Boat ladders and upper body v leg strength

[Kimela]

Hi Folks!

We were diving with Dive Paradise out of Hotel Cozumel 8/11-8/17/20 and I really struggled with the dive ladders on their boats. I thought this was a good opportunity to discuss dive fitness as it relates to getting on and off the boat in addition to all the rest of dive fitness.

I'm 60 and in pretty good shape. I could afford to lose the COVID20 I've gained over the past 6 months, but I take a 2 mile brisk walk with my dive buddy (husband) and dogs every day (these dogs stop to do their business and drag us the rest of the time, so it's truly a brisk 2 miles). I don't exercise otherwise and have a sedentary job. I know I need to add weight bearing exercise and probably more cardio.

In June we went to Key Largo and spent a week diving with Rainbow Reef. I easily climbed the ladder to get back on the boat with my BC and weights on (I only dive with 8-10 pounds of lead). The ladders on the RR boats have hand rails so I can use upper body strength to pull myself up onto the boat - no problem. However, the boats at Dive Paradise did NOT have handrails - the ladder looked like a pole with crossbars. My husband found it difficult to get back on the boat and described it as 'having to crawl back on', and even with my BC off I found it difficult to ascend the ladder. If it had been rough seas I would have had to sit the dives out. Nobody else complained. This told me one of two things. Either everyone was like me and didn't want to admit they're aging and/or in bad shape, or they didn't have any problems. Some folks were younger (probably no problem) and some were older and heavier (just not saying anything). And it also told me I need to work on leg strength - do squats and lunges, leg presses.

Anyway ... just wanted to put it out there that some boats will not have hand rails so you won't always be able to count on upper body strength to help you. We've been diving for 10 years - over 300 dives - and this had never been a problem. I don't know if I'd never run into these kinds of ladders or it's been long enough that I was in better shape when I did!!

Kettle bells ... leg presses ... squats and lunges ... here I go ...

 

[chillyinCanada]

I struggle more with straight ladders that seem to curve in with boat.

My favorite ladders are more like staircases.

 

[Altamira]

This is not just a "Woman's Perspective" problem as evidence by @Kimela's husband's difficulty getting up the same ladder that she had problems negotiating. The number and variety of crappy ladders on dedicated dive boats is astounding, and nothing will change until more divers tell the Captain or owner they have crappy dive ladders with specifics of the problems encountered. Silence is not our friend.

 

[scrane]

I have dove with others who have difficulty with ladders. I have never seen a situation where the dive crew refused to lift a tank/bc removed in the water if conditions make this possible. Smile and ask nice.

 

[ontdiver]

I concur with @Altamira. It seems to depend on the type of ladder and how it is configured. I can remember one instance while diving in the St. Lawrence in dry suit and 120 steel tank that I simply could not get up the ladder on the small boat we were on. I ultimately had to get out of my BC to have it dragged into the boat.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Kimela

So, this was a fins on "Christmas tree" ladder? There were no hand rails or a central rail at the level of the dive platform? It sounds like the design of the system was not good.

Only one of the operators I use in SE FL uses fin on ladders, these are well-designed and easy to use. The ladder itself is angled slightly out from the boat and has sturdy, flat topped, nonslip rungs. There are two hand rails, starting at rear of the dive platform that make boarding easy. There is enough room under the rails to swing your fins through so that the deckhand can remove them for your walk back to your seat. These ladders may be the easiest design to use in big seas. You don't have to remove your fins and put them on your wrists before boarding

 

[Kimela]

The number and variety of crappy ladders on dedicated dive boats is astounding, and nothing will change until more divers tell the Captain or owner they have crappy dive ladders with specifics of the problems encountered. Silence is not our friend.

I was a bit concerned that someone on SB might say "you need to get your a** to the gym and GET IN SHAPE! This is a YOU problem, not a ladder problem." ... so I was hedging my bets. We won't dive with this op again because of the ladders, but their prices were reasonable and perhaps the ladders don't represent a problem worth spending additional money to avoid for some divers? I think it's fair to assume there are other divers like us, who will make similar decisions to spend their dive dollars elsewhere. Maybe it is worth an email to the op. I didn't want to blast them - their crew was professional, friendly and helpful - and they provide a nice little lunch between dives! It's just those darned ladders.

I have dove with others who have difficulty with ladders. I have never seen a situation where the dive crew refused to lift a tank/bc removed in the water if conditions make this possible. Smile and ask nice.

That's what I ended up doing after the first day of dives. In fact, on one of the boats the crew assumed everyone was going to take their BC off in the water (and I think that tells you something - with calm seas). My husband did not - he managed to get up and on the boat on his own (he only carries 4 pounds of lead).

 

[Kimela]

There are two hand rails, starting at rear of the dive platform that make boarding easy.

No, there were no handrails at all. It looked something like this, but was not fixed. They had a rope with knots spread every 8" or so - I think it's what they used to pull the ladder up for while the boat is under way, but I used it to pull myself up. Oh, and we took off fins in the water before getting on boat - I've never been on a boat that did otherwise.

 

[flyboy08]

Try any stairs with steel 120s...lol..just remove your BC in the water...

 

[rdk1]

These ladders were to the dive platform only (i.e., at water level) with no handrails beyond that platform until you got to the entry of the boat. Aside from that, there were no overhead rails in the boat either as you "walk/shuffle" to your position. I have plenty of upper and lower body strength but I believe we all still need something other than air to stabilize in a rocking boat. Felt sorry for the folks carrying a bunch of lead.