The Marine Service Center provides vessel support, research support, and scientific diving training and supervision for university-sponsored projects in and around the Gulf of Mexico.
Boats, Facilities, and Platforms
Departments including Anthropology, Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and others make use of the facilities at MSC for hands-on learning and research. MSC has a number of vessels and platforms available for research associated with the University of West Florida which are suitable for a variety of uses. These include Pontoon boats, bay boats, off-shore vessels, and a dive platform for coastal and estuarine research. For more information on watercraft available through the Marine Services Center, please consult the below list of vessels and their descriptions.
The following boats are exclusively available to University of West Florida, Faculty, Staff and Students for research purposes.
| Boat | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1986 26' Grady White (GW1) | $450.00* |
| 2010 26' Tritoon (T1) | $250.00 |
| 2022 26' Tritoon (T2) | $250.00 |
| 2006 20' Rhino (R1) | $200.00 |
| 2011 26' Rhino (R2) | $200.00 |
| 2012 27' Rhino (R3) | $200.00 |
| 2018 21' Rhino (R4) | $200.00 |
*Includes $100 fee for the required UWF MSC Captain.
NOTE: Usage fees do not include fuel or damage charges
Dive Safety Program
The Dive Safety Program ensures that all scientific diving under the auspices of the University of West Florida (UWF) and the Marine Services Center (MSC) is conducted in a manner that will maximize the protection of scientific divers from accidental injury and/or illness.
American Academy of Underwater Sciences
The University of West Florida is an Organizational Member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) and follows all AAUS standards regarding scientific diving. The mission of AAUS is to "advance and facilitate safe and productive scientific diving;" more information about AAUS can be found at AAUS.org
Dive Safety Officer
The Dive Safety Program is administered by the Dive Safety Officer (DSO) whose job is to develop and implement the Scientific Diving Program. The DSO is the primary support person for diving from our facility and for the operation and maintenance of our dive equipment, waterfront facilities and small boats. He also directs and instructs staff, students and research divers in the safe and efficient operation of marine diving and boating projects and accompanies divers on marine investigations to record scientific data. The DSO supervises deck crew and all operational and safety functions as well as verifying diver certification and maintaining UWF project dive logs. The DSO has operational authority for the diving program, including enforcement of diving safety regulations, approval of dive plans.
Additional Information
Vessel Reservation Request ( Vessel Reservation Request)
Standards for Scientific Diving
Contact Us
UWF Marine Services Center
Ellyson Industrial Park
8810 Paul Starr Drive
Pensacola, FL 32514
850.475.5438
For More Information
About billing or general information, contact Karen Mims at kmims@uwf.edu.
About boat rental information and scheduling, contact DJ Johnson at djohnson11@uwf.edu.
About information on diving, contact Fritz Sharar at csharar@uwf.edu.
