In Reply to: Re: So which SoCal boats are rebreather unfriendly? posted by Here we go again on December 08, 2007 at 07:21:43:

A dive boat that disallows rebreathers has nothing to do with whether they dislike rebreathers, it has everything to do with trying to minimize their exposure to frivolous lawsuits from lawyers. Experienced dive boat captains do not think rebreathers are anymore dangerous than open circuit, and statistics evidence the fact that per hour, open circuit divers are killed more often that closed circuit. But e facts never get in the way of a lawyer on a mission to shake down small businesses.

Dive charter boats of the large size we've become accustomed too in SoCal are not an enterprise that makes any money. For the extremely minimal fee they charge in exchange for being able to board the boat the night before, stow your gear, go out with friends and have dinner and hang out, wake up from a warm clean bunk arriving at the dive site, have hot breakfast, dive all day with lunch and dinner, get airfills, take hot showers, sleep on the way back....they are the best deal around....for divers, not for boat owners.

I have been on the Great Escape many times, and many times long ago when it was called the Charisma and they would only pump tanks to 2500 psi. Back then, and even more so now, under Captain Tim, they enjoy one of the best reputations of dive charters boats in Socal.

So I am afraid I will have to disagree with your anonymous post that the intent of my OP was to bash SoCal boats and their captains, to the contrary, in spite of the fact that I may be excluded, I completely understand lawsuit risk management by dive boat operators and they have our support complete support whatever they decide to do.

I hope that clears things up, but I suppose my OP title could have been worded better.

:) Dave

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