What Dive Ops have boats with Giant Stride

[Curious_George]

To be fair to the earlier posters, I believe the comment about this being a "back issue" was a later edit to the original post - hence my comment about practice making it easier.

Also wanted to mention that Aldora has a large boat- the Felicity. Not uncommon for even smaller boats to have a removable board in the side for giant stride. Ask the dive Op.

While stepping over the ladder may sound scary, it’s actually fairly common and since the ladder hangs straight down, not a big deal. There are typically waist high supports to assist with climbing on that one can grab onto to stabilize before stepping - just don’t forget to grab mask/reg, etc. when you go over.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

There are 6 pack boats that have a door panel on the side that slides out and would allow a GS entry. I'm relatively confindent that Aldora has a couple of these because many in my travel group will take off our gear in the water and pass it up therough this gate. They do have the Felicity as well which is a big boat, but I don't know if it goes out daily. Stuck cummerbunds are usually the only problem in the water or too much air in the bcd.

I travel with a group of retired firefighters that have more injuries combined than most NFL teams. Every op I have ever dove with has allowed us to gear up in the water if someone can't backroll or walk to the back of the boat with gear on. It takes a good buddy to help and some pool practice helps before hand to learn the dance.

Finally, if the boat has a swim platform, you can gear up sitting on the swim platform and do this sideways kind of fall over type entry...it's not real pretty, but it works.

With a bad back, we will shed our gear in the water and pass it up. That makes the ladder easy to get back in the boat.

The main thing here is to COMMUNICATE with your dive op BEFORE you get there. Tell them your limitations and they can make sure you have the right boat. A private divemaster may be a good idea and then you have someone highly qualified to get you in and out of the water as well as you and your buddy have your own private guide usually on a part of the Reef separate from the other divers on the boat.

We dive with Aldora for a lot of reasons, but they have always accommodated us with any reasonable special requests.

Good luck, safe diving, getting old sucks!

Jay

 

[DandyDon]

I'm not sure why a back entry would be hard on the back.

I can see it. As much as I wear, it's challenging for me to get my tank up and over, then there's the landing that could irritate a bad back. Whatever, s/he said it was bad.

 

[CajunDiva]

When you back-roll, the tank does make impact with the spine. For most this may seem like no big deal. For those with horrible back pain, it can be a nightmare. There can also be issues with re-entry. If you've got a great dive op who is willing to grab your fins and allow you to hand up your rig so you can try to climb the ladder back onto the boat, it's a big deal for some. There's nothing like a good, strong, wide ladder to accommodate most divers.

 

[ReefHound]

If the OP said it hurts, it hurts.

He didn't say it hurts. And the point is that if it hurts then maybe he is doing it wrong. I've seen people who thought they had to leap backward or arch their back and roll. When you hit the water do you find yourself doing a 360 turn?

 

[ReefHound]

I can see it. As much as I wear, it's challenging for me to get my tank up and over, then there's the landing that could irritate a bad back. Whatever, s/he said it was bad.

I was simply suggesting that it may have to do with bad backroll technique. I also offered other solutions.

 

[ReefHound]

When you back-roll, the tank does make impact with the spine. For most this may seem like no big deal. For those with horrible back pain, it can be a nightmare.

Seems to me like the ride on a fast small boat with the hull slapping the water, sometimes quite jarringly, would be a much bigger issue.

 

[MMM]

The only boats I have seen with platforms for giant stride entry are the boats that hold about 20 divers. The OP I use lets people enter the water from the ladder, without their BC and the mate passes it to the once they have their fins on. So you need a weight integrated BC. Often the DM will be in the water to help. Then everyone else backrolls once the diver is comfortable and safe

 

[Marie13]

He didn't say it hurts. And the point is that if it hurts then maybe he is doing it wrong. I've seen people who thought they had to leap backward or arch their back and roll. When you hit the water do you find yourself doing a 360 turn?

I don’t backward roll. Giant stride only. That’s just the way the boats here are.

 

[pauldw]

Scuba Club Cozumel didn’t seem like a cattle boat when I went out on it. With three whole divers on the boat.