Boat stolen while divers down?

Tell us about boat ramp vandals, crab pot share farmers, and others who snatched your tackle.
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Matt Flynn
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Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Matt Flynn »

Found this article from a Feb 2013 SA dive newsletter, they reckon the boat broke anchor but I reckon it was pinched while the divers were down.

Either way, how low can you go stripping a boat that drifts ashore and could have lost its crew? They are beyond bottom-feeders I reckon ...

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BOAT DIVERS LEFT TRAPPED ON REEF
Two experienced divers, who had left the Beachport boat ramp during the afternoon in
January, ended up being trapped on a small offshore reef until late that night. The two men
had been diving on Lipson reef in Rivoli Bay at Beachport. Police went to check on the
welfare of two men just after 10pm that night. Beachport police set up a search command
post at the boat ramp. Millicent police also attended to help with the search. Fisheries, SES,
the South Australian Ambulance Service and a local professional fisherman were all asked to
assist with a search for the missing men. Within 15 minutes of the sea search starting, the
local fisherman had spotted the two divers standing on Lipson reef and flashing a torch. Both
men were un-injured and they had to swim about 30m to the boat before being brought back
to the Beachport boat ramp. They said that they had dived for about 30 minutes before
surfacing to find that their boat had broken its anchor and drifted to shore. They decided that
the best option was to stay put, and they both had to stand, dressed in their wetsuits, on the
reef for over 5 hours before they were located at 11.05pm. With the swell picking up and the
tide rising, it would eventually have become necessary for them to discard their dive gear and
try to swim to shore. The SES located the men’s missing boat shortly after they were rescued.
The SES members found that the outboard motor had been cut off the boat. The outboard,
battery, fish-finder and an array of fishing equipment had been stolen from the boat. It
transpired that nobody had called emergency services to notify having found an empty boat
washed ashore. Both divers were very thankful to emergency services and the local
fisherman's efforts to rescue them from the reef. The SES recovered the boat from the beach
and returned it to the Beachport police station. The Police and SES then conducted a search
of the Rivoli Bay beach but they were unable to locate either the stolen property or the
suspects. Police have asked anyone having information that may assist in recovering the
stolen goods taken from the boat.


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Brad the Lad
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Brad the Lad »

thats why you have a dive observer - required by law.
fishing and beers,

wonder what the poor people are up to!!!
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Sweaty
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Sweaty »

Brad the Lad wrote:thats why you have a dive observer - required by law.
Unfortunately it's not law, there is the Australian standard in relation to commerical divers but this differs with Pearl and recreational divers including divers that are using SSBA.

As much as it would be great to have a dive supervisor who is also trained as a dive medic, it's not a always possible especially fund wise with minor groups and rec divers.
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Hemi
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Hemi »

Theres certainly bugger-all laws when it comes to recreational diving...

Its a Low act to steal anything, no matter what the situation..!
"Bite off more than you can chew - Then chew like hell.." - PETER BROCK.
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Brad the Lad
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Brad the Lad »

Certainly law in the NT guys.

see section taken from the Marine General Regualtions

Divers
(1) A diver operating from a vessel must ensure, at all times while the diver is in the water, that there is displayed on the vessel, so as to be visible to a person approaching the vessel from any direction, a rigid replica of the International Code Flag "A" denoting that a diver is operating in the area.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
(2) A diver operating from a vessel must not enter the water with the intention of diving under it unless satisfied that another person on the vessel is maintaining a proper watch on the diver.
Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.


rather clear cut actually.
fishing and beers,

wonder what the poor people are up to!!!
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Matt Flynn
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Matt Flynn »

bl..dy good to have someone in the boat, law or no law ... especially at Rivoli Bay :)

Diver's nightmare ... seeing the boat go down as he/she goes up.
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by rockviewau »

ive done a lot of dives and there is no way i would enter the water knowing no one was up top. Ive seen plenty go wrong in terms of picking people up away from boats (was a bottle of bundy with a skipper i knew) or as in this case, moronic people doing dumb stuff!!

surely they could find a mate to go with them!!
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by nomad »

yeah agree. we always had someone up top while we had a dive. just common sense.
Brad the Lad, any more details on those regs? more than likely its for commercial ops ?
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Brad the Lad
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Brad the Lad »

nomad wrote:Brad the Lad, any more details on those regs? more than likely its for commercial ops ?
they can be found here - Marine General Regulations. Form part of the Marine Act, which applies to recreational boating also.

http://notes.nt.gov.au/dcm/legislat/leg ... 003R20.pdf

certainly applies to recreational boating.

i encourage everyone on here to have a look at thier obligaitons whilst boating, might suprise a few people. hopefully educate some also.
fishing and beers,

wonder what the poor people are up to!!!
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Hemi »

Unless ive missed it... It fustrates me that they dont state how far away you must remain from a vessel flying a dive flag.
Thats more important than the other silly rules they have and never police!
"Bite off more than you can chew - Then chew like hell.." - PETER BROCK.
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by nomad »

Thanks for the effort 8)

as to everyone knowing the rules, i used to be for licences because at least they have to know the rules once. but the same goes for drivers, they have no idea and everyone had to pass the test at some time.
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by rockviewau »

when diving at oak park (well known dive location in cronulla), ive seen multiple times, boat drivers hammer through over the dive site, with multiple flags in the water. Sadly, these morons would actually come in between the flags and the beach. I only wished that they would have some serious engine trouble.......

Know the rules, follow them..........
Mark philippe
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Mark philippe »

When a dive flag is up on a vessel you are required to stay 50 meters away from that vesssel
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Ben Jam
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by Ben Jam »

Is that in the NT and can you provide a link?
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cuddlescooper
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Re: Boat stolen while divers down?

Post by cuddlescooper »

Mark philippe wrote:When a dive flag is up on a vessel you are required to stay 50 meters away from that vesssel
WA Law I think.
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