21 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Hello Bonaire trip goers. Its time to start finalizing last minute trip details so you'll all have an amazing trip. One of those details is how to divide the group now that we have grown to 33 divers and 1 non-diver.

 

We obviously need two boats but we need ideas on how to split them. We want to have a good mix of skill levels on each boat so as to not overwhelm the guides although we typically have those in training on the same boat. Several of you may be taking classed from the resort so I am not sure if they will want you on the same boat or not but most likely yes. 

 

We also try to divide the photographers between the boats so everyone has a chance to get the shots but one boat may have more photogs on it than the other.

 

Please help me decide how to divide the boats. FORTUNATELY we have enough to have two private boats which is always cool but we know from other trips that usually if we have another diver or two join us...they ALWAYS join us as members too!

 

Thanks for your input! Kamala

 

 

[LovesToDive]

When I first read your post in the email, I thought you meant you want people to "weigh in," meaning telling you how much they weigh.  Then I realized you were looking for input. So that led me to the idea that If you want people to weigh in, maybe you should ask for people's weights and even out the weight load on the boats.  

[Sir Pete]

I should suggest that you have a novice boat and the other one for the more advanced divers. Pete

[Tandoorii]

I weigh 225lbs. Slow diver: Photographer. 350+ dives.

[CLH418]

I like the traditional sorting people by experience as the advanced are usually down longer

[jesterdiver]

Doesn't matter to me what boat I'm on as long as we're diving the same sites. If one boat is doing more advanced dives then I would want that boat.

 

Also agree with being on the boat that would be more prone to the longer bottom times.

Edited by jesterdiver, 26 August 2015 - 11:09 AM.

[JOE LIKES TO DIVE]

Agreed that if both boats are diving the same sites, perhaps dividing up the folks by ability/air consumption makes some sense. But since I haven't been diving recently, I'd probably like the ability to change boats (up or down) during the week, depending on my comfort level with the novice/intermediate diver boat or advanced diver boat.

 

I have to admit, this request for boat feedback, surprised me. Thanks for asking this question, Kamala!

[WreckWench]

When I first read your post in the email, I thought you meant you want people to "weigh in," meaning telling you how much they weigh.  Then I realized you were looking for input. So that led me to the idea that If you want people to weigh in, maybe you should ask for people's weights and even out the weight load on the boats.  

 

Interesting idea...I'll ask the dive shop if they see a need for this.

[WreckWench]

NOTE: The boats will go to DIFFERENT sites each dive. During the week we'll hit all the same sites....just not at the same time!

[WreckWench]

I should suggest that you have a novice boat and the other one for the more advanced divers. Pete

 

 

We have done this before but it depends on the numbers as to how well it works. We also can NOT overload the guides so the boats will have to be mixed a bit skill wise.

 

HOWEVER ANY ONE WHO IS CAPABLE OF GETTING A ONE HOUR DIVE IN WILL GET IT. Just be one of the first ones off the boat and you'll consistently get your hour long dive.

[WreckWench]

Agreed that if both boats are diving the same sites, perhaps dividing up the folks by ability/air consumption makes some sense. But since I haven't been diving recently, I'd probably like the ability to change boats (up or down) during the week, depending on my comfort level with the novice/intermediate diver boat or advanced diver boat.

 

I have to admit, this request for boat feedback, surprised me. Thanks for asking this question, Kamala!

 

 

Hi Joe, boat splits are important and so since they affect everyone on the trip I try to ask for input where appropriate. Plus its never easy for me to make these decisions... for some reason my magic wand doesn't do the job it used to do! LOL!

 

But a few thoughts....

 

1. That being said we need to keep boat swapping to a minimum as in usually only the group leader swaps boats for a number of reasons:

 

• The crew need to get used to the divers on a boat so swapping boats makes this very difficult
• Divers get used to who likes to be where in the pack.... high, low, shallow, deep, at the end of the pack or right behind the dive guide etc. So once a group jells in...its hard to add or remove divers from the mix and not mess that up.

2. I do not find the label associated with "novice boat and advanced boat' that useful. And truthfully its nearly impossible to make those divisions anyway. You can have a diver with one dive 100 times or a diver with 100 incremental dives and there is no comparison. So number of dives is a data point but that's it. If a diver has done our Rent-A-Buddy program they usually exceed the skill level relative to the number of dives they have.So again unless I know every person on the trip, Its nearly impossible to divide out by skill level. And since I do not know every diver....I would only be guessing.

3. And as mentioned before...we can not overload one boat with all newer divers as it would be too hard on the dive guides. (We do keep divers of like skill together as dive buddies as they usually have similar air consumption as well) but we try to divide the boats somewhat evenly to allow for a better mix on each boat.

4. As mentioned before we are NOT going to the same sites each day so that will not be an issue.

 

I hope this helps Joe.

[WreckWench]

Doesn't matter to me what boat I'm on as long as we're diving the same sites. If one boat is doing more advanced dives then I would want that boat.

 

Also agree with being on the boat that would be more prone to the longer bottom times.

 

 

Jose all the boats will do the same sites during the week just not on the same days. The only advanced dives we typically do in Bonaire is they often let us drift from one site to another or from one mooring to there there is non. However it depends on the crew we get if this is possible, the weather conditions and the skill of our divers. For the past couple of years we've only had one boat and we've managed to marry a mixed boat of skills and still do all the dives we have wanted to do.

 

The secret to longer bottom time is to be one of the first ones in. Simply take a rule from the Susan aka Resqdew playbook..... be ready before you get to the site, and jump as soon as the pool is open.  The people with better air consumption are usually first off the boat. Those who are newer or perhaps have only moderate air consumption tend to be the last.

 

The boats in Bonarie run a very tight ship as they have to keep us on schedule for meals and our afternoon dives. SO IF YOU WANT AN HOUR GUARANTEED BOTTOM TIME...BE IN FIRST!!!!

[WreckWench]

I like the traditional sorting people by experience as the advanced are usually down longer

 

Chris we do that at the buddy team level for that reason but even if your buddy runs out of gas before you do....the guides ALWAYS have you back to the boat by 40-45 mins so your buddy can go up and you can continue to dive under the boat until its been an hour.

 

 

NOTE: We do ask that you keep the dives to 60-65 mins max so the guides can get back and fill tanks and do the things they have to do and we can get lunch etc.

 

If you need more bottom time then PLEASE do some shorediving!

 

A great rule of thumb if you are on my boat... I'm usually the last person in so when I hit 60 mins I am coming up and there should not be a ton of people still in the water! LOL!

[DoctorB]

I would like to see the photographers divided between boats so we have room for our camera equipment on the camera tables. 

 

The sites and dives are conducive to getting longer dives in even if others finish earlier.  All dives are done from moored boats, and buddy teams don't necessarily need to stay with the DM.  There's a lot of flexibility.  It works well even with mixed skill divers on the boat.  It actually works better with mixed skill/air consumption divers on the boat, because they typically enter later and finish earlier, thus allowing the longer divers to start first and finish last. 

[jesterdiver]

Honestly, I don't care what boat I'm on. The whole point of traveling with you Kamala is that you always make it work out LOL! Which boat serves the after dive martini's?

 

I've dived the Divi dive op and I remember that Kamala is of course 100% right. Doesn't matter whose on the boat. If you want longer bottom times get in the water early and leave last. The sites are expansive and easy enough to navigate, that the group doesn't need to bunch up and gives everyone plenty of space. Those who want to hang with the divemasters can and those who want to wander around freely can also do that too.

 

The time I went there was also two singledivers boats and both boats dive the same sites just on different days so that way the dive sites are never overcrowded.

 

There were times I didn't see most of the group until I got back on the boat after a more independent dive with my buddy and other times that we all processed orderly past some cool find that the divemaster pointed out. The nature of Bonaire diving makes it easy for mixed group diving!