Jon Geddes, the head of a firm that offers specialist maritime training for sailors, defended the crew of the Dorset Belle and said the likely cause of the Bournemouth tragedy was a riptide.
Joe Abbess had been swimming in the water close to the pier on the popular seafront with nine other people were caught in the chaos at Bournemouth Beach last week.
All boat operations have been suspended from Bournemouth pier following the death of two swimmers last week, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has announced.