expert on board
Need to check an anode or clear a fouled prop? Going under your boat in the water is a useful skill and a new way to explore. Andy Goddard explains how to do it safely
Fouled prop? We find out how to dive under your boat, and why every sailor needs to be prepared
Would you swim under your boat? Some might think nothing of giving their boat a quick scrub before a passage to check the anchor or the anodes, or even to free the propeller if it gets fouled. For others, nothing on earth would persuade them to get in the water. Whichever camp you fall into, being able to look at the parts of your yachts that are underwater can be an enormously useful and potentially enjoyable skill to have.
Quite apart from checking your boat, being able to swim, snorkel or scuba dive from your boat can be a hugely rewarding experience. Done right, it can open up a whole new world when you reach your anchorage and huge stretches of our coastline are rarely, if ever, dived or snorkeled on so there’s plenty to explore.
For anyone who has tried to swim under their boat and spent any useful amount of time down there, particularly in British waters, they will know that it isn’t as easy as one might first think. Furthermore, sailors spend the vast majority of their time trying to stay out of the water and keep dry, so going into the water is entering a world with which we are not entirely familiar, and those that do often don’t know enough to spot the dangers. There are different considerations, risks and procedures to follow that we would all do well to be aware of.
Even if you would never dive over the side, someone in your crew might need or want to, and you will need to know how to keep them safe. You might even discover some skills that give you the confidence to enjoy going for a swim and go under your boat safely.