Working charters
Government, research and media charters
A U.S. Coast Guard inspected 40-foot Delta out of Mission Bay, San Diego, rated for 24, crewed by a Master Captain and a Dive Master, with air and nitrox blended on board. Registered in SAM.gov. Woman-owned.
Marissa Charters provides a USCG-certificated dive and work vessel to military units, federal contractors, research teams and production crews working off San Diego. The Marissa is a custom 40-foot Delta rated for 24 passengers, based at Mission Bay Sports Center, with a Master Captain and a Dive Master on every charter, a high-pressure compressor blending air and nitrox on the water, and written live-boating procedures for staged technical teams. Marissa Charters is registered in SAM.gov and is a woman-owned small business. Estimates come from Captain Lora directly.
What a certificated vessel gives your project
A certificated vessel, not a six-pack
The Marissa carries a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection and is rated for 24 passengers. That is the document an agency, a university risk office or a production insurer asks for first, and most small dive boats in San Diego cannot produce one.
40 feet of working deck
A custom 40-foot Delta with a large covered deck, individual dry and wet bins, an enclosed head with an electric toilet and hot shower, and a swim step and ladder built for divers in full kit. Stable enough to stage instruments, cameras and gas.
Gas on board
A high-pressure compressor fills air and continuous-blend nitrox from 22 to 40 percent on the water, to 4200 psi, so a multi-dive working day does not stop for a fill run. Helium mixes come aboard pre-blended.
Crew that runs dive operations every week
A Master Captain and a Dive Master on every charter. Captain Lora has run the boat since 2009, Captain Chris since 2015, Captain Rod since 2018, and Robin Jacoway, a USCG Master and technical instructor, has run technical operations since 2009.
Live-boat drops and team deployment
Written live-boating procedures: teams of four dropped on a marked shot line with engines off, staged, deco and bailout bottles clipped on before entry, recovery at the buoy. Scooters, CCR, sidemount and doubles are routine.
Written procedures, not verbal ones
Gear-up sequence, water-ready definition, drop-line logistics, SMB protocol and team order are emailed before the day. Emergency oxygen is aboard. Every diver signs a waiver before boarding and the crew keeps a manifest with server-stamped checks.
Who charters the boat for work
Military and federal
U.S. military units and federal contractors chartering a certificated platform for training, testing and support work on the water off San Diego.
Research
University and agency teams that need a stable vessel, a divemaster aboard, gas fills between dives and a crew that understands transects, quadrats and sampling schedules.
Film and television
Network television and production crews working a shot list at sea, with deck space for housings and lights, a covered salon for dry gear, and a captain who can hold position.
Vessel and contracting details
- Custom 40-foot Delta, U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection, rated for 24 passengers.
- Home dock: Mission Bay Sports Center, 1010 Santa Clara Place, San Diego, CA 92109. Free parking.
- High-pressure air and continuous-blend nitrox compressor, 22 to 40 percent, fills to 4200 psi.
- Individual dry and wet gear bins, covered deck and salon, enclosed head with electric toilet and hot shower, emergency oxygen aboard.
- Crew: Master Captain and Dive Master on every charter. Technical operations led by a USCG Master and technical instructor.
- Registered in SAM.gov. Woman-owned small business. Identifiers, the Certificate of Inspection and insurance certificates are provided with any estimate.
- Owner-operated since 2009. The whole-boat rate for a working day is quoted per job, from the hours, the distance run and the support required.
For recreational groups and clubs, see private charters. For the boat itself, see our boat, and for the people, our crew.
Request an estimate
Email [email protected] or text (619) 757-3280 with your dates, headcount, gear and what the day has to accomplish. Captain Lora scopes and quotes the work herself, and answers with a written estimate rather than a form.
Questions contracting officers ask
Is the Marissa a Coast Guard inspected vessel?+
Yes. The Marissa holds a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection and is rated for 24 passengers. On public dive trips we carry ten by choice. A copy of the certificate is available on request for contracting and insurance files.
Is Marissa Charters registered for government contracting?+
Yes. Marissa Charters is registered in SAM.gov and is a woman-owned small business. Registration identifiers are provided with any estimate.
Can the boat support technical, rebreather or scientific diving?+
Yes. The crew runs technical operations every week: live-boat drops on a marked shot line, teams of four, staged and deco bottles, CCR, sidemount, doubles and scooters. Nitrox is blended onboard from 22 to 40 percent. Trimix is not blended onboard.
How many people can come aboard on a working charter?+
The certificate rates the vessel for 24 passengers. The right number for your job depends on the gear and the work, and the Captain sets it with you when scoping the day.
Where does the boat work from?+
Mission Bay Sports Center, 1010 Santa Clara Place, San Diego, CA 92109, with free parking and a short run to Wreck Alley, Point Loma and the offshore sites. Other San Diego departure points can be arranged.
How do we get an estimate?+
Email [email protected] or text (619) 757-3280 with your dates, headcount, gear and what the day needs to accomplish. Captain Lora scopes and quotes the work herself.