Giant Stride with Fins or Not

[nwhitney2003]

I said Knees together, not feet. It's very easy to begin to get your thighs closed and knees together on the drop while the feet are kept sufficiently separated to soften the entry.

Getting into the habit of bringing your thighs in will protect you from nasty surprises when there's an unfortunate angle of entry. There's no need for precise timing, nor would I want to cut it very close, given the stakes. dF

I'm well aware of what you said. All I said was that I don't think that's how it should be done. You'll get more lift from the scissor kick if your knees are not together. This is from my experience teaching this entry. I know others may disagree and that's fine, just my opinion.

 

[perdidochas]

Do any of you jump in the water without your fins on? Here is why I ask. I have a friend that jumps in without. I always jump in with. We like to debate so please tell all. Thanks

Unless the drop is more than 10 ft, I wear fins. I've only once done a giant stride w/o fins, and that was entering in a locked river off of a 15 ft high concrete wall. (locked river means a river that has a lock and dam, therefore in all practicality it was a lake). I've done a giant stride in snorkeling equipment off of a high dive, though.

 

[AndrewJD]

I go no fins maybe 33% of the time. Mostly if the boat is small and the logistics of getting fins on on the boat is more cumbersome then getting them on in the water. Environmental conditions will always factor into the decision of course.

Jonathan

 

[almitywife]

ive only ever done a giant stride with fins on - it has never even occured to me not to

i think back to when i giant stride, usually its to get in and get away what im jumping off (ie boat or big ledge) before water movement will push me back into it (ie boat or very hard rock ledge) plus to clear the area so other divers can get in

cheers

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Never tried without fins. Wonder what you would do with your fins until you put them on?

 

[Allison Finch]

Bailout is not a useless skill. It builds confidence in the new diver, helps them get used to dealing with their gear and drives home the concept of solving problems underwater. It should be required in every entry level class.

I ABSOLUTELY agree!! Getting to know how your equipment operates and solving the donning problem is invaluable. It was deleted from training because too many of the undereducated (rushed) divers were hurting themselves doing something they should absolutely be able to do. On several occasions I have had to take my tank off at depth to repair something. I was very comfortable doing it due to my early training.

As to your friend...does he just wear tech gear or has he really taken the training? It seems he skipped the chapter on common sense. You want to the entry and then don fins. If you're afraid of leaning over and falling, get the crew to help. To do otherwise is courting disaster. The only time I don fins in the water is smooth water shore entries.

 

[Walter]

It was deleted from training because too many of the undereducated (rushed) divers were hurting themselves doing something they should absolutely be able to do.

I don't believe that's why some agencies dropped it. I believe they dropped it to rush more folks through their programs faster to increase profits and for no other reason. BTW, all agencies haven't dropped it.

 

[nwhitney2003]

I don't believe that's why some agencies dropped it. I believe they dropped it to rush more folks through their programs faster to increase profits and for no other reason. BTW, all agencies haven't dropped it.

We learned it in my NAUI class and I'm comfortable donning/doffing gear under water because of it. Hopefully I won't ever need to but a good skill nonetheless.

 

[bane51031]

For safety sake fins on, ever try to swim in full scuba gear without fins? My size 9's do not get me anywhere....

 

[shoredivr]

However the best way to address it is to get to the rail or exit point sans fins then lift your foot, have a crew member or buddy put the fin on for you, repeat with the other foot and then go over the side with both fins on.

There have been tech divers who have died jumping in with air off in a dry suit while over weighted. You drop like a stone, the squeeze on the suit restricts mobility so you can't reach your tank valves, and you just keep going to the bottom where you stay until they recover your now lifeless corpse.

......

No offense here but your buddy has an awful lot to learn and needs to get his stuff together and start thinking through the whole evolution before trying to solve what is a minor problem by creating 2 or 3 more much more serious ones.

At this point my opinion also is that he has no business diving with doubles let alone a stage until he gets squared away on some very basic skills and develops at list a minimum degree of critical thinking ability.

Good post.

Walking to the exit point on the boat (not always the stern, sometimes the side) and either putting your fins on yourself or having a crew member do it is the normal procedure here.

For all of the reasons posted in this thread, I can't imagine stepping or rolling off a boat without fins on.