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Safe Diving: The Art of Using Dive Boat Ladders Correctly

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Diver climbing boat ladder|

Guy Thomas offers some handy hints regarding dive boat ladders, and how to use them safely.

Most divers who have dived from boats know that before they enter the water, they need to check that nobody is below them. Also, while using a ladder to climb back on-board after the dive, they make sure that nobody is below them if they should fall.

Divers are reminded frequently about these two safety precautions as part of the dive briefing. During the briefing, you should be told which pieces of equipment to remove prior climbing back on-board; this can differ from dive boat to dive boat, and location to location. Not all ladders, nor dive conditions, are the same everywhere. You may find, for example, that H-ladders require you to remove your fins, while T-ladders, which are much more common and user friendly, allow you to keep your fins on.

What is less known among divers and rarely mentioned during briefings is how to avoid hands/finger injuries when climbing up the boat ladder. Sea conditions may make climbing up ladders more difficult, and although some boats have fixed boat ladders, most of the time divers will have to deal with moving, foldable ladders.

This type of ladder need not be a problem, if you are aware of how they work. First, be aware that these ladders are usually attached to the boat by a hinge. This allows the ladder to move up and down with the swell. Many of these hinges cannot be locked, so the ladder will move with or without a diver on the ladder. Think of the ladder as a ‘nutcracker’. Imagine one handle of the nutcracker being fixed, while you the push on the other handle. The nut will crack open without having to apply much force.

About the author

Guy Thomas is an expert diving and First Aid Instructor Trainer and works full-time as Director of Safety Programmes at DAN Europe, where he is responsible for the development and implementation of the DAN Europe Safety Initiatives. He also is a member of the Special Rescue Team of the Italian Red Cross and operates as a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer/Diver Medic, onboard a SAR helicopter of the Italian State Police.

The boat ladder works in the same way. One ‘handle’ is the boat, the other is the ladder. When the ladder goes upwards (your legs go backwards when standing on the ladder) – in effect, opening the nutcracker. But when the ladder goes downwards again, you really don’t want to get your hands or fingers caught between the two moving parts. Should this happen, you will not be able to release the pressure as all your weight is on the ladder and consequently you will end up with crushed or lacerated hands or fingers – perhaps even an amputation!

Divers near surface
Divers near surface

The same applies to any other moving parts of ladders. These injuries can be avoided: just look careful where you place your hands. Sometimes it is easier said than done as the swell might make climbing on board challenging and you might not pay much attention to where your hands are placed. Ladder design can mitigate the risk of hand and finger injuries and dive centres are encouraged to do a thorough risk assessment and make sure their ladders are as safe as possible.

Finally, a word on head injuries. It rarely happens, but just be aware that when there is a large swell, the ladder will rise up pretty far and will then crash into the water on the down swell. Make sure you are not under the ladder at that moment. This can also be challenging where strong undercurrents push you towards the ladder.

Though you might think it will make it easier to grab onto, never surface too close to the ladder – it could ruin your whole day.

DAN Membership

Before taking the plunge make sure your DAN membership is still active. If it isn’t, join DAN or renew your membership at: Daneurope Your DAN membership ensures the services of the biggest international network for assisting divers anywhere, during any emergency.


This article was originally published in Scuba Diver UK #70.

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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor.
00:00 Introduction
01:19 Scuba.com
02:13 Unboxing
03:51 Specs
09:40 Review

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We partner with https://www.scuba.com and https://www.mikesdivestore.com for all your gear essentials. Consider using the affiliate link above to support the channel.

The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor.

This week on the podcast, Professional Dive guides in the Phillipines are in hot water after a tip off that some are accepting payment for engraving names in coral, leading to authorities to quadruple the reward money for any information on the culprits. LL cool J has recently told the Guardian that the anamatronic shark in Deep Blue Sea almost drowned him. And a former Navy diver has decided to become the first to swim the English channel, on his back.



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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg794yvkm5eo


Become a fan: https://www.scubadivermag.com/join
Gear Purchases: https://www.scubadivermag.com/affiliate/dive-gear
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OUR WEBSITES

Website: https://www.scubadivermag.com ➡️ Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Scuba Gear Reviews
Website: https://www.divernet.com ➡️ Scuba News, Underwater Photography, Hints & Advice, Travel Reports
Website: https://www.godivingshow.com ➡️ The Only Dive Show in the United Kingdom
Website: https://www.rorkmedia.com ➡️ For advertising within our brands
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/scubadivermag
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We partner with https://www.scuba.com and https://www.mikesdivestore.com for all your gear essentials. Consider using the affiliate link above to support the channel.

The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional SCUBA Training. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace training from a qualified Dive Instructor.

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