Considering Sidemount...looking for folks in Puget Sound and info :)

[Andrew Dawson]

Greetings,

I am interested in converting from BM to SM.

I was tech certified [PADI] and loved it...even did an 11 day tech trip to Truk....but have not tech dove in about 5yrs.

I live near Seattle and am looking for SM folks to hang with [or even just dive buddies]...and any advice on a link for SM info [how to connect the bottles to the rig, etc] or books.

I currently have an OS IQ with a SS backplate in it, HP120s [worthingtons], DR Trek Wing, DUI TLS350, and am looking at adding a DR Butt Plate [Dive Rite Buttplate]

Here is a pic I found:

I figure I would have to breathe a little more off of the tank that is not connected to the drysuit to keep trim balanced. I would also consider a 5' hose on the primary tank [right one on your body for donating, short hose with a necklace for the left tank on your body]. I am not going to do any cave or wreck penetrations...I will be open water only...95% shore diving. No scooter

Anyways, I really like the benefits of SM...I do not want to go back to BM doubles...I used to dive worthington 130s and AL40s [decos]...that was just a bit too much weight for my 5'7" ~170lbs frame.

Thanks All!!!

 

[Andrew Dawson]

Additional info:

The pic above is incorrect...the below image is what I want to do...and the setup is viewed from above me if I was wearing it, looking at my back. Thoughts?

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

Give me a few months! I'm moving in September to start grad school at U-Dub and I'd look forward to the opportunity to do more SM shore diving.

 

[runsongas]

if you dont plan on penetrations, you can just go with a 40 inch hose instead of buying a 5 ft (unless if you already have it). i would look at picking up a shorter tank than the hp120 since you are 5'7".

 

[Andrew Dawson]

@dewdropsonrosa cool, I will be diving then! Welcome and if you need any local info, just hit me up

@runsongas I do not have the 5' hose, yet...but I do have ~36" hose...I was surprised just how long the HP120s are lol I will have to look into seeing what comes up for sale...but for now...the HP120s will be the primary tanks.

Anyone have info on SM?

I have been to these pages:

Dummies guide to Side mount Scuba Diving

Ultimate Guide: How To Set Up Your Sidemount Harness

Also, anyone prefer this plate:
Dive Rite Buttplate

Over this one:

Dive Rite Buttplate for Deco/Stage - Tech Style | eBay

 

[rjack321]

Additional info:

The pic above is incorrect...the below image is what I want to do...and the setup is viewed from above me if I was wearing it, looking at my back. Thoughts?


View attachment 519674

This is how I run my rig. You will want a 90-deg elbow on the left hose. I use a 7ft on the right tank, but 5ft is adequate. I would not use a 40" as it's too long to go around your head direct without bowing and too short to stuff. You want a breakaway on the long hose clip. Orings tied between the clip and the hose are popular but need periodic (3 to 6 month) replacement.

You wont ever notice the "drysuit" or "wing" consumption. Use 500-700 from each and just switch. Using EANx this is all fine. Diving trimix SM in Puget Sound with 1-2 deco gases and a suit bottle is a pita. It only gets worse for boat diving SM.

You may want smaller tanks, 120s-130s are overkill for nitrox dives. Faber 85s are ideal IMO, but Worthington hp100s and Faber lp95s are also decent choices.

 

[Andrew Dawson]

@rjack321 great info, thank you!! Got any pics of how you connect your tank bands to your harness? Or your rig as a whole?

Maybe I can find someone local who wants to trade Faber 85s or HP100s for these HP120s [fresh VIP and hydro just a few months ago]...

 

[RVBldr]

If you're not going to look for an instructor to help you get dialed in (and there's aren't many in the PS area), Steve Martin's videos are pretty good: sidemounting.com – Online video training courses for Scuba Divers

As mentioned above, HP100's are great for PS, but I've dove with AL80's and they do just fine assuming you can bump up the weight on the harness.

 

[MichaelMc]

I'm a sidemount novice, 24 SM dives, but I'll mention tiny sidemount as a nice place to start. AL40s or LP50s. I've dove both. Roughly half the weight is nice for shore diving!! As are less bulky training wheels. You do need a set per dive and will acquire a preference for shops that price Nitrox per cu.ft. not per tank.

AL40s are versatile tanks for other scuba uses, but they, and AL80s, behave differently from the bigger negative steels. Trying to hang tail up vs tail down. And thus attaching forward on the belt, not hanging from rails. But I thought I saw that many up there were diving SM AL80s because they somehow wound up training with the Razor folks in Mexico.

LP50s are easier as they hang down and remove some weight from your harness, but they have few other uses unless you get to rebreathers, or for tiny doubles. They behave similar to the LP85s by hanging down. But start to get floaty; as I recall, I haven't dove LP50s in a bit.

A size comparison I sketched up.

ETA: I've gone to a knee, been knocked down, or tumbled a little in singles backmount and tiny sidemount. I'm not sure there is much difference between those two. Though I do enter/exit with bungee loops pulling tanks tight, as well as choker double-enders. Putting fins on in the surf seems complicated by SPG up, vs down along the tank, but I'm still experimenting with that setup.

 

[Billy Northrup]

I don't know anything about diving PS but I do know about diving Norcal waters. Shore diving here is usually a long and or steep walk to the water and very energetic waves that often knock me down and roll me. I've only observed ONE diver in SM and it kicked his butt. I'd find a local contingent of SM divers and see what they are up to, if any.

Maybe borrow some gear and see if it's what you want before dropping $$$$