Hi All, from a Diver Who Wants to Sail

[itpersonne]

Hi guys, I was born in Bordeaux and grew up in Martinique I left in 1994 to travel around the world: I lived in Belgium, Holland, Hungary, Danemark, Lithuania, Algeria, Congo RDC, Mauritius, French Guiana and now in St Martin where I have been for a year now. I traveled around the world from Oceania to Africa but with a plane... now it is time to sail a bit...

I am a Padi instructor and would like to start a sail and dive charter in St Maarten-St Barth-Saba-Statia-St Kitts and the BVI. If you are in the business or have tips I am open to all suggestions, I want to be ready in November 2010. I am looking for either a boat with skipper, a partnership or just a nice and cheap boat, 40' cat, 50' mono.

All right now you know more about me, you can always check the blog I started in Mauritius, not that many comments but lots of pics:
intensif.blogspot.com/

[Southern Star]

Hi it and welcome to the forum. I can't help you find a partner (or with respect to the market in the various areas you have mentioned), but I am interested in why you have limited yourself to those specific islands in the Caribbean. In addition (and as I am sure you are aware), there are some significant disadvantages to running a dive business off of a sailboat, rather than a power boat.

Brad

[s/v Moondancer]

We dive off our 55 ft sailboat and 4 is the max we can accommodate diving because of limited deck space...We used to dive off a tri which was 24 ft shorter and a much better dive platform.

You need to find a suitable cat.

Good luck

[itpersonne]

Hi Brad and Phil, Thanks for your feed backs.

I am interested in why you have limited yourself to those specific islands in the Caribbean

Because I know the diving spots in these island and my home is in St Maarten I also consider Saba one of the best diving spot I have dived around here.

In addition (and as I am sure you are aware), there are some significant disadvantages to running a dive business off of a sailboat, rather than a power boat.

You are right I am considering that as well. Price might be an issue though.

We dive off our 55 ft sailboat and 4 is the max we can accommodate diving because of limited deck space...We used to dive off a tri which was 24 ft shorter and a much better dive platform.

I am still in the Market research process and apparently you are right, divers and pros prefer the cat.

[Dream In Blue]

Hi there! I don't have any suggestions but I am a PADI DM and St. Maarten was one of my favorite dive locations. We dove too many times to count with Dive Safari. We dove off our 52 foot sloop many times and numerous times we had several people with us too. Heck, we even crammed 6 people into a small dingy, gear included, and very carefully motored to dive spots! It can be done!

[UWOA]

Power is probably the better way to go, but I remember doing a dive trip that originated in Miami and went to Bimini; it was aboard a sixty foot sloop. Quarters were pretty tight, but as I remember the crew of four was accompanied by no less than twenty-six (yes, 26!) divers. The funny thing is ... we had a blast! I was a PADI Open Water Instructor, British Sub Aqua Club Instructor, CMAS Two Star Diving Instructor, YMCA SCUBA Instructor and an Assistant NAUI SCUBA Instructor with fifteen years experience as a law enforcement water rescue diver. I relate my pedigree because I've dived from the Monterey, CA to Vina Del Mar, Chile in the Pacific Ocean and from Gloucester, ME to Cartagena Columbia in the Atlantic Ocean ... but that dive trip is still one of my most vivid memories .....

.... and from a sailboat, no less.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
I used to use my 8' hard dinghy as my dive boat when I was younger. Put your heavy gear on one side and come in on the other. Have to put your weight belt, BC and tank on while in the water.
kind regards,