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The best dive boats that I have been on for diving out to 50 miles or so are 
patterned after the Maine Lobster boat or Down Easter. These boats are any 
where from 36-50' long and have a very large cockpit (up to half of the boats 
length) which the sport fishing boats do not. The fishing boats put much more 
of the boat into finished cabin space that the owners would look very dimly 
on having wet gear in. Some of the 60' sport fishing boats in the 50-60' 
range will only have cockpits of 10-15' or so. Put 4 deep divers and 2 
support divers in a space that small and you might as well be on a cattle 
boat. Also, Sport Fishing boats do not have swim platforms as they get in the 
way of the fishing lines and many will have hatches with a solid gunnel 
instead of a door. The lobster boat may not have any after bulkhead if it is 
converted from a commercial boat or if made for diving will have a swim 
platform with a door. Anyway you are only inches from the water surface.

One of the lobster boats (36') that I have been on has recessed areas under 
the port and starboard gunnels in the cockpit so that tanks can be placed 
UNDER the gunnels standing upright with regs attached. In this position they 
are completely out of the way and protected when not in use. To retrieve them 
you just release the bungies tilt to top of the rig inboard and lift/drag 
out. Replacing them is as easy. When returning to the boat the crew will have 
them in their spot as soon as you are out of them. This boat is a 25 knoter 
and can make run to the Doria from Point Judith, RI in about 2.5 hours, seas 
permitting, or can do the run from Martha's Vineyard in about an hour.

Pete Johnson
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