NEED ADVICE

rigger72 · Nov 17, 2008

Hi am new to the site and want some advice from some of the veterans about how to go about finding new shipwrecks. Are there some good books to read. Any advice and recommendations will be appreciated

Darren in NC · Nov 17, 2008

That's a pretty loaded question. Are you looking for wooden vessels? Steel? An old shrimper, steamboat, yacht, barge, schooner, freighter, etc... What resources do you have? Are you alone? Do you have a diving group? I see you're emailing from the navy, so you might have some resources there. :wink:

Do you want to have fun on the weekend poking around or do you intend to salvage? Do you have a boat, dive gear, or a see-through surfboard? Or are you simply wanting to be an armchair researcher on the internet or in a library?

These are some of the questions that need to be answered before we can help you.

All the best,
Darren

diverlynn · Nov 17, 2008

rigger72,
Make sure you have your ducks in a row and that they all lay golden eggs!

Hey Darren of NC
Imagine all the time spent on research, money spent, accidents, crew problems, management problems, cold, black diving, gear problems, $$$$$, more $$$$$

Why do we do this?
How long will we chase the next rainbow?

Who knows but for now I'm in!

Diverlynn

rigger72 · Nov 18, 2008

thanks for the replies, and sorry for the loaded question. first off and i green at all of this. I would just like to learn the ways to research the lost ships. if you here of a ship or read something where would you star4t to find the information. i am stationed in japn now but will be back in the states in a couple years. i plan on retiring in florida or if a girlfriend has her way australia. i read a story lastnight about a fishing boat off the coast of new orleans pulled in their nets to find silver pesos from a ship that sank with like 420,000 fresly minted pesos. well i started wonering way no one looked for this ship if if they had looked. i am just fascinated by finding something like this don't get me wrong i am not interested in find a treasure i would just like to be part of this. if i searched for years and only had a tea cup to show for it i would be happy. as far as the nay goes i am a parachute rigger not a navy diver so my resources would be limited. i plan to have my on gear in a few months and i am contuing my dive training up to instructor right now i am just advance and nitrox certified. i love diving. i am getting a devorce and will be ritired in less than 8 years so i am planning for something fu to do full time after that. thanks for ther advice. one more thing is there any one dive class that would benefit me the most. we go to guam alot and when the ship pulls in they offer classes regularly i plan on taking a new class everytime we pull in. thanks again

Darren in NC · Nov 18, 2008

diverlynn said:
How long will we chase the next rainbow?

I guess I'm in, too. Each time I think I'm getting out, I return to see if there's one more stone I left unturned.

Rigger, I normally don't recommend treasure books for research, but as a greenhorn read all the shipwreck books you can find. Read everything from Robert "Bob" Marx, Nigel Pickford, Dave Horner, Mendel Peterson, Sea Hunters I and II from Clive Cussler, Barry Clifford, Gary Gentile, etc. Those authors will help you get a feel for what to do for a variety of wreck sites. That will keep you learning for awhile. In time, you'll get ideas that lead to more questions and then on to the answers for your situation.

All the best,
Darren

rigger72 · Nov 18, 2008

thanks i appreciate the advice

allen_idaho · Nov 18, 2008

But don't take what you find in treasure books as fact. You need to do your homework first. Because chances are that it is false.

After doing my own research on several shipwrecks commonly found in such books, in an attempt to verify them as possible search sites, a number of them turned out to be false or already salvaged.

My advice: check newspaper archives, port registries, and a variety of other sources before accepting a treasure wreck as true. There is nothing worse than an expensive search that leads to nothing but empty pockets.

FISHEYE · Nov 19, 2008

Rigger,

Another way to find where shipwrecks are is to talk to old men.Listen to the stories they tell.Just this week i met a old guy that works for Chevron oil in the gulf of mexico.He responded to a add i had on craigslist for a boat trailer i was selling.He bought it.Then as we were hooking it up to his truck i asked what he did for a living an he said he works for chevron oil in the gulf dismantling the old oil rigs in shallow water.He said he has enough work to keep him and his crew busy for the next 15 years.So then i ask him if they ever find any shipwrecks.He said yes,all the time,but they cant work them or do anything about them so he just records the locations.He said he cant sell the info but can give it away

Before they tear down the rigs they have to sidescan and mag the area around the rigs actually several miles around the rigs.They find all kinds of things.He even offered me a job starting out pay is around 120k.He is making 350k as a safety supervisor.And they only work about 6 months out of the year.Then since im in the scrap biz he offered me all the steel off the rigs.He said they cant sell it,they have to give it away.I asked how much weight comes off a rig,he said anywheres from 100,000 lbs to 800,000 pounds of steel.I told him i want it all and to let me know where and when to pick it up.Plus he said they sell the boats and equipment for dirt cheep that come off the rigs.Most likely i will make more money from the scrap then working tearing down the rigs so i think i will go this route.Then use the rest of the year to go treasure hunting.I wont really need any investors,but he did ask about it.He said we met for a reason,not just for the boat trailer.

rgecy · Nov 19, 2008

Man, you seem to hit the jackpot there John!

120K a year job if you want it and only work 6 months or all the scrap steel you want from the oil riggs to sell!

Maybe we will see that boat out of the slip this year after all!

Robert

Salvor6 · Nov 19, 2008

Hey Robert, how much can we get if we scrap our boat? Oh ya, I forgot, its fiberglass- not steel!

FISHEYE · Nov 19, 2008

You could scrap those 2 gas burning engines you have then put the money towards 2 6.2 liter chevy diesels.Or better yet 2 hummer 6.2 liter diesels,pretty much the same as the chevy diesels,just a little more power.Those engines are cheep at the gov auctions.I got one that has 50k miles on it for 100 bux.I put it in my 1 ton chevy dually.28 miles to the gallon on straight veggie oil.No cost to run it.Treasure hunt for free.

sabre15 · Feb 5, 2009

I''ll take the job john, i'll do it for less and give you a kickback. As far as engines go, my buddy here is a marine engine rebuilder/dealer, anything you need let me know!