Single tank sidemount?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

darkH20diver

Registered
Messages
26
Reaction score
0
Location
atlanta area
i am new to Sm but am wondering what the pros and cons are to having two Regs on a single tank same as you would bm and diving with the single tank? Obviously less air and off balance to a degree but easier to get on and off a boat and more comfortable. I experimented in a pool today like this with only the single second stage and it worked well. Would want the extra second stage in open water.
 
It's common to take your long hose off the right and add it to the left 1st stage.
Keep your necklace on but breath from the longhose.
Now you're ready for primary donate.
You never know when you will need to share air.
 
Are you talking about a single tank, single 1st with two 2nds on a normal K valve, but SM? Or a H or Y valve, and two first stages, in a SM configuration?

Not sure it would be easier on the boat, unless you have mobility limitations and you need to gear up in the water. Handling a single tank is easy closest to your body centre, hanging it from your side is going to be less comfortable. Especially on small boats where you have a narrow ladder between two outboards. A great way to wreck your back is to twist while carrying a load.

The lack of a redundant air source is a loss but only if it's required. You wouldn't solo dive like that, but NDL sport diving works. Keep testing, let us know.
 
I single sidemount with my razor rig all the time when I’m on liveaboards that don’t allow dual sidemount diving. No issues at all with balance. It’s much better than back mount as your tank drains as you can clip the butt of the tank to the front D-ring on your crotch etc. No issues at all with anything. I stopped bringing my backmounts as a necessity a while ago. I still bring my hydros as a backup or to let other people use it, but I have no reason to wear a back mount. Especially because I have my camera rig. Much easier to maneuver in single sidemount setup as opposed to standard BCD. I have access to my air supply, I’m much lower profile in heavy current, my neck doesn’t hurt as much. Easier to pass up to dive crew than full BCD Etc etc.
 
Same as Paul M and Ministryofgiraffes (nice name:)), not a problem at all.
Have been doing that for many years for all my rec dives with s80 alu and steel 10L
For the 2nd's 2nd, all set-ups you want are fine.
 
i am new to Sm but am wondering what the pros and cons are to having two Regs on a single tank same as you would bm and diving with the single tank? Obviously less air and off balance to a degree but easier to get on and off a boat and more comfortable. I experimented in a pool today like this with only the single second stage and it worked well. Would want the extra second stage in open water.

it removes a lot of the benefits that people like about sidemount, but nothing wrong with single tank sidemount diving. I'm a big fan. You just offset about a 2lb weight to your opposite hip and happy days.
Getting on and off a boat is not as easy for me as backmount diving, but it's not hard by any means.
 
wondering what the pros and cons are to having two Regs on a single tank same as you would bm and diving with the single tank? Would want the extra second stage in open water.

like others above, i also dive single sm. i do it exclusively now when on vacation when warm water diving. if i need a second tank i just reconfigure my regs and go. like when diving cenotes for example in mexico.

there would not be a scenario i can think of that you would only carry one second stage. you could if solo diving, but should you be solo diving without a redundant gas supply ? some do. but it is not recommended. and obviously if diving in a team or with a single buddy, you would carry two.

unlike some, i dive with the tank on my left, breath from the short hose on necklace (cuz it is soooo damn comfy) and keep the long hose stowed along the side of the the tank. the long hose second stage is held in place with a standard silicone mouth piece holder secured to a choker on the neck of the tank.
i also wear a weight belt very high on my body (just under my chest muscles) to trim out nicely in my full 3mm. this way i can easily shift the weight as needed during the dive to correct side to side balance. i have read that many do not bother doing this as they feel quite comfy when the balance changes during the dive. i prefer to be able to adjust this.

as far as entering and exiting the water.....i personally find single sm easier than single bm. and this goes for boat diving or shore diving. once you get into discussing double sm vs double bm the conversation gets more complex.

there are not as many videos online showing single sm so if you like you can take a look at this short vid from a trip to curacao.

 
My Avatar......single tank SM.......a steel HP100......also Z system so I guess I’m gonna die soon, lol.
Now, with an AL80, no real requirement to add opposite weight (2 lbs is easy if wanted).
Steels, although manageable, it’s easier with 4-5 lbs off set.

This is single AL80 (pic taken just before adjusting my tank). Again, no offset weight.
View media item 209770
 
Single tank sidemount wearing a single regulator only can be uncluttered and fun.
- just make sure you don't dive too deep (keep CESA possible)
- or need to share gas

Most freeflows in cold water happen in the second stage, not in the first stage (given that your gear, compressor included, is serviced and air is dry). Hence, two second stages is a good thing to have in arctic diving. A second stage could also break, at least in theory (well it happened to me). Hence, I recommend moderate depths where CESA is an option.

It is best to use a nearly neutrally buoyant cylinder. Torque stresses your legs (as you try to compensate) and could lead to cramps, which are a bit annoying... You can compensate for half of the airs weight by a lead weight on your weight belt.

In the picture below, I have removed the BCD/Wing too. A 3mm wetsuit and a neutrally buoyant cylinder and minimal weights made a BCD unnecessary. One can adjust that much buoyancy with lungs.

Please remember though, that when you use custom configurations, then you really need to know what you are doing. What if the reg fails? Can I control my buoyancy? At the beginning of the dive? At the end of the dive?

GOPR0295.JPG
 
Nothing difficult with using single tank sidemount. If you have not problems with bouyancy - you will have not problems with single tank.
Just put some more lead on the opposite side of the tank, and have a pleasure.
some examples (when I had dives to the shallow, deeper 20m I try to use two tanks):
h-4022.jpg

There is 10L steel tank, not big and with sinkancy around 2.5(full) or 1(empty) kg

Also I even try to use short and heavy 12L steel tanks. Not so comfortable, as slim 10L, but also swimable.
h-2259.jpg


And I use it even with FFM :)
h-1907.jpg


Some notices:
If you keep your octopus like on the stage bottle - always remind your`s buddy, where it is. or share your main regulator, and than use for yourself attached under the rubber rings.

It is nice to have lead weights not on the belt directly, but inside some pockets. I have four - two on the back on the belt, and two on the shoulders.
And have one small (approx.1 kg) lead weight.
You can easy adjust your trim just moving this small weight between pockets. underwater.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom