Question for DM's & anyone who works on a boat....

[dpbishop]

If the boat is moving through more than 3' vertical feet in the chop it is often eaiser to just grab the swim step and boost yourself up in time with the swell. Unless the step is higher than normal it's not that hard, even with full gear.

 

[fl_coastie]

I need one of those god switch things, they sound awesome!!!

 

[tridacna]

That's not true up here in NJ. It's not uncommon to do a giant stride into a dead calm "Lake Atlantic" only to surface an hour later in 3-5's. (Though it can go the other way as well.)

...add the fact that many boats in NJ require you to keep your fins on when getting back on! That makes it even more fun. (Not).

 

[RJP]

...add the fact that many boats in NJ require you to keep your fins on when getting back on! That makes it even more fun. (Not).

Or put another way, many boats in NJ allow you to keep your fins on!



(I think this is where I came in to this argument...)

 

[RJP]

I'm sure that there are folks on this board who have been with us when it's rough who have come off the ladder or line that could offer some first hand accounts about where they ended up relative to the boat...

And I'm one of those folks, having been with Kevin for OW Dives 1-4 a while back!

Dives one and two were on a particularly choppy Saturday morning in February. Rough enough I was worried that after flying from NJ to FL specifically for my checkout dives that I wouldn't get them in!

While I did have to time the ladder with the swells, there wasn't a moment where I thought I was going to end up under the boat.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Or put another way, many boats in NJ allow you to keep your fins on!



(I think this is where I came in to this argument...)

I'm sure there are situations where keeping your fins on is easier, or preferable... I just think its kind of extreme and misleading to say that taking your fins off is lunacy.

 

[Cudabait]

I've found the best way to get back up a ladder in high waves is always feet first. If they can tie off a tag line to the ladder, float on the surface (fins on for fins on ladder or fins off for a fins off ladder) with your feet towards the ladder, pull yourself in with the tag line, and set your feet on the ladder rungs on a downswing and then quickly pull on the tagline to get yourself on the ladder. Once you're on, get a good grip as the upswing is about to begin, but at this point, your weight is on your feet standing on the rung, so it should be no big deal. It's a lot less consequential if the ladder comes down and hits your feet than if you go arms and head first to the ladder. I always use my feet first.

The nice thing about this method is that if you have your feet on the ladder while lying on the surface, you can wait for the right wave before pulling yourself up and on the ladder. And if you aren't able to pull yourself up in time, all that happens is you fall back and away from the ladder.

Warren, your desccription is most accurate. I've been on dive boats in many places and the dive crew does not know jack about a boat or boat handling. I have grown tired trying to explain to boat crews (after having had to wrestle myself up a bucking ladder) how much simpler it would be if they understood the use of of a poly (floating) line for the diver to pull themself to the ladder. Now, you can tell right away the dive boats with rodeo experience, because they will have the ladder(s) also secured from the bottom to the vessel so it does not ride up when the stern goes down. They know when you're a hundred miles off shore it's a long helicopter ride for a diver with a cracked noggin. Time to go to bed......gotta dream about going to the big island Friday with LaCuda.

Regards,

 

[tridacna]

I'm sure there are situations where keeping your fins on is easier, or preferable... I just think its kind of extreme and misleading to say that taking your fins off is lunacy.

Forget lunacy? I did a dive in NJ this year. We had a diver wearing a 5mm FJ in 45F bottom water. (Don't even start). After about 15mins, he called his dive. I saw that he looked distressed so I followed him up. By the time he surfaced, we had a good 6-8ft swell. The ladder became a weapon. It took the captain and another DM about 25 mins to get him back on board. (Amazing how much his tanks weighed WITH air). He was almost hypothermic and had to be helped out of his wetsuit. He ended up with a lot of bruising from the ladder and a good dose of seasickness to make sure that he had a perfect day.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Forget lunacy? I did a dive in NJ this year. We had a diver wearing a 5mm FJ in 45F bottom water. (Don't even start). After about 15mins, he called his dive. I saw that he looked distressed so I followed him up. By the time he surfaced, we had a good 6-8ft swell. The ladder became a weapon. It took the captain and another DM about 25 mins to get him back on board. (Amazing how much his tanks weighed WITH air). He was almost hypothermic and had to be helped out of his wetsuit. He ended up with a lot of bruising from the ladder and a good dose of seasickness to make sure that he had a perfect day.

So what was the problem? I mean, why did it take 25 minutes to get him on board?

 

[tridacna]

So what was the problem? I mean, why did it take 25 minutes to get him on board?

He was close to being totally hypothermic. Could barely move his limbs. It was an interesting exercise getting him back up.