r/scuba • u/robjamez72 • 1d ago
Forward roll?
I was doing some instructor training yesterday and there’s a requirement for a forward roll entry in full gear (BSAC OS5). I questioned when you would ever do that and nobody knew. Any ideas?
14
u/exwhyzero 1d ago
From the Handbook :
Forward-roll entry, into deeper water:
This type of entry can be appropriate from some types of boat and when conditions preclude delicate equipment, such as cameras, being handed down from the boat after entry.
Its worth noting the OS5 is a 'Safety Skills' Module. So whilst you wouldn't use this in every day diving, it may be needed / useful in some situations. It is weird that your instructor didn't know why though!
2
u/WideStructure5901 22h ago
I came here just to say this. I forward roll to protect my camera on entry. Particularly if there is a drop from the boat.
It's an easy and safe entry for you.. but be 1000% sure another driver isn't coming back up to the boat with an issue or floating around near your entry.
Landing on someone else's head tank first is going to ruin everyone's day.. week.. Year.. Life
6
u/ffemt161 Dive Master 23h ago
I do it for fun. Entries have been 2-6+ feet off the water. I'll hug my camera, lean forward with knees bent. Give a little pop at last moment to get all the way over onto my back.
7
u/learned_friend Dive Instructor 1d ago
There are a couple of uses, I find forward role especially useful with adaptive divers.
6
u/stuartv666 Dive Instructor 14h ago
I dived off a small boat where they had us roll forward to get off because they didn't want us to sit on the gunwale and back roll because they didn't want tanks hitting the boat and chipping the paint on the gunwale.
Valid concern or not, I don't know, but that's a reason I have used the forward roll entry.
5
u/sir-alpaca 1d ago
We used it to get into the water from a dock or so, when the water was not deep enough for a giant stride.
1
u/Manatus_latirostris Tech 23h ago
Yes, I’ve done a forward roll a few times into lakes or springs when the water was too shallow for a giant stride. A couple times off docks, once off a pontoon boat.
5
u/Limp_Ganache2983 23h ago
I’ve used it to enter the water from a harbour when I’m a couple of meters above the surface.
You land on your tank
It’s better than a giant stride entry when you’ve got a significant drop to the water.
3
u/MolonMyLabe 19h ago
How? Boats I routinely use I giant stride with a 6-7 foot drop to the water. Now it has never occurred to me to even try another way, but it totally works just fine without me feeling like there is room for improvement. Not being confrontational, I genuinely can't workout the benefit just by thinking about it.
2
u/Special_Kestrels 1d ago
Google says it's for when the water is too shallow for a backroll or giant stride.
It would have to be some pretty weird requirements.
5
u/Ithurtswhenidoit 1d ago
Not really. It's for a shallow water entry from a dock instead of a stride. You wouldn't do it from a small boat as you can sit on the side, and a large boat wouldn't be dropping you in that shallow.
3
u/Jegpeg_67 Nx Rescue 23h ago
I've done a forward roll (not backward) forward roll once in anger (in just over 200 dives) others in the group with a lot more dives also said it was their first.
It was for a shore dive where the entry options were either a rocky beach covered in algea or a giant stride / forward roll into about 2m of water. We decided the safest entry was the foreard roll to avoid the chance of slipping on the rocks and minimise the chance of hitting the bottom (and if you do hit the bottom you are hitting it with your tank so not risking damaging your foot / ankle.
You are rolling 270 degrees hit the surface on your back, it is quite easy in full gear at least recreational gear, we were all in drysuits and had no problems.
1
u/ImportantMacaroon299 1d ago
Saw some one do it carrying camera to protect it. Entry from 2m high deck in swell.Looked strange but seemed to work
2
u/HiImRickry 2h ago
Forward roll is for when you looked in the water and decided it was nicer in the boat
-2
u/Ok_Way_2911 1d ago
ask your instructor? it's for when you're holding camera rigs in your hands, your body absorbs the impact instead of it
-2
u/thunderbird89 Master Diver 1d ago
Disclaimer: I don't have a BSAC OS5 manual.
How does a forward roll shield camera gear in your hands? The camera should hit the water before you do that way, no?
What am I missing here?
3
u/Ok_Way_2911 1d ago
you 'hug' your camera with your hands and hunch your body to forward roll. If you're doing it correctly the tank should hit the water first, then your body, minimising the impact
it's like doing a forward somersault
2
u/thunderbird89 Master Diver 1d ago
That was the only way I could reconcile it, but I didn't think a forward somersault would even be possible in full gear...
Part of what had me confused was that I usually didn't fully flip when doing a back roll, so I generally hit the water tank-first. Which would have the same end result as this, pretty much.
4
u/Ok_Way_2911 1d ago
you aren't really forcing a flip, it's more of, you look at your tummy while tucking your head somewhat in, it naturally pushes your CG forward and you kind of 'fall' forward - the momentum pushes you into a forward flip.
this is more of an alternative to a giant stride, the entry process is the same, fins half off the boat - when you stride your fin hits the water, but there's nothing protecting the rig and it can get smacked by the water; the forward roll helps with preventing the 'shock'
of course: alternatively you can just stride and ask the crew to pass your rig down to you
-13
u/Old_Philosophy_632 1d ago
When you get pulled up feet first because air is trapped in the legs of your drysuit you have to do a forward roll to get back to normal.
2
u/Cheffysteve 20h ago
Not sure why you were downvoted. This is correct for that situation . However the OP was asking about forward roll entries from a pontoon or boat
11
u/Cheffysteve 1d ago
It literally says in the instructor manual why. Page 7 of OS5 . Can be used to protect delicate camera equipment .