Preferred Sidemount Return Swim?

[SlugLife]

https://www.sealswcc.com/training/navy-seal-swcc-combat-sidestroke-guide.html

I was planning on doing more swimming this year for exercise, and will probably be able to put the video near the top to good use.

I'm a little skeptical about doing a sidestroke with a sidemount tank, however, there's no harm in trying it.

 

[lowwall]

https://www.sealswcc.com/training/navy-seal-swcc-combat-sidestroke-guide.html

Combat sidestroke is not especially efficient. It was invented to minimize swimmers' sound and profile and to allow them to keep their eyes on the target.

If you really want to use your arms for some reason, then do breaststroke if you want to preserve energy or freestyle (Australian crawl) if you want to maximize speed.

If you know how to do a scissors kick, I guess you could do regular sidestroke with or without the arm pulls. It's a good option for carrying on a conversation while still allowing you to see where you are going.

 

[Subcooled]

In sidemount we have
- classic bungees (around the cylinder valves to the chest D-ring)
- loop bungees to the valves only
- ring bungees with the metal clip to the chest D-ring
And the cylinder valve can point to different directions etc. etc.

There are thus many bungee/cylinder configurations with many good features and also their downsides. Pick your favorite.
These can behave differently when swimming on ones back.

I am using the classic bungee and sometimes, when I swim or dive on my back, the cylinders fall out ot the bungees. I do support the cylinders with hands to stop this from happening. Maybe a ring bungee solves this (I would assume it does, it seems obvious). However, both bungee systems have their good and bad sides. Just saying that pay attention to your own kit and your preferences and abilities. Find a way that is comfortable and efficient.

 

[DirtFish]

https://www.sealswcc.com/training/navy-seal-swcc-combat-sidestroke-guide.html

Combat sidestroke with sidemount tanks? Don't think so.
When sidemount shore diving in Curacao some of the swims to the start of the reef can be 300-400 yards. It's always been a back swim with fins up and head back with the occasional look forward, nice, easy and relaxed.

 

[johndiver999]

Like rowing a boat, you navigate by looking at the shore behind you, or a cloud or sun or maybe the moon, then roll over and check once in a while.

 

[ofg-1]

Scooter?

 

[lowwall]

Scooter?

Uber?

 

[Jcp2]

Combat sidestroke with sidemount tanks? Don't think so.
When sidemount shore diving in Curacao some of the swims to the start of the reef can be 300-400 yards. It's always been a back swim with fins up and head back with the occasional look forward, nice, easy and relaxed.

Not the whole thing, just the bit about turning the lower torso a bit to the side if swimming on front so that fins can catch the water better.

 

[BoltSnap]

then swimming in trim on your stomach means an extremely inefficient kick since your fins will be breaking the surface.

In reality, due to the need to keep your fins submerged throughout the entire stroke, it makes no practical difference in terms of drag whether you are on your front or back.

Not sure of what you mean by "trim" in this context as related to your legs, but what you are stating isn't accurate at all. I do a LOT of swimming on surface, using snorkel, to get to the drop down point which is usually 400 - 500 meters away from entry point. I swim face down with snorkel and kick with my fins keeping them below surface. I use a slightly modified flutter kick whereby my legs aren't straight, knees slightly bent at an angle towards the bottom. I kick nice and easy keeping the fins' blades below surface. MUCH more efficient in every way to the swim on back position. If I get tired or need to check what's on the bottom, I simply stop not move at all and wait until breathing and heart beat return to normal. (I mean total stop not even a slight arm move).

 

[gmerick]

With sufficient gas, take a bearing, descend to below prop depth (15-20 ft), and swim towing my SMB. If I have to surface swim, move lower boltsnaps from the belt o-rings to the door handles (have to do it anyway before boarding, but hard-linked tanks don't move as much on the surface), clip the upper bolt snaps to the rings. Swim on my back, and use my signal mirror to look over my shoulder to track the boat. I have a reg on a necklace, so it's easy to cope with occasional waves. When towing a SMB on the surface, I hook a 3 pounder on the line boltsnap, and let it trail.