InDepth Dive Club Boat
'Deep Blue' RHIB
InDepth Dive Club has its own club boat, called 'Deep Blue'. She was named as such because her tubes are a dark blue and she is especially set-up as a dive boat.
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She's a 5.8 metre Humber Destroyer 580 fitted with an Evinrude 115 Ficht RAM outboard engine.
Deep Blue - Humber Destroyer RHIB (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat)
'Deep Blue' is maintained to the highest standard and has recently been extensively overhauled and had new throttle cables fitted, a new steering cable, a full gearbox stripdown and realignment, impeller and full engine service.
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She's fitted with state-of-the-art navigational and emergency location & radio equipment, an 'Ocean Ears' Diver recall system and extensive first aid, flares and O2 facilities.
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She's sat on a Snipe roller coaster trailer that has also been stripped down and fully serviced and upgraded this year, having had new wheels bearings, winch, alloy wheels and tyres and new checkerplate.
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We pride ourselves on sparing no expense. She's maintained to the highest standards. A valued asset that affords the club the ability to dive whenever the opportunity presents itself.
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We frequently take her to the South Coast and dive from locations such as Plymouth, West Bay, Lyme Regis, Challaborough & Hope Cove and across to Wales to dive from Pembroke.
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If, when we meet up on one of our regular Thursday evening club nights, the forecast looks good for the following weekend, we will often make arrangements then and there to take her off for a day or two's diving. Likewise, whilst she is set-up specifically with scuba diving in mind, we do still take her out to sea purely for the fun of taking her out and heading off along the coast for the day.
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Diving from the club RHIB is only offered to fully paid up club members.
Courses & Workshops enhanced with the Deep Blue RHIB
In addition to pleasure diving from Deep Blue the club can also offer a number of courses and workshops from her, including:
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PADI Deep Diver / Depth progression dives for BSAC / SAA etc.
PADI Digital Underwater Photography / Videography / Digital Imaging / Photogrammetry
SAA Boat Handler (RYA Level 2 prep)
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And many other courses can be progressed with the club RHIB. Please refer to each individual course for full details as many have specific prerequisites and requirements prior to being able to dive from the club RHIB and not all dives for certain courses would necessarily be done from the RHIB.
Deep Blue RHIB - Qualified Boat Handlers
Common sense alone dictates that anyone in charge of an ocean-going vessel should be suitably qualified and experienced. In the UK if you're operating a boat with a motor over 10 horsepower, you must hold a valid International Certificate of Competence (ICC) or a national boat licence issued by the UK government. The RYA issues certificates of competence that are ICC compliant and are internationally recognised.​​​
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At InDepth Dive Club we are fortunate enough to have a number of club members with a great deal of experience when it comes to boats. From powerboat racing to sailing, RYA instructors and even Radio Operator Instructors.
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These include the following club members:
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Chairman
Mike Rose - RYA Instructor
Significant powerboat experience, RYA Instructor since 1995, RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor since 2005 and coach. Also teaches RYA SRC (Short Range Certificate) VHF Radio and RYA Day Skipper Navigation.
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Diving Officer
James Neal - RYA Level 2
Significant powerboat racing experience since 1991 and has owned a number of serious boats over the years, from a 14' Racing Catamaran to 30' Extreme V12 Lamborghini powered Class 2 race boat, called Prometheus. His favourite boat was called 'On the Fly' (pictured below) and was a 20 foot Ring Powercraft fitted with a Mercury XR2 race-tuned outboard, putting out approximately 250 bhp. He also owned a 25 foot Phantom with twin Mercury 250 bhp outboards on the back. He certainly knows how to throw a boat about.
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Treasurer
Dimple Neal (Nee Whaid) - RYA Level 2
Has spent many weekends at Lyme Regis with James and can recant tales of sleeping on the beach under powerboat tarpaulins with great revelry! Her memories of these shenanigans aren't quite as joyous as James's!
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Dive Trip Coordinator
Martin rutterford - RYA Level 2
Martin is another highly experienced boat handler, he has skippered a number of vessels with work, including a Targa 31 RHIB and a Blyth 33 catamaran called Proteus, he holds a number of commercial certifications and an RYA Level 2 certification.
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Equipment Officer
Andy Rice - RYA Level 2
Andy is a fairly recently qualified RYA Level 2 powerboat handler and is building up experience.
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Club Member
Dan Nurse- RYA Level 2
Dan is also a fairly recently qualified RYA Level 2 powerboat handler who is building up his own experience with the club.
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Club Member
Joseph Bone - BSAC Boat Handling and Outboard & Boat Maintenance
Joe is another experienced boat handler in the club that holds a number of BSAC certifications.
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Club Member
Nick Havard - BSAC Boat Handling
Nick is also a club member with experience as a boat handler and holds a BSAC certification.
Deep Blue RHIB - InDepth's Radio Licence
In the UK all ships (including yachts and pleasure craft) are covered by the Merchant Shipping Act (MSA).
It is an international legal requirement for any ocean going vessel carrying a VHF, MF or HF radio to have the appropriate licence to operate. Below you can view and download a copy of InDepth's Ship Radio & Portable Radio Licence.
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The person (or persons) responsible for operating the vessel's radio should hold a marine radio operator’s Certificate of Competence before using any radio transmitter on marine frequencies.
Call signs and MMSI numbers are internationally allocated. If you know a vessel’s name, call sign or MMSI number you can look up the vessel particulars on the MARS database which is managed by the the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) . USA ships are recorded by the FCC.
Our Vessel Name is: DEEP BLUE
Our Licence Number is: MAR0094279
Our Call Sign is: MPDZ2
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Our MMSI Number is: 232054926
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Copy of James Neal's Operator's Licence opposite
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Several other club members also carry a marine radio operators licence.​​​
Deep Blue RHIB - Oceanears Diver Recall System
Deep Blue carries an acoustic diver recall system known as Oceanears.
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The Oceanears DRS-8-003/SA400 CLASSIC Acoustic Diver Recall System is now the leading diver recall system in the World!
Deep Blue RHIB - Other Safety Equipment
Deep Blue carries a number of safety items, including:
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Throw Lines
Flares
Back-Up Radio
Life Jackets
First Aid Kits
Oxygen
Thermal blankets
Survival Bags
Bailers
Assorted Tools
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Deep Blue RHIB - Insurance Documents
Deep Blue is insured through:
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Westfield Sub Aqua and Marine Insurance Services Ltd
14 Lambourne Drive
Bagshot
Surry
GU19 5BY
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Tel: 01483 237827
Guests & Guest Divers on the club RHIB - Deep Blue
We welcome guests and guest divers aboard our club RHIB, Deep Blue. However, ALL passengers / divers on board Deep Blue must be members of InDepth Dive Club. This is for insurance reasons, as detailed below by Nick Caldwell of Westfield Marine Insurance Services, whom we insure our vessel through.
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In order to ensure that all persons on our vessel are insured, we offer a 'Temporary Membership' for guests and guest divers. These temporary memberships can be for either:
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1 Day Membership - £5
Weekend Membership - £7.50
Week Membership - £10
Month Membership - £20
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Given that our annual membership is not a great deal, we do not, therefore, offer any temporary memberships beyond a month. You can, however, become a temporary member as many times as you wish throughout a year, up to a maximum of 2 months.
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Boat Insurance for Dive Clubs
Via Westfield (Sub Aqua & Marine) Insurance Services Ltç seems a misunderstanding has taken place in recent months, with a few individuals within clubs about the level of cover that is provided by our Specialist Dive boat insurance.
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Please remember that we have been insuring Dive Boats and Dive Clubs since the 1970s and therefore hold a great understanding of your activities and indeed your needs.
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We therefore confirm that our policy does include an Extra Endorsement (number 26) for Dive Craft.
This addresses the issue of ‘Member to Member’ Liability cover and ‘Guest’ divers and indeed Third Party Liability cover to Divers in the water.
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There has been no change in this cover, and it has and will be continued to be far greater than any other marine insurance policies on the market as often this cover does not exist on most policies and normally Liability cover is excluded if you strike divers in the water. So again I am confident together with my underwriters that this cover is put in place for you under our policy.
I think the confusion has been to do with making a charge to non-members/third party people for coming on and/or diving from your boat. Hopefully you will understand that then legally this becomes an issue as to whether you are running a commercial service i.e. charging people. In this situation you COULD (if you wish) make them a temporary member so they are just contributing to the running costs of the club boat that they are now also a member of, or you COULD take the view that in fact this is a commercial operation for boat charter. Should this be the case we can indeed provide cover for Dive Charter boats, albeit at about £100.00 more in premium.
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Should you have any questions please always feel free to contact us and I will be happy to assist.
Kind Regards,
Nick Caldwell,
Managing Director.
For your reference…
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Endorsement 26 – Dive Craft
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26.1 The insurance provided by Section 2 – Liability to Third Parties and Passengers, of Your Policy is extended to include the liability to divers in the water. This cover is only operative if the person in charge of Your Craft is aboard and in control of Your Craft at all times when the craft is in use. The person in charge of Your Craft must hold a valid Boat Handling Certificate authorised by Your Diving Association or the R.Y.A. or has at least 50 hours proven experience of handling a craft equal to that insured within the terms and conditions of this insurance together with proven proficiency with regard to first aid e.g. A certificate or signed logbook showing completion of a first aid course.
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26.2 The insurance provided by Section 2 – Liability to third Parties and Passengers, of Your Policy is extended to include liability arising from the carrying and use of therapeutic oxygen resuscitation equipment that You own, while it is on Your Craft.
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Your Insurers will not pay any claims for liability that arise from:
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i. failure to administer therapeutic oxygen; or
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ii. the person administering therapeutic oxygen not holding a valid certificate proving he or she is fully qualified to administer therapeutic oxygen; or
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iii. therapeutic oxygen resuscitation equipment not being certified as tested and maintained in good working order, and / or as required by statute.
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26.3 The insurance provided by Section 2 – Liability to Third Parties and Passengers, of Your Policy covers each member of the club and / or association as if separate cover had been provided to each individual member. Our liability will not be more than the amount shown in Your Policy Schedule under the Third Party Indemnity Limit.
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26.4 The insurance provided by Section 2 – Liability to Third Parties and Passengers of
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Your Policy is extended to include liability arising from the negligent instruction or tuition of a pupil on a boat handling course. This extension only applies if the instruction or tuition is given voluntarily. All the recommendations of Your Diving Association or the R.Y.A. for then manning of craft must be complied with.
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26.5 General Policy Exclusion 4.7.2 is deleted and replaced by the following:
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4.7.2 for anything except Your own private pleasure and / or diving club activities and / or boat handling courses recognised by Your Diving Association or the R.Y.A.
CDA Safe Boating Guidelines
Deep Blue is run and operated under the appropriate guidance as laid out in The Combined Diving Association's Handbook: Guidelines for the safe operation of member club dive boats.
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Click on the image to download a copy.
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“ONLY THE GUY WHO ISN'T ROWING HAS TIME TO ROCK THE BOAT.”
— Jean-Paul Sartre