 3 divers. We were able to use a "hook over the gunnel" type of ladder with 4 steps--took fins off, tanks off, BC off, and came aboard. The "T" ladder modifications would be better. We do put an extra hand hold for the regular folding ladder on the C Dory 22 swim step just for normal "coming aboard".

If you have been diving out of an inflatable, then the C Dory should be much easier. (We did a lot of diving out of inflatable dinghy's).

The subject of the C Dory's carrying capacity has come up--by calculations it often is overloaded. But with the high freeboard, and careful juggling of gear and people the boat rides fine. Just don't put all of the weight aft, or forward….
 
We dived a lot with a 22' Classic/Angler '83 model. The extra room in the cockpit made diving with 3 or 4 divers OK. We had a gas powered compressor and filled tanks on the boat. We spent many weeks diving in Baja California. Look at the Angler model if diving is your main activity.
 
thanks C-Hawk - nice 'bugs'...

Cool rig - do you use that ladder to get back on the boat 'with all gear on'?

How's the trip from Long beach / San Pedro to Catalina in your CD22?

Thanks for the encouraging post

dive, dive, dive
:smiled
 
thanks Mike B... great info!

Where do you and your buddies dive?

Can you manage 2 tanks each? (6 tanks total) If so do you store the 'other' tanks in the front while underway?

dive, dive, dive,
:smiled
 
thanks Discovery... ah - warm water diving. My next opportunity for warm water is a 10 day charter (sail) in BVI in June.

Agreed, the Angler is a better dive-space solution.

dive, dive, dive :smiled
 
calcoastdive":1d4rsham said:
thanks C-Hawk - nice 'bugs'...

Cool rig - do you use that ladder to get back on the boat 'with all gear on'?

How's the trip from Long beach / San Pedro to Catalina in your CD22?

Thanks for the encouraging post

dive, dive, dive
:smiled
Click to expand...

I have a tag line attached to an aft cleat with brass clips to clip on the BC before removing the BC, then up the ladder.
I keep the boat at Channel Islands Harbor-- it is a 4 hour trip to Two Harbors, Catalina Island. I mostly fish/dive the Channel Islands of the Santa Barbara Channel.
 
C-Hawk":372l8aq9 said:
calcoastdive":372l8aq9 said:
thanks C-Hawk - nice 'bugs'...

Cool rig - do you use that ladder to get back on the boat 'with all gear on'?

How's the trip from Long beach / San Pedro to Catalina in your CD22?

Thanks for the encouraging post

dive, dive, dive
:smiled
Click to expand...

I have a tag line attached to an aft cleat with brass clips to clip on the BC before removing the BC, then up the ladder.
I keep the boat at Channel Islands Harbor-- it is a 4 hour trip to Two Harbors, Catalina Island. I mostly fish/dive the Channel Islands of the Santa Barbara Channel.
Click to expand...

I use the same BC protcol w our RIB - it works great
I get down to Anacapa / Santa Cruz, and Catalina about once a year - always a fun trip.
 
After a lot of research I settled on a Tomcat. The stability of a catamaran is made for boat diving. I added a swing ladder and tank racks, but it is still pretty much as I bought it. I hope it is the last boat I ever buy.

PhilsReef10_2.jpg

Roll_Control_1.jpg

NoPressureDSC_0642.jpg

Orcas3_001.jpg
 
calcoastdive,
We go NJ/NY and CT, But we drive all over. Our Bc's are built up and standing in the back. I chock the other tanks up forward on the floor. Never had a problem with them moving. Just watch the balance.
 
Pacificcoast101: Your rig is the one I've specifically drooled over for diving. Fantastic! I had already enjoyed your dive reports on various dive forums over the years, so it was fun to then "find" you here on C-Brats after I bought my 22.

I want to add to what I said originally, because it seems that perhaps it came across as overly discouraging to the OP. What I was trying to say was that if I were buying a boat specifically for diving, well, as much as I love my 22, I would probably choose something different (such as the Tomcat 255). Clearly though, the 22 can (and does) make a dive platform for quite a few folks (and maybe for me too in future :thup).

I realize I basically said the same thing that Starcraft Tom said just before me; but I know when I pose a question, it makes a difference to me if two or three people echo something, vs. if just one outlier says it, so that's why I posted. It wasn't because I thought you weren't "clueful" enough to get it the first time, in case it came across that way.

Anyway, great to see all the dive photos and hear about the experiences. I love diving!
 
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