Favorite operator for sidemount

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Why am I diving sidemount? Because that’s the only BC and harness I have.

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[dflaher]

I do like to use doubles when in the meican cenotes.

May I ask why?

 

[halocline]

May I ask why?

I think he's talking about sidemount with two tanks, not manifolded doubles. Cenote diving is pretty much overhead depending how you define it, how far into the cavern zone you go, but the majority of cave divers in MX use sidemount (two tanks). I spent years diving in those caves in BM doubles, now I use SM all the time there. It fits the environment way better in lots of ways.

 

[halocline]

Why am I diving sidemount? Because that’s the only BC and harness I have.

That's not a good reason. Get a simple BC, either a jacket or a BP/W or some simple, small harness with a small wing for a single tank on your back and you'll be set. You probably find something for around the cost of one day of diving if you're not too picky. Cozumel dives are just way way easier in single tanks like 99% of divers use there. I love SM in caves but I would never even consider it on one of those small boats, and that doesn't even mention the maneuverability and ease that comes with so much less mass to drag around in the water.

On trips where I dive in the mainland caves and on Coz reefs, I bring my SM harness and a small BP/W. It's just not that much to carry. I take a few extra hoses and switch things around to have a single 1st stage with two 2nd stages and an appropriate length LP hose and SPG. Very easy.

 

[ReefHound]

That's not a good reason. Get a simple BC, either a jacket or a BP/W or some simple, small harness with a small wing for a single tank on your back and you'll be set. You probably find something for around the cost of one day of diving if you're not too picky. Cozumel dives are just way way easier in single tanks like 99% of divers use there. I love SM in caves but I would never even consider it on one of those small boats, and that doesn't even mention the maneuverability and ease that comes with so much less mass to drag around in the water.

On trips where I dive in the mainland caves and on Coz reefs, I bring my SM harness and a small BP/W. It's just not that much to carry. I take a few extra hoses and switch things around to have a single 1st stage with two 2nd stages and an appropriate length LP hose and SPG. Very easy.

The better reason is... "because I feel like it." That's all the reason one needs if the dive op is willing to accomodate.

I would agree that the more closely you conform to the overwhelmingly standard way of doing things the easier the logistics all around, though. Which is why SM would be simpler than doubles because you could just throw a cam band and bolt snaps on a standard AL80 and go.

Coz is drift diving so drag is not so much of an issue. Of course, you still have to kick at times to stay with the group because currents are not always uniform but it's not a major factor. The guy on our boat had no discernable issues at all, lasted the limits of the dive, and seemed rather happy.

 

[halocline]

The better reason is... "because I feel like it." That's all the reason one needs if the dive op is willing to accomodate.

I would agree that the more closely you conform to the overwhelmingly standard way of doing things the easier the logistics all around, though.

Coz is drift diving so drag is not so much of an issue.

It's not about conforming, it's about using a dive set up that works best for the type of diving that you're doing. Of course people can do as they please, but I have been diving with Roberta's dive op for close to 20 years, I've been to Cozumel many, many times, I also have lots of experience diving sidemount in the mainland caves, and I can say from experience that single tank diving for recreational trips on the Cozumel reefs on small boats is much easier and more convenient than doubles of any configuration, and so in a discussion that's what I would recommend. This is not a very complicated issue.

 

[ReefHound]

It's not about conforming, it's about using a dive set up that works best for the type of diving that you're doing. Of course people can do as they please, but I have been diving with Roberta's dive op for close to 20 years, I've been to Cozumel many, many times, I also have lots of experience diving sidemount in the mainland caves, and I can say from experience that single tank diving for recreational trips on the Cozumel reefs on small boats is much easier and more convenient than doubles of any configuration, and so in a discussion that's what I would recommend. This is not a very complicated issue.

I didn’t say otherwise. I responded to a question as to which dive ops allow SM and then to a suggestion that doubles would be simpler. Single tank back mount is also what I would recommend but if it’s between SM and doubles I’d recommend SM.

 

[dflaher]

I think he's talking about sidemount with two tanks, not manifolded doubles. Cenote diving is pretty much overhead depending how you define it, how far into the cavern zone you go, but the majority of cave divers in MX use sidemount (two tanks). I spent years diving in those caves in BM doubles, now I use SM all the time there. It fits the environment way better in lots of ways.

OK thanks. I thought rick was referring to a guided recreational cenote dive, the ones that last an hour or less and don't require nowhere near the amount of air provided by doubles. Typically only the guides on those dives have doubles (either SM or BM depending on the guide's preference).

 

[halocline]

OK thanks. I thought rick was referring to a guided recreational cenote dive, the ones that last an hour or less and don't require nowhere near the amount of air provided by doubles. Typically only the guides on those dives have doubles (either SM or BM depending on the guide's preference).

He might have been, it's hard to know. And you are correct that for the guided cavern dives, pretty much all the clients are in single tanks. I just had a feeling he was talking about diving independently. I could be wrong.

 

[L13]

I haven’t used sidemount in Coz but we’ve been diving all week with a double sidemount diver with Robertas Scuba Shack and they have been super accommodating for him. He has been rolling in with them and handing them up on exit.

I was that diver!

Roberta's was extremely accommodating for sidemount diving (though I haven't tried anyone else in Cozumel, so not sure how it compares to others).

They did not have left/right tanks, but that is easy to deal with. They provided DIN tanks in both air/nitrox. Except one dive I had to use a DIN/Yoke converter because the DIN valve was (slightly)damaged and would accept a converter plug, but not my regulator.

I am far from an expert at sidemount, but it is easy to do from the boats Roberta's used, and I don't think I negatively impacted the other divers much(I hope).

I had a bad reaction to the Covid vaccines, and my air consumption jumped 50% a year ago and is only recovering VERY slowly. I used 3 tanks on 2 dive trips, and by adjusting my gas management (swapping 1 tank between dives) I had ~120 CF per dive leaving me with lots of gas keep up with all the other divers.

But the main reason I did sidemount was just because I felt like it, not for the extra air which probably would have been easier with a 100 CF tank which they also provide. I wanted to improve my skills. I did 3 cenote dives (where it is more appropriate) that week too, but that wasn't the reason.