Drawbacks of Sidemount, compared to backmount diving

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That was a very good presentation.

About a year and a half ago one of the shop owners I worked for told me about something GUE or Halcyon wrote (I can't remember which) outlining why SM was a bad idea. But he never got me a copy. I'd be interested in reading it if someone has a link.

There's an article about SM in the latest issue of Quest.
 
Only difficulty in SM I'm having in Chuuk Lagoon is floating on the surface pre-dive with the Z-trim wing (9kg/20lbs) with two full AL80's and two AL40 deco bottles --again to reiterate, the Z-trim provides good buoyancy at depth for all these tanks and is designed to float you at the hips & lower back, but this does not translate to keeping your head out of the water on-the-surface.

Noticed on switching back to BM for one dive that my SCR increased slightly, and felt more unstable with the inertial mass of the valves & manifold behind my neck & upper back. . .
 
(And probably a little envy from the BM'ers on how smooth I can squeeze through tight engine room & cargo passages by "dismounting both tanks". . .!)
BM Rocks.........:scubadive:

Noticed on switching back to BM for one dive that my SCR increased slightly


Maybe that had something to do with spending 80 minutes deep inside the Heian Maru before seeing the sunlight again, hehehehehe
 
One drawback to SM that I'm discovering is the lack of ability to easily access my pockets. The most logical place to clip stuff, SMB, camera, etc is to my butt d-ring. This leads to my a-hole buddies constantly trying to stealing my camera and leave NSFW footage on my camera....
 
Only difficulty in SM I'm having in Chuuk Lagoon is floating on the surface pre-dive with the Z-trim wing (9kg/20lbs) with two full AL80's and two AL40 deco bottles --again to reiterate, the Z-trim provides good buoyancy at depth for all these tanks and is designed to float you at the hips & lower back, but this does not translate to keeping your head out of the water on-the-surface.

Noticed on switching back to BM for one dive that my SCR increased slightly, and felt more unstable with the inertial mass of the valves & manifold behind my neck & upper back. . .

So, an immediate descent was problematic I assume?
 
A few guys her in the mid atalantic are trying it for ocean wreck dives. They are not sorted out yet so I will not judge. My issue would be getting to your tanks on a down line to gear up on one of those days when you choose to go in heavy due to seas and current. Note, they are wanting to avoid the weight out of the water thus dictateing gearing up in water in their application.
Eric
 
So, an immediate descent was problematic I assume?
Immediate descent was not problematic (actually in SM for me it's more preferable to do so) --simply just struggling to float with the small Z-trim SM wing, waiting on the surface especially in large swells for the rest of my team to gear-up & roll-in. . .

---------- Post Merged on October 11th, 2012 at 03:16 AM ---------- Previous Post was on October 9th, 2012 at 08:51 PM ----------

With both tanks dismounted/unclipped and pushed forward (in UTD's Z-system Sidemount), the most exposed & vulnerable piece of equipment are your SPG's with their short hoses. Now I understand why AG advises to leave them loose and not tie them in a tight loop which presents a stressed portion of rubber high pressure hose forward to be potentially cut unseen by sharp metal in a wreck. . ,

On going through a tight restriction tanks dismounted with all sorts of "sharp edges" around, you have to be aware of the SPG's & their short HP hoses, and make sure they don't get caught in anything; they will be facing forward and below your field of vision on the underside of your tanks. . . (it's best to just reach around and grab them with a free hand to guard them from being banged-up as you make your way through the restriction).
 
After over a week here in Palau, I declare the best way to fight & fin or hover against the stiff heavy currents here is in single tank UTD Z-system Sidemount, with tank detached and pushed ahead of you presenting a more hydrodynamically streamlined/less drag profile to the flow. . .

Extending my stay here in Palau up to 05 Nov, and then home to Los Angeles to vote in next day's General Election. Then heading back out here to Micronesia/Oceania & SE Asia for the rest of the year (DEMA in Vegas??? "EFF That"!!! I'd rather do real warm water tropical diving than going to some hack dive show in Vegas. ..!)
:wink:
 
After over a week here in Palau, I declare the best way to fight & fin or hover against the stiff heavy currents here is in single tank UTD Z-system Sidemount, with tank detached and pushed ahead of you presenting a more hydrodynamically streamlined/less drag profile to the flow. . .

Extending my stay here in Palau up to 05 Nov, and then home to Los Angeles to vote in next day's General Election. Then heading back out here to Micronesia/Oceania & SE Asia for the rest of the year (DEMA in Vegas??? "EFF That"!!! I'd rather do real warm water tropical diving than going to some hack dive show in Vegas. ..!)
:wink:

Time for you to create a new "mount" , better than sidemount or BM for big current... make handles for the tank like a scooter, with the hoses routed smartly. You can have a line to the crotch strap, just like a scooter, so that it can't get spearated from you, and you can let go of it....and attach stage style or sidemount fasion, whichever, when you need both hands... You could even mount a big light/and or camera, on the nose of the tank, and keep it hydrodynamic,. .."PushMounted"...."Scooterstyle".... "Kevrumbian style".... :D
 
Time for you to create a new "mount" ,
The Russian at Vortex has already done this... with the light and all. I wasn't impressed.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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