On some Thai diving expeditions, I have had the pleasure to dive in small groups on long tail boats. Some would say these look awful, for me, no - but I appreciate other views. The advantage of these small watercraft ferrying divers out to sites is that groups are small - a perfect dive platform.
Diving in Thailand for me has seen large groups mixed with different levels in scuba factory type settings - I vowed never to dive in Thailand a number of times. Sometimes, all you see underwater is other divers and I am willing to forgo a little comfort to improve my Thai dive experiences.
Of course, these vessels are not for everyone, getting in and out of the water can be a little challenging for some. That being said, I can't emphasise enough the value of diving in small groups, it is worth the long tail ride. The engine is swivel mounted on a frame connected to the propeller shaft.
The skipper steers by manipulating the engine frame and can lift the propeller out of the water to stop drive if needed, all in all, not too bad for dive sites not requiring a long trip. Yep, I am more than happy to dive from long tail boats and miss the usual Thai crowds.
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