Boating USA — March 2018

off shoot of larger passenger dive vessels
such as the Calypso Star 2 shark-cage
dive boat in Australia, which is equipped
with a heavy-duty Seakeeper for comfort,
safety and to help keep passengers from
becoming seasick.
An increasing number of
recreational-boat builders now off er
smaller systems such as the Seakeeper
3 and 5 as options, and these seem like

natural choices for dive enthusiasts

who have the money to aff ord a

gyrostabilization option.

The elimination of roll can increase

safety for divers when they are boatside,

transferring gear and equipment, and

waiting to reboard the boat, reducing the

chance of the hull rolling on top of a diver

or smacking the person preparing to

climb back in.

WARMING UP

Rinsing dive gear with fresh water to get

rid of corrosion-causing salt is good idea.

“That’s why many boat-owning divers

insist on a freshwater washdown system,”

says Javier Carabeo, director of marketing

for Belzona Marine. “This is a standard

feature on the Belzona 325 models.”

Yet hot-water heaters are also in

demand by divers so they can pull out a

shower nozzle

and rinse off

with warm fresh

water after

an excursion

in the depths.

This becomes

especially

important in

places like

California where

the ocean water

can turn chilly.

Some divers

also like to fi ll

their wetsuits with warm water before

jumping in. It helps fend off the chill.

Most dive enthusiasts prefer to

anchor up before dropping in to explore,

photograph or spear-fi sh a reef or wreck,

and so a roomy anchor locker that holds

plenty of rode and an electric windlass

to retrieve the anchor are important

elements of a dive boat.

Let’s face it, you can scuba-dive,

snorkel or freedive from just about any

boat. Yet, as with models designed for

high-speed, fi shing or wake sports, a

boat that’s customized and equipped for

diving makes the pursuit of the sport that

much easier, safer and more enjoyable.

So, if you’re among those brave souls who

love to go overboard, make sure your next

boat is prepared to dive.

LOST AND FOUND

Seakeeper gyrostabilization systems

virtually eliminate boat roll, even in

heavy seas, to make suiting up with

dive gear easier and safer.

Even the best-rigged dive boat can’t help you if you lose your way

underwater or are swept away by current. When the unthinkable

happens and you surface to an empty blue ocean, you need emergency

signaling gear. To be seen and heard, the pros from ScubaLab’s test

team (scubadiving.com) at Boating’s sister magazine recommend

carrying both visual and audible devices.

Nautilus Marine

Rescue GPS

ScubaLab’s Testers’

Choice winner, this

waterproof Nautilus

GPS broadcasts a

digital man-overboard

signal with GPS coordi-

nates to any boat within

34 miles equipped with

an AIS-enabled VHF ra-

dio. Open the cap, press

the blue button, pop off

the retainer to unfurl the

9-inch antenna, and hold

the red button for fi ve

seconds. $199;

nautiluslifeline.com

DAN Signaling

Sausage

Bright orange and nearly 8

inches wide, this tube was

visible in the daytime from

a half-mile away in our

test, thanks to a 2-inch-

wide vertical refl ective

strip that fl ashes in the

sun. It has a mesh pouch

that can hold emergency

supplies, like a light and

mirror. $80; dan.org/store

Tektite Strobe 3500

This emergency strobe

has full 360-degree

coverage, so you don’t

have to aim it to be

spotted. During our test,

the strobe was clearly

visible a mile away and

became brighter as the

sun set. Tektite says the

three C batteries burn for

100 hours on fl ash; ours

was still going like new

after 70 hours. $89.95;

tek-tite.com

Dive Alert Plus

V.2 Air Horn

Its foghornish honk is

clearly audible from a

mile away, is easy to in-

stall, and clips in between

your hose and power

infl ater. Trust us, it’s ear-

splittingly loud. $89.95;

divealert.com

Trident Fold-Up

Divers Alert Flag

This collapsible fl ag can

easily be stowed in a

buoyancy-compensator

pocket or attached to a

D-ring, so it’s out of the

way when it’s not needed.

$25.95; leisurepro.com

—Patricia Wuest

visible in the daytime from

a half-mile away in our

test, thanks to a 2-inch-

wide vertical reflective

strip that flashes in the

sun. It has a mesh pouch

that can hold emergency

supplies, like a light andsupplies, like a light and

mirror. $80; dan.org/store

Dive Alert PlusDive Alert PlusDive Alert Plus

V.2 Air HornV.2 Air HornV.2 Air Horn

Its foghornish honk isIts foghornish honk isIts foghornish honk is

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) COURTESY SEAKEEPER, COURTESY DIVE ALERT, COURTESY TEKTITE, COURTESY NAUTILUS MARINE

92 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MARCH 2018

SOME DIVERS

ALSO LIKE TO

FILL THEIR

WETSUITS

WITH WARM

WATER BEFORE

JUMPING IN.