Sidemount Certifications Requirements

[MXGratefulDiver]

I agree with BKP about the value of sidemount training from a reputable instructor ... I took a class with Dive-aholic this past May and it was worth every dime it cost me ... but if you have access to a good mentor, I can easily see an experienced diver picking up sidemount adequately (for recreational OW diving) without taking a class. There are many things I don't have c-cards in ... drysuit diving, for example. And although I have well over 2,000 dives in a drysuit, I can well imagine that if I were to ever try to rent one somewhere, I wouldn't be able to. Nonsensical CYA rules are the outcome of an overly litigious society ... and I wouldn't blame a resort for trying to cover their liability in situations like this one.

But I would still like to know which resort we're talking about ... might be a good idea to verify whether or not you'll be allowed on the boat without a boat diving specialty card ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Tegg]

There are many sidemount divers who never took classes and who also push the back of a lot of the caves people dive to lay line... Most of those either self taught or mentored with someone.

I agree that a sidemount class is good with a good instructor, since it can help one by-pass the "learning curve" that takes some time to get through on protocol and emergency procedures.... but any place "requiring" a sidemount card would simply not get my business.

Heck, I was diving sidemount years before a class was offered...

 

[karstdvr]

Heck, I was diving sidemount years before a class was offered...

Sure? NSS-CDS has offered this course and cert for approx 20 years

 

[scubamarketing]

Why does everybody automatically assume this is a tactic to make money? Maybe it's their shop policy (which they can have regardless of PADI standards to a degree) because they've had people damage boats and rental gear because they didn't really know how to use their sidemount gear. When I was teaching at the university, we said you couldn't bring in a tank without a boot on it, not because we wanted to sell more tank boots or make peoples lives difficult, but because the university decided that tanks without boots were more likely to crack pool deck tiles.

As others have already said, it's tough to say without further clarification, but I think we shouldn't just all automatically assume this is an evil PADI money making endeavor.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Why does everybody automatically assume this is a tactic to make money? Maybe it's their shop policy (which they can have regardless of PADI standards to a degree) because they've had people damage boats and rental gear because they didn't really know how to use their sidemount gear. When I was teaching at the university, we said you couldn't bring in a tank without a boot on it, not because we wanted to sell more tank boots or make peoples lives difficult, but because the university decided that tanks without boots were more likely to crack pool deck tiles.

As others have already said, it's tough to say without further clarification, but I think we shouldn't just all automatically assume this is an evil PADI money making endeavor.

Forgive me in advance and please don't take this as a flame, but it is ironic........your name and then your post, it struck me funny.

Your post does, however, bring up a point of view. Personally, I think that recreational operations may not understand sidemount and are trying to limit their liability. Having said that, many times these operations are not open to understanding peopele who are qualified to dive certain gear regardless of certification, especially since it didn;t exist in the recreational world until recently.

 

[scubamarketing]

Forgive me in advance and please don't take this as a flame, but it is ironic........your name and then your post, it struck me funny.

I guess I don't get it, and I've been told I have a pretty good sense of humor.

An operation has every right to limit their liability. While I agree that everyone should understand sidemount, it isn't practical, especially in places that don't have much in the way of tech diving. The issue is if they claim it's a PADI policy when in reality it's a business policy. While I personally think it's a little odd, again, we don't have any detailed information.

 

[ianr33]

An operation has every right to limit their liability. While I agree that everyone should understand sidemount, it isn't practical, especially in places that don't have much in the way of tech diving.

I planned to do single tank rec stuff.

What liability does an operation have if someone decides to wear a single tank on their side rather than their back?

 

[BKP]

What liability does an operation have if someone decides to wear a single tank on their side rather than their back?

I was wondering the same thing.
Even if it's two side-mounted tanks. The OP is apparently not doing trimix, he's apparently not planning tech depth dives, and he hasn't said that he plans to extend his bottom time beyond that of the group. He's slinging a tank, instead of back-mounting it. He's doing recreational dives. Where's the liability?

 

[scubamarketing]

Perhaps the OP will share more information since at this point it seems like we're all speculating on little to no info.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

I guess I don't get it, and I've been told I have a pretty good sense of humor.

An operation has every right to limit their liability. While I agree that everyone should understand sidemount, it isn't practical, especially in places that don't have much in the way of tech diving. The issue is if they claim it's a PADI policy when in reality it's a business policy. While I personally think it's a little odd, again, we don't have any detailed information.

Your name (Scubamarketing) and the follow up gives another perspective, but between the two it sounds like a vested interest. That was the humour to me, although I don't think you have any vested interest, just the two things struck me as funny.