Fins or weight belt ?

[Sandie7]

I had two instructors.

The first taught me that the fins were the first thing to put on, because if you put the weight belt, if you fell off the boat you could be in trouble.

The second said that the weight belt was first, because you could lose balance and fall with your fins on.

I tried both ways, and the first looks more logical to me.

However having the fins on while doing anything else feels strange (just did it in this morning dive) ...

 

[decompression]

Depends where u are gearing up. Boat, boat at the site, shore, poolside.....what's the entry? Stairs, jump, walk? Use your best judgement for each specific situation. Think it out, it'll work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pullnglide]

To each their own. I usually put the weight belt on first and if for some odd reason I did fall off of the boat then that's what the quick release is for. Whatever your comfortable with is the best option.

 

[Altamira]

More than a few dive boats I have been on would not allow fins to be put on until just prior to getting in the water, especially if if the launch point was off the stern where you had to negotiate your way to the stern with gear on (except fins).

 

[Sandie7]

Depends where u are gearing up. Boat, boat at the site, shore, poolside.....what's the entry? Stairs, jump, walk? Use your best judgement for each specific situation. Think it out, it'll work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Boat at the site, always. Usually a back roll entry.

 

[Storker]

Fins just take up too much deck space when I kit up or try to get to the stern (larger boat, giant stride entry) or to the side (smaller boat or RIB, backroll entry). Putting on the fins first is a recipe for chaos. So the fins are nearly the last things that go on, just before mask on face and reg in mouth.


--
Sent from my Android phone
Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[TMHeimer]

Shore diving I put fins on in 3-4' of water--last thing. To be honest, I've never considered falling off a boat. Chances are if it's that rough water the boat won't go out.

addendum: There may be the rare situation shore diving when it makes sense to walk in with fins on (backwards or sideways of course)--due to surf, bottom conditions, etc.

 

[decompression]

Boat at the site, always. Usually a back roll entry.

In that case.....fins last.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TSandM]

Everything else is harder to do with fins on. I have ALL my gear on before the fins go on feet, and that's true of all diving situations.

 

[g1138]

Put your weight belt on, put your fins on, slip into your BC, do a pre-dive check, roll in.

Have your Fins and BC at your roll-in point to avoid a nasty accident.
If you have to, put your weight belt on then walk your gear to your roll-in point on the boat.