Sidemount Practice at the local YMCA

[FiddlerOnTheRoof]

This is an older video that I did while fine-tuning and practicing my sidemount skills in a pool. I've had a few people ask me to post it as they found it useful for some reason... I am not a sidemount instructor and being in the northeast I do not do cave diving nor do I claim to be an expert in sidemount. Most of what I know comes from reading, studying and my own research that includes watching and experiencing various "methods" of doing sidemount diving.

I have now been diving sidemount, when needed, for a few years and also dive back mount and often double back-mount or doubles. Sidemount diving to me is a tool that I use only when I need to achieve a certain dive, and such configuration presents itself as the best setup option for the occasion. Here in New England I use sidemount configuration mostly for shore diving, especially lake or quarry diving. I prefer back-mount doubles for wreck diving of a boat for personal reasons such as or typical rough sea conditions.

So here it is... I hope it can be useful to someone. Remember, at the time I filmed this video I too was learning and getting familiar with this setup and there are a few things I have improved over the years. But IMO it can be a good start for a beginner looking for some examples!

 

[Patoux01]

Welp, 10 days late but hey.

2 things:
That dangling spg is causing unnecessary drag and could become annoying if for some reason you work on line. Not necessarily caveline, I'm more into fishing line that I collect, and I know those would annoy the hell out of me.
Those dangling bits from the adjustable harness are one of the reasons I don't like adjustable shoulder (?) straps. Surely there's a way of getting rid of those.


BTW: kneeling on the bottom for a mask removal after some more than 3k dives? Even in a pool, it's a bad habit imo.


Edit: Yes I did point out only "negatives", please don't see that as an insult.

 

[rongoodman]

Too many dangly bits.

 

[tbone1004]

@FiddlerOnTheRoof how does one get access to a ymca pool for diving?

 

[FiddlerOnTheRoof]

Welp, 10 days late but hey.

2 things:
That dangling spg is causing unnecessary drag and could become annoying if for some reason you work on line. Not necessarily caveline, I'm more into fishing line that I collect, and I know those would annoy the hell out of me.
Those dangling bits from the adjustable harness are one of the reasons I don't like adjustable shoulder (?) straps. Surely there's a way of getting rid of those.


BTW: kneeling on the bottom for a mask removal after some more than 3k dives? Even in a pool, it's a bad habit imo.


Edit: Yes I did point out only "negatives", please don't see that as an insult.

Thanks for the input, but as I mentioned this video was a few years ago.. also I was getting used to the new equipment. One of the problems I was having at the time with that setup was that I kept getting feet heavy, this is the reason why you saw me on my knees! 3K Dives? 2,575 dives to be exact! LOL

 

[FiddlerOnTheRoof]

Too many dangly bits.

I know... I hate dangly bits too!

 

[Patoux01]

Thanks for the input, but as I mentioned this video was a few years ago.. also I was getting used to the new equipment.

Then my comment will be for those that looked at your video and want to see it as a starting point, that they cant remove the dangly bits that aren't needed (because some ARE needed )