Shopping for a dive boat

As a diver that has always used a full face snorkeling mask and having lived by, on and under the sea my whole life, you always think of your own dive boat. What a better way to check out some virgin wrecks or cold deep black seas. So this Saturday I decided to step by the Tallinn boat market, to see what’s available. I’m quite picky, as most of the stuff out there is rubbish. It’s amazing, how many cheap, slow and ugly boats are produced. A good dive boat must have many qualities and capabilities. Still there were a few here in Tallinn, which I could have a second look at. Not good, but more or less OK for a starter.

First there was the Mayan Queen IV:

The 92m Blohm + Voss manufactured displaces 4200 tonnes of water. Sure, she’s no 17 on world’s superyachts list. But you know what that means: 16 people in the world laughing at your face when you show up. The front deck is small. Yes you can park your helicopter there, but what about friends ones? And for this trip, someone had ejected a huge lamppost on the front deck, a sure way to break your ‘copter – a practical joke? Don’t get me even started on the back deck, no real room for good size RIB’s. Poor mexican, who owns it. I hope he gets it sold quickly.

Then checked out the P&O Cruises Ventura.

She’s the largest ever British superliner, at 290 meters and 113000 metric tons. Fair enough. Ample room for your 3090 friends and loads of stuff. Then again, to get from your room to go diving takes you ages. And 5 pools, who needs that, for training? For gods sake, you have the sea all around you and you build pools. Argh! I don’t even want to know, what are the circus skills training school, bungee trampolines and rock school listed in the specification. It’s a dive ship, for gods sake!

Had a quick look at Cunard Queen Victoria as well. “Think fireworks, patriotic (British) song and oodles of pageantry — including the former Camilla Parker Bowles, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall, oh-so-royally pushing the button that sent a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne crashing toward the ship’s bow, presided over by England’s Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla. Alas, there was one hitch: The bottle didn’t break.” Sure in hell am I gonna buy a boat with such a curse!

Must be the recession. No good stuff on the market, all the junk brought to Baltic waters.

Back to RIB diving.