Sidemount Class?

[k-valve]

I love the idea of carrying an extra tank which is why I love my pony bottle. The thought of carrying an extra 80 cf tank is even more exciting.

But if I never plan to do any serious tech diving, would there be much that I would get out of this class? (Although this may sound like a rhetorical question, it's not meant as such.)

Sidemount diving is really catching on around the country. Jeff, for example, dives his sidemount configuration in all sorts of situations. He hurt his ankle badly skydiving and sidemount allows him to easily enter and exit the water. From shore you step into the water and then attach the tanks...it's easy to do btw. From a boat you can enter the water and then have someone hand you your tanks...as long as the water isn't too rough.

Sidemount is a great travel config too. It's lightweight and accommodates the standard Al80 easily.

You get more air for longer dives and added safety.

It's easy on the back, knees and ankles since you don't have to lug the tanks down to the water on your back.

There are reasons to dive sidemount in wrecks and caves for technical purposes, and this is why the config was developed in the first place. However, it has come to be recognized as a terrific configuration for pure recreational diving also.

Jeff wrote the class and dives sidemount regularly. Paul has been diving sidemount for years...he is the reason Jeff is coming to Austin in the first place. You won't find a better pair to learn the technique from...for recreational or technical purposes.

 

[ianr33]

. From a boat you can enter the water and then have someone hand you your tanks...as long as the water isn't too rough.

This would seem to be one of the biggest disadvantages of sidemounting. 10-20 divers putting sidemount tanks on in the water with a surface chop and current would be errr,.....interesting.

If I was diving sidemount off a boat then I would probably just sling the tanks off shoulder D rings rather than using true sidemount. Maybe sort it once in the water.

 

[k-valve]

This would seem to be one of the biggest disadvantages of sidemounting. 10-20 divers putting sidemount tanks on in the water with a surface chop and current would be errr,.....interesting.

Agreed...which is exactly why I added this caveat in my previous post:

...as long as the water isn't too rough.

 

[ianr33]

I thought you were a teacher not a lawyer !

Good luck with the class.

 

[ianr33]

I love the idea of carrying an extra tank which is why I love my pony bottle. The thought of carrying an extra 80 cf tank is even more exciting.

But if I never plan to do any serious tech diving, would there be much that I would get out of this class? (Although this may sound like a rhetorical question, it's not meant as such.)

Hey Donna.
I have done some awesome dives with independant doubles in the Caribbean. Diving a sidemount setup using 32% somewhere like Bonaire would let you do around 25 minutes at 100 feet followed by a very gradual ascent. Dive times can be well over an hour and the deco is minimal or nonexistant. The total redundancy makes it great for a solo setup once you have got used to it.

Just slinging an extra 80 is easier if you only want to do it once or twice but sidemount is much more elegant.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I've found Lake Murray to be the perfect side mount practice lake, its not too far from me, the price is right, and it has the - in my opinion - ideal side mount entrance, I my stuff in the water between dives, just walk out, neal down and put it all on.

 

[k-valve]

I thought you were a teacher not a lawyer !

Good luck with the class.

Ha! Ha! No, a principal...which might put me in the same bottom feeder category.

 

[ianr33]

I've found Lake Murray to be the perfect side mount practice lake, its not too far from me, the price is right, and it has the - in my opinion - ideal side mount entrance, I my stuff in the water between dives, just walk out, neal down and put it all on.

In contrast to that I have found that Barstows pretty much sucks. Juggling 2 sidemount tanks and a deco tank on the metal steps while getting hit by the wake from powerboats can be very character building.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

In contrast to that I have found that Barstows pretty much sucks. Juggling 2 sidemount tanks and a deco tank on the metal steps while getting hit by the wake from powerboats can be very character building.

I can imagine, its bad enough in back mount at times, windy point is the primary reason I still have a set of backmount doubles.

 

[k-valve]

In contrast to that I have found that Barstows pretty much sucks. Juggling 2 sidemount tanks and a deco tank on the metal steps while getting hit by the wake from powerboats can be very character building.

...and the non-stop traffic on the steps from the OW classes!