My journey into tech

[Marie13]

Cave diving sidemount means you only have to carry one tank at a time. But boat diving to get to wrecks? Assume worst case. You strap on a pair of HP100 and giant stride into the water. And they immediately issue the diver recall signal. Consider the mechanics of how you are going to hand up to the crew at the top of the ladder a pair of full HP100s when you are bobbing around in 2 -3 ft waves. Is that possible and safe for you to do? Or are you going to be climbing the ladder with them attached?

I'll discuss that with instructor and/or friends who dive the Lakes SM.

Heck, my LDS owner has dove the Lakes SM. There's a picture of him diving SM on the Hume hanging in the store.

I really should go through the thread and tally up the votes for, against, and "you're freakin' out of your mind" on SM on the Great Lakes.

 

[Lorenzoid]

If people in Marie's region are doing the kinds of dives she wants to do in SM, are we in a position to question local practices?

Edit: Marie's post immediately above wasn't visible until I posted. So, what she said!

 

[Marie13]

For me it doesn't matter if I have to carry my tanks backmount or sidemount I still have to carry my tanks when I enter the water or when I climb into the boat. Maybe it is different for you, than sidemount would make sense.

Our local practice allows for putting 1 or both tanks on in the water.

 

[UWZen]

Our local practice allows for putting 1 or both tanks on in the water.

I think that's the disconnect here Marie. Some boats are more than willing to assist and hand down/up tanks etc. Especially when you have a good relationship with the charter like it sounds like you do with your local boat, this is the ideal solution for you to carry multiple tanks with your knees.

For some folks that's an almost unheard of level of white glove service. A lot of charters run with the "take care of your own ****, we'll get you to the site" mentality, and you won't have much luck asking for them to hand you tanks. And this is where SM would be no advantage, you'd still have to bear the weight of carry 2+ tanks around the deck, and now you have a different profile than what most smaller boats dive are desined for.

SM can definitely be done from a boat, and the land-based weight advantages can be had, you just have to be selective with your charter. Sounds like you've got a good set of circumstances to make this happen.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Oh .. Come on really?

SM a fad. That's a foolish statement. I'm sure some people do get into it because it's the latest and greatest but still.

If I had to choose I'd choose SM over doubles every time. With SM you just have two single cylinders to lug into the car rather than some Manifolded twins. It's pretty easy to pick up a couple of tanks from your stock and put them in the SM slings rather than setting up a pair of manifolded twins, which you'll generally keep rigged as dedicated units

At the end of the day you still have two cylinders and the same gas and similar redundancy (obviously a manifold has the advantage here)

And if your on a boat thats off to a 40m+ site everyone (except the foolish) are going armed with multiple cylinders of back gas and deco etc. so they're prepared for that. Does a SM rig take more space than a twinset?

I love the way SB gets bent out of shape about the silliest things

 

[Marie13]

I think that's the disconnect here Marie. Some boats are more than willing to assist and hand down/up tanks etc. Especially when you have a good relationship with the charter like it sounds like you do with your local boat, this is the ideal solution for you to carry multiple tanks with your knees.

For some folks that's an almost unheard of level of white glove service. A lot of charters run with the "take care of your own ****, we'll get you to the site" mentality, and you won't have much luck asking for them to hand you tanks. And this is where SM would be no advantage, you'd still have to bear the weight of carry 2+ tanks around the deck, and now you have a different profile than what most smaller boats dive are desined for.

SM can definitely be done from a boat, and the land-based weight advantages can be had, you just have to be selective with your charter. Sounds like you've got a good set of circumstances to make this happen.

It's not just with DRIS' boats. I know of at least 2 other Great Lakes charter boats that have no issues with SM.

 

[UWZen]

It's not just with DRIS' boats. I know of at least 2 other Great Lakes charter boats that have no issues with SM.

For sure. I used to dive GL wrecks regularly and was in the minority with a twinset over SM divers. Out here in the PNW, BM/SM distribution seems to be skewed slightly the other way. Some places are super SM friendly, and some will look at you like you have a second head of you show up with a SM rig.

 

[KevinNM]

It's not just with DRIS' boats. I know of at least 2 other Great Lakes charter boats that have no issues with SM.

Having "no issues with sidemount" covers a lot of ground. I personally have never been on a boat that didn't expect you to get all the junk you needed to dive in and out of the water yourself. The might give you a hand on the boat, but that ladder between the water and the deck is all yours to climb. But if there are boats that will do this then that's great.

 

[MichaelMc]

I personally have never been on a boat that didn't expect you to get all the junk you needed to dive in and out of the water yourself. The might give you a hand on the boat, but that ladder between the water and the deck is all yours to climb. But if there are boats that will do this then that's great.

Every boat I've been on has helped people with tanks or rigs out of the water. Whether taking some peoples off for them at the stern, or taking everyone's off at the side ladder. Between Northern Cal, Hawaii, and Belize. Local custom varies. I have not been to the Great Lakes yet.

 

[Marie13]

Every boat I've been on has helped people with tanks or rigs out of the water. Whether taking some peoples off for them at the stern, or taking everyone's off at the side ladder. Between Northern Cal, Hawaii, and Belize. Local custom varies. I have not been to the Great Lakes yet.

As it is now, I have to hand up my pony before climbing the ladder. No one has complained about that or my needing pulls on my tank valve for that bit of extra help getting up the ladder, especially that last step onto the swim platform. I tip $20 per crew member (usually just capt and a non-diving DM).