107 replies to this topic

[Walter]

I like No Pressure's style of asking questions, so let's continue it here.

When exiting the water onto a boat with a ladder in rough seas, what is your preferred method?

Walter

[Diverbrian]

Grab the ladder with one hand, take off one fin and loop around my wrist.

Grab ladder with the other hand and loop strap of other fin around my wrist.

Then, I climb the ladder while still breathing from my reg.

This way if I fall back in, I am still a diver and not a swimmer in an inflated BC that needs to be towed back in. (Translation, I still have my fins and can get them back on to make another pass. I am still breathing from my reg, so I never lost a breath. I am cool to swim back to the boat and try again with no worries.)

[Laura]

Then, I climb the ladder while still breathing from my reg.

This way if I fall back in, I am still a diver and not a swimmer in an inflated BC that needs to be towed back in. (Translation, I still have my fins and can get them back on to make another pass. I am still breathing from my reg, so I never lost a breath. I am cool to swim back to the boat and try again with no worries.)

Brian,

Good point about keeping your reg in your mouth. I would add, keep your mask on your face, and keep everything on until you are in your seat.

I picked this practice while boat diving in Key Largo - I noticed that one of the locals kept his reg in his mouth, and his mask in place, throughout the ENTIRE exit - from the time he left the water until he was seated in his spot. (he walked across the deck in full gear). It may seem like over-kill, but to me it made good sense. Better safe than sorry.

Laura

[fbp]

Up here, inside the sound, we don't have AS much rough water boat entrys as you do on the open ocean.. typically, remove fins, keep mask, octo and bc on... read to fall back in...
Now, I orginally thought that keep the bc inflated was the best as you wouldn't sink, made sense to me... but then I read an article somewhere about a diver in Coz or somewhere down there that did the same thing AFTER the captain told him specifically NOT to inflate the bc...

The reason was this... rough water swells.. catch one to get on the swim deck.. wait and get the rhythm down... the deck bobbing up and down... so if the diver misses the deck, gets swept off, looses balance, the diver is still on the surface and the boat is till bobbing and crash !!! diver knocked unconcious, at best...

Keeping the bc UN-inflated allows the diver to sink below and get out of the way of the boat... he's ok as he has his octo & mask on, so it's just a sink & swim away for another chance... can't remember if fins on or off.. I prefer off.. always get caught on something, thrown off balance and Ka-blooey, back on the deck...

I haven't done the No Air in BC entry yet, probably won't unless it's serious and the Captain indicated so... but am aware of the potential... otherwise in tough boat entry, all they have to do is put a beer on the deck... heheheh... I'll be there No Problem-Oooo...

[Diverlady]

VERY CAREFULLY!!

I always leave my reg in until I've cleared the entry point and proceeding to a seat. There's usually a line out so those waiting to board are way out of the way but not drifting away.
I can't honestly remember what I do with my fins. I think I hand them up between swells. If a diver falls off, there's already one line in the water and another in available to be tossed if necessary. Probably would be best to keep fins with diver although they might be a bit cumbersome.

Diverlady

[WisconsinGal]

I've done both, looping my fins onto my wrist, and handing them up. Majority of the time loop onto my wrist, leaving everything else in tact til I'm in completely in the boat.

Edited by WisconsinGal, 15 April 2004 - 10:45 AM.

[Walter]

Excellent discussion!

On a calm day, getting back on the boat is very easy and requires little technique. On days when the wind has kicked up some waves, technique is important. Swim platforms can bang divers on the head and ladders can break ribs. The two most common errors I see are when one diver gets under another diver on the ladder and grabbing the top of the ladder.

When you get under a diver who is climbing the ladder, you run the risk of that diver slipping or falling off the ladder. Anyone can fall, especially when waves are bouncing the boat around.

When you grab the top of the ladder, you run the risk of getting hit by the bouncing ladder. The ladder can bruise you or worse yet, break your ribs.

The most effective technique I’ve ever used or seen for exiting onto a boat in rough seas is as follows.

With your mask on your face and your regulator firmly in your mouth, make sure the ladder and platform is clear on any divers in front of you. Let the air out of your BC and swim to the bottom rung of the ladder. Keep the ladder at arm’s length. Grab the bottom rung with one arm and keep your arm stiff and straight. The swinging ladder will toss you around, but you will be swinging free in the water. If you grab any other rung, you will hit the ladder and it will hurt. Stay on the bottom rung and keep your arm straight and stiff.

With your other hand, remove one fin. Place the fin between your thighs and hold it with your legs as you let go of it with your hand and slip your hand through the strap. Repeat the process with the other fin. All this time, you’ve kept holding the bottom rung with your arm straight and stiff.

At this point, reach up with your other hand and grab the ladder. Orient yourself to climb the ladder. Pull yourself up and get your feet on the ladder quickly. Climb the ladder, cross the platform and move to your seat keeping your balance with hand holds all the way to your seat. Leave your mask in place until you are seated and your regulator in your mouth until you’re off the swim platform.

[DandyDon]

First learned this in 8 foot seas, off of Key Largo - last dive for 3 days!

(1) Never remove Reg from mouth or Mask from face until on the boat - in case you fall back in.

Only exception: Some boat crews will have you remove BC, tank, Octo-reg in the water and pass it to them. I like this, as it makes climbing up easier, and reduces chances of DCS. In this case, keep Mask in place and switch to Snorkel.

(2) Remove open heel fins while on line, away from ladder, and hang around wrists. Removing them on the ladder in rough water not only ties up the ladder, it's more dangerous; necessary with full foot fins, however.

(3) Approach ladder only when clear, in case the previous diver falls, so s/he won't fall on you.

(4) BC empty of any air, so you can ride the ladder with the boat, and in case the boat lands on top of you - you'll go down under it without 30-40 pounds of lift pushing back against a multi-ton boat.

[Diverbrian]

Good points.

I didn't mention that none of my gear (with the exception of a stage bottle for deep wrecks and my camera) is removed until I am safely in the boat. So, I am climbing up with a fin looped around each wrist, mask on, and breathing out of my reg.

I remove fins on the ladder when (like happens on many of the charters that I dive) there isn't a line, otherwise I start the process on the line. Either way, prior to getting to the ladder, I ensure that nobody is behind me when I get to the ladder. I also ensure that I am not too close to ladder when someone else is trying to climb it.

I try get to avoid the "granny line" alongside the boat that my be out in rough conditions as I simply get banged into the boat (BTW, this part goes for getting to the descent line as well.). I would rather be below the boat and come up on or near the ladder.

[Coo's Toe]

Good advice all, especially the part about staying clear of the ladder until the diver in front of you is on the boat.

Boats up here in the PNW don't usually require rough exits, but I've had to do a few in Monterey where I trained, and still visit when I can.

The best advice is to hang back a bit, clear of the boat and ladder, until it's your turn to go. When it's your turn, it's time to boogie. Walter's advice is great, I won't repeat it. But you need to have the process thought out in advance while you're waiting for your turn, and when it's time to go you need to do it quickly, so that's not the time when you want to be asking questions.

[wrinkles]

When the ocean is a bit rough i go to the swim step with all my gear on. Get on my knees and someone pulls my fins off for me, throws them on the boat and helps me up the ladder. I have my reg and mask on until i am on the boat deck.

I agree it is really important to wait till one diver is completely up before you decide to go up. I dont even want to imagine the pain of a diver falling on top of me in full gear.

Ana

[Diverbrian]

When the ocean is a bit rough i go to the swim step with all my gear on. Get on my knees and someone pulls my fins off for me, throws them on the boat and helps me up the ladder. I have my reg and mask on until i am on the boat deck.

I agree it is really important to wait till one diver is completely up before you decide to go up. I dont even want to imagine the pain of a diver falling on top of me in full gear.

Ana

It wouldn't hurt too bad if one of the ladies on this board was the one that fell and I was behind to catch them though. That could be fun!

[Walter]

It wouldn't be fun. That tank would hurt.

[Diverbrian]

It wouldn't be fun.  That tank would hurt.

But the opportunity to receive CPR! :

Edited by Diverbrian, 15 April 2004 - 08:57 PM.

[Walter]

When the ocean is a bit rough i go to the swim step with all my gear on. Get on my knees and someone pulls my fins off for me, throws them on the boat and helps me up the ladder. I have my reg and mask on until i am on the boat deck.

Not a stable position in rough seas. It's also more difficult to get off your knees than to take off your fins and climb the ladder.

Remove open heel fins while on line, away from ladder

I've done this too, but it's not as safe, IMO, because you have less control when approaching the ladder. Divers also tend to get tangled in the line. Often the line is not attached to the boat close enough to the ladder to make the transition from line to ladder easy. As far as tying up the ladder, that's not an issue. There's more delay with several finless divers bouncing around with no control on a line. The line system works, but not as well.

I try get to avoid the "granny line" alongside the boat that my be out in rough conditions as I simply get banged into the boat

Sometimes the tag line (granny line is a poor name) is necessary. To avoid getting banged by the boat, you should have no air in your BC. The line will ideally be weighted.

Walter