My venture into Sidemount.

[Dive-aholic]

I'm going to actually get around to practicing this . . .

I am going to suspend an HP 100 and two ponies on ropes and gear up those in the water. I will giant stride off with my left tank (bungied reg) hooked up. The question is - what is the best way to hook up the hung tanks?

I'm thinking a clip on both ends of the rope. I run the rope around the neck of the tank, and clip it back to itself. The other end would be wrapped around the boat rail or cleat or whatever the boat wants, and clipped back to the rope.

Or, on the tank, should I tie off a bit of rope as a loop around the neck, and then clip to the loop? If I did this, I wouldn't have a worry about the clip getting caught up on the 1st stage and hoses as I took it off.

Anyone?

Secure the rope to the boat with a loop. Create 3-4 loops about 1 foot apart on the other end of the rope. Remember the static line with clips that were on my tanks when you came out here for class? You should have something similar set up as a redundancy anyway. Use those to clip the tanks onto the loops on the rope. Lower the rope down carefully. Don't just toss it in.

 

[CWSWine]

I was in Home Depot today and saw sold chrome rings about 2" across in the same area as the bolt snaps. I bet you tie couple of them to rope and use them for clipping your tanks to. Just a thought.

 

[Jax]

I was in Home Depot today and saw sold chrome rings about 2" across in the same area as the bolt snaps. I bet you tie couple of them to rope and use them for clipping your tanks to. Just a thought.

Good idea! I have those rings around the valves so I can clip off the rings and such.

 

[Jax]

Secure the rope to the boat with a loop. Create 3-4 loops about 1 foot apart on the other end of the rope. Remember the static line with clips that were on my tanks when you came out here for class? You should have something similar set up as a redundancy anyway. Use those to clip the tanks onto the loops on the rope. Lower the rope down carefully. Don't just toss it in.

Cool!

One reason I am using three ropes (one per tank) is that I don't want to hold all that weight as I lower the tanks in.

So, as to not lose the tank, I think I should put my hand through the static loop before or as I unclip the tank, to make sure I don't drop it. Does anyone see a problem with that? My assumption is that the boat won't be bouncing around a lot. (If it is, I'll as for a "hand-down" from the crew - no rope tieoff to the boat.)

 

[Dive-aholic]

Cool!

One reason I am using three ropes (one per tank) is that I don't want to hold all that weight as I lower the tanks in.

So, as to not lose the tank, I think I should put my hand through the static loop before or as I unclip the tank, to make sure I don't drop it. Does anyone see a problem with that? My assumption is that the boat won't be bouncing around a lot. (If it is, I'll as for a "hand-down" from the crew - no rope tieoff to the boat.)

If you position the loops far enough apart, the lower tank will already be in the water before you have to lift the next tank. This will drop 30-40lbs off your surface load. The static loop shouldn't be large enough for you to fit your hand through. If you're concerned about dropping the cylinder, clip the bottom clip in before unclipping from the line. Just make sure the boat is properly anchored! :shocked2:

If the boat is bouncing around a hand-down won't be safe. The ropes will be more secure. You'll just need longer ropes.

Really, the easiest way will be to gear up on the boat, giant stride in and have weighted gear ropes hanging to clip off the deco cylinders at the end of the dive. Climb back onto the boat with both sidemount bottles in place. It's more stable than doing the same in backmount. Try it in the pool this weekend.

 

[Jax]

Giant stride off the "boat" (swimming pool edge) was about as expected. I found I cannot have one smidgen of air in the BCD, or I can't get down with one steel tank and drysuit. I did not have the tank bungeed in, only clipped on, so the bungee did not have to carry the load of the jump.

Once underwater, a couple of things I messed up.

1 - While fully prepared for the buoyancy change once I unhooked my second steel, I totally blew it in connecting the top clip first. Doing that put me heavily head-down . . . :doh: Like I didn't face plant several times while doing the tank extend in sidemount class. The head-down also made managing the gas bubble interesting.

2 - I did not hook up my long hose right away. Out of concern for "the boat", I wanted all my tanks off the ropes so they could go wherever they were going. The end result was a snarled and not-deployable long hose.

3 - Somehow, in fishing for my right hip D-ring, I snagged the crotch D-ring. <face-palm> I did figure it out because something just felt weird,

I believe this technique is do-able, but one needs to practice. Video left on YouTube for faster loading.

YouTube - 20110409 SM (3) Hook-up underwater.MOV

 

[Jax]

In this part, I should have gone completely vertical to expel the last bit of gas from the wing. I thought I had, but did not.

YouTube - 20110409 SM (12)Un-Hook.MOV

 

[Dive-aholic]

You are planning on doing this in San Carlos, right? Unless things have changed, they boat crew should be okay with handing you the cylinders from the boat. You might want to try gearing up on the surface. Jump in with your left cylinder. Inflate and float face down with the reg in your mouth. Hook up all cylinders in this position. I can probably get some video of this technique for you on Monday. It will be easier than struggling with it under water.

If you have to, or want to, do this underwater, then forget about horizontal trim. You're donning cylinders. Maintain buoyancy control and get the cylinders on in whatever position is the easiest. That may be vertical. It's okay during this part of the dive. You don't need to be horizontal. Once you're all geared up, get horizontal and stay horizontal until it's time to doff the cylinders.

 

[Jax]

You are planning on doing this in San Carlos, right? Unless things have changed, they boat crew should be okay with handing you the cylinders from the boat. You might want to try gearing up on the surface. Jump in with your left cylinder. Inflate and float face down with the reg in your mouth. Hook up all cylinders in this position. I can probably get some video of this technique for you on Monday. It will be easier than struggling with it under water.

If you have to, or want to, do this underwater, then forget about horizontal trim. You're donning cylinders. Maintain buoyancy control and get the cylinders on in whatever position is the easiest. That may be vertical. It's okay during this part of the dive. You don't need to be horizontal. Once you're all geared up, get horizontal and stay horizontal until it's time to doff the cylinders.

Hee -- after that marvelous job you diid adjusting my gear, I don't have to try to stay trimmed -- it happens naturally! The time spent trying to lock in the second tank was more like the problems I had with extending it -- just getting the 'oomph' to pull it up and back and lock in. My lats are screaming . . .

On a sidebar, Dive-aholic also mentioned that I could have just stayed on the surface and pulled the tanks up to me. I have 14' of rope. Depending on how crowded and busy the boat is, I could drop tanks while they anchor, and be first off, or if a small group, the crew could hand down.

Our local guy hasn't splashed his boat yet this year, so we're going with Desert Divers out of Tucson. All of this is a big unknown.

 

[irishsquid]

Jax, thanks for the videos you post. I admire your determination and honesty.
Watching you work through all of the issues, getting feedback, and re-assessing to get things working is an inspiration. I hope I have half the tenacity when I finally get my setup in the pool. :kiss2:
Rob, you & the rest of the members on this thread rock and are a great resource.