What Dive Ops have boats with Giant Stride

[ReefHound]

The op I use (a nice white boat) has a side cutout for retrieving gear. Personally I would never want to try and do a giant stride entry from there. Its bottom is about six inches from the deck, and its bottom is about 1" wide. That bottom is not reinforced with anything so I expect that standing on it could damage it. None the less, you would have to step up six inches (with all your gear) and balance on a 1" wide piece of fiberglass, while ducking so as not to hit your head on the overhead canopy. So I think it would be very unsafe.

Pic? I think I would just giant stride over 6 inches. Or put my fins on in the water.

 

[ggunn]

You can walk off (giant stride) any boat as long as you are comfortable stepping over the ladder.

I guess that is theoretically true, but for most of the smaller boats I have been diving from, it would be problematic to get to the point of entry when fully geared up, especially if you were to attempt it before the other divers were off the boat. Blue Angel's boat No Problem has an easy giant stride entry but it is slower than their other boats and carries more divers.

 

[Scraps]

The company I work for part-time has two larger boats where everyone does giant strides from the stern and two smaller boats where most people do back rolls. On the smaller boats, we have accommodated just about every preference you can imagine, including lifting a paraplegic diver on to the gunwale, pre-positioning gear in the water, and helping divers balance between the transom and o/b engines to do a giant stride.

You’re more likely to have a safe and fun dive if you’re not stressed by the entry. Communicate your concerns and see who is willing to work with you.

My guess is that most operators will be happy to find an accommodation you’re comfortable with.

Best wishes,

 

[Curious_George]

it would be problematic to get to the point of entry when fully geared up

Agreed - thus the reason that many back roll or giant stride from a cutout in the side. Walking with full kit on a pitching and slippery boat with fins on or carrying fins and donning before jumping is slow at best and potentially dangerous.

Perhaps not a good choice for the inexperienced, but tons of fun to back roll negative entry and immediately start drifting in Cozumel. Funny looking at the dive profile with a 60-80’ drop in the first minute of the dive. It almost feels like what I imagine sky diving would be.

Aldora "6-pack" style boat.

 

[boulderjohn]

I led a group trip to Cozumel about 10 years or so ago, and one of our divers had hip issues that made entering the water and exiting the water a problem with any standard method. The dive operator was notified ahead of time, and he assured us it would not be a problem. It wasn't. The crew was ready, willing, and able to to whatever was necessary to accommodate his needs. That was Aldora, but I imagine any operation would do that.

 

[NDL_Diver]

Aldora also has Falicity. She is a bigger boat, giant stride and has a head. She is also very quick.

Just make the dive op know your requirements.

 

[Marie13]

Agreed - thus the reason that many back roll or giant stride from a cutout in the side. Walking with full kit on a pitching and slippery boat with fins on or carrying fins and donning before jumping is slow at best and potentially dangerous.

Perhaps not a good choice for the inexperienced, but tons of fun to back roll negative entry and immediately start drifting in Cozumel. Funny looking at the dive profile with a 60-80’ drop in the first minute of the dive. It almost feels like what I imagine sky diving would be.

Aldora "6-pack" style boat.
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What’s wrong with putting your fins on (with help if needed) at the exit point? I’ve always done this. I wasn’t about to take a fall and hurt my knees any more than they already are. I’ve seen divers fall when fully kitted up trying to get to the exit point. I’ve seen one diver in doubles end up falling and landing on one knee. Ouch! I don’t care if I was the only diver on the boat doing it this way. I feel it’s the far safer method.

 

[morecowbells]

When I first got certified in diving, I was starting the back roll for the first time when somebody on the boat made a last minute dash to grab something. As I was rolling back, they stepped on one of my fins. The pain from the muscle pull in my lower leg made me skittish about back rolling again. Instead, I opted to gear up and sit on the edge of the boat. The captain helped me pivot around so that I can push myself forward and off the boat. It worked just fine. After a couple of days, I went back to the back roll and haven't stopped since. At least I had other options to use while I was uncomfortable with the practice. As said above, I think any decent dive op can help you come up with a compromise to the back roll.

 

[tarponchik]

S/he is wearing boy/girl pants but said s/he has a back problem that is irritated with backroll.

C'mon, these days they say "they" instead of "he" or "she".

What’s wrong with putting your fins on (with help if needed) at the exit point? I’ve always done this. I wasn’t about to take a fall and hurt my knees any more than they already are. I’ve seen divers fall when fully kitted up trying to get to the exit point. I’ve seen one diver in doubles end up falling and landing on one knee. Ouch! I don’t care if I was the only diver on the boat doing it this way. I feel it’s the far safer method.

This takes time and delays the entry for everyone behind you in the line. Sometimes this is OK, sometimes not OK, especially if the current is strong and/or the DM insists the whole group dives and stays together

 

[Scubagolf]

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

We returned from 10 days at Scuba Club a week ago. Stayed there 6 or 7 times over the years. The have 5 or 6 boats, perhaps more. Half are large boats that could accommodate 20 divers, but never have that many. Usually 10-12 with multiple DMs. The small boats had 4-6 divers. The large boats are giant strides, the 6-packs back roll entries.