What Dive Ops have boats with Giant Stride

[jonhall]

I don't love roll back entry. I have the down loaded sheet of Dive ops.
What entry of boat would I look for to do giant stride entry and not roll back.
(have back issues that roll back is not the best for me)

Sounds like you looked at the spreadsheet I put together. Didn't include that piece of info, but wrote in my original post what others have already responded with - bigger boats (sometimes described as slower) generally enter with a giant stride and smaller boats (sometimes described as faster) generally enter with a back roll.

Some have used the term "cattle boat" for the bigger boats - mainly with a negative connotation - referring to a larger number of divers that can be on the boat. If it provides what you want, I wouldn't worry about it. Personally, I've enjoyed all of my dives regardless of the size of boat or the number of divers on the boat. There have been many times I've been on a small or large boat and wished for the other for whatever reason - as others have stated, it's a preference and you are going to Coz with lots of dive ops where you can make a choice. I will say that the easiest, for me, and my new favorite entry occurred off of a RHIB - fins on, slip over the side, don your BC, dive, surface, remove BC, take off fins/hand them up, use the ladder to board the boat.

My suggestion is the same as that of a few others - call/email the op and ask the questions you want answered. I would think that many would accommodate your needs.

 

[ggunn]

I will say that the easiest, for me, and my new favorite entry occurred off of a RHIB - fins on, slip over the side, don your BC, dive, surface, remove BC, take off fins/hand them up, use the ladder to board the boat..

It seems to me that that method will only work if you have weights integrated into your BC. Jumping in with a weight belt on but no BC would be a very bad idea, I think.

 

[inquis]

This takes time and delays the entry for everyone behind you in the line.

I think walking normally and taking the 5-10 seconds to don fins at the exit is faster than shuffling from my seat in fins.

 

[ggunn]

I think walking normally and taking the 5-10 seconds to don fins at the exit is faster than shuffling from my seat in fins.

Well, OK, but when I am standing and fully geared up except for fins, putting on fins is a non trivial exercise for me. If you can put your fins on in 5-10 seconds in that situation, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

What I have been doing from a dock is gearing up except for fins, and jumping in with fins in hand and air in BC. Fins are easy that way.

 

[jonhall]

It seems to me that that method will only work if you have weights integrated into your BC. Jumping in with a weight belt on but no BC would be a very bad idea,

That and calm water! It occurs to me that the 10 dives I did this way in Hawaii, everyone, whether we had 4 or 8 divers, must have had integrated weights - we were under pretty quick.

I think walking normally and taking the 5-10 seconds to don fins at the exit is faster than shuffling from my seat in fins.

have been doing from a dock is gearing up except for fins, and jumping in with fins in hand and air in BC. Fins are easy that way.

It all depends on the situation, the diver, and preference. Fin type, mobility, flexibility, and any other 'bility' I'm leaving out can make a difference (dare I also say age!) When I was younger, thinner, and more flexible, bending and reaching my feet was much easier. If I were already geared up and using full foot fins, anyone behind me would need to be patient and enjoy the show. They might see one fin put on with pretty good form, then comes the fin on the foot attached to the bad knee that doesn't like to bend so much. I can make it happen though when the pressure is on. Strap fins, much easier with gear on or off. 5-10 seconds would be pretty quick for a lot of people.

If I recall correctly (it has been 2019 since last dives) the more common VALET method I've been around on a boat where a giant stride is the method of entry is when I've put fins on at the exit point and then someone assisted with putting my BC on. Putting strap fins on while in the water (and taking them off) would be petty easy for me, but not so much with a full foot fin.

Doesn't make a lot of difference to me - I'm one of those that listens to the DM when they explain how they do things and then I go with the flow, as most seem to do.

 

[cvchief]

With Scuba with Alison, there is not walking with your crap on. You take your spot and the gear is brought to you. For the giant stride, sit with your feet on the swim platform, put on fins, you are helped into your gear. Stand on command, step off on the count.

 

[boulderjohn]

With Scuba with Alison, there is not walking with your crap on. You take your spot and the gear is brought to you. For the giant stride, sit with your feet on the swim platform, put on fins, you are helped into your gear. Stand on command, step off on the count.

I am only quoting this as an example of why people should not be claiming there is only one right way to do an entry. Different boats have different configurations, and over time the entry methods evolve to match the boat's configuration. When you encounter a boat that does something different from what you are used to, it does not mean the crew is composed of idiots. Years ago I was on a liveaboard that had a very unusual configuration that required you to descend a narrow staircase to a small platform before your giant stride. Their method was to descend the stairs carrying your fins, hand the fins to a crew member, and then lift each foot while the crew member put them on for you. It was by far the easiest way to do things. This method was mentioned (not by me) in a ScubaBoard thread, and that mention was followed by a pile of posts mocking people who need to have crew members put their fins on for them.

 

[tarponchik]

I am only quoting this as an example of why people should not be claiming there is only one right way to do an entry. Different boats have different configurations, and over time the entry methods evolve to match the boat's configuration. When you encounter a boat that does something different from what you are used to, it does not mean the crew is composed of idiots. Years ago I was on a liveaboard that had a very unusual configuration that required you to descend a narrow staircase to a small platform before your giant stride. Their method was to descend the stairs carrying your fins, hand the fins to a crew member, and then lift each foot while the crew member put them on for you. It was by far the easiest way to do things. This method was mentioned (not by me) in a ScubaBoard thread, and that mention was followed by a pile of posts mocking people who need to have crew members put their fins on for them.

This is fairly common on liveaboards (e. g. Spirit of Freedom) but I've never seen this on dive boats.

 

[tarponchik]

Well, OK, but when I am standing and fully geared up except for fins, putting on fins is a non trivial exercise for me. If you can put your fins on in 5-10 seconds in that situation, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

What I have been doing from a dock is gearing up except for fins, and jumping in with fins in hand and air in BC. Fins are easy that way.

You are correct. Standing on one foot makes you clumsy unless you hold on to a rail, and if you are putting you fins on you need both hands. Walking with your fins on is also clumsy but this is a trade-off because if the boat is shaky you have free hand to grab onto something if you lose your balance.

 

[Wibble]

Giant Stride == Big boat == Cattle Boat

Put on your big boy/girl pants

Giant Stride == Big Boat == Dive Lift == Decent Diving