Sidemount clinic

[karstdvr]

Do we want to talk best practices and options on them for hose routing, bottle placement, can light management, etc? Even with a dozen ways to do everything it should be possible to work out a list of things that work for most people. For the interests of brevity and the target audience, we should stick to Floridian sidemount with some occasional, short term bottle removal - something like Jug hole.

Hose routing can be regulator dependent,but still preference is to be as clean as possible with no bulging hoses to the side or hanging down. Jug hole you mentioned is a place that when going through the bedding plane on your belly,it will tell you very quickly if anything is dangling down.

I think the key to look for is hoses that route cleanly, tanks that sit laterally along the body as if they were glued to your side,light cord and canister that is clean with no ability to get caught in a restriction,second stages that are up off the bottom and in an easily deployable location,SPGs that are easily viewable and away from entanglement etc.

Many people choose a recreational sidemount configuration,so they have no intent of ever removing tanks,but for those people choosing to do passages where tank removal is necessary,then a rig that allows this to be easily and quickly is necessary.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

Hi Guys,

Update on the rig.

1. I ordered 3" HP hoses for my SPG's as the 6" hoses hung down too much. With shorter hoses and a litle more up angle on the regs, the SPG's should be out of the way.

2. I did a couple tests with the 7' hose. First I wrapped it back on the tank, but didn't care for that much (left tank on video). Second time, I used surgical tubing and did a standard stage "U" wrap on the inside of the tank, close to my body. That was better, but the surgical tubing around the tank seemed to wear quickly. I am currently tucking the hose in my waist webbing in a stage "U" configuration, then doing the standard around the back of head config. This seems to work out ok. The light is going to get mounted on my butt, and out of the way horizontally. I plan on testing the rig more, through the catacombs at Ginnie in the next few weeks.

Please note that this is a work in progress, and I thank you all for your comments and tips. Time to go down the rabbit hole.

Cheers

Mike

 

[karstdvr]

Thanks for the update,you'll find it will never stop.

Curious why you choose a 7' hose,is it because you are diving with back mount divers? I will put 5' hoses on for back mounters,but prefer short hoses.

I like the butt mounting of the light,but you will find you will need to go with a long light cord,I use a 72" light cord. This is important because you can route the hose under your harness and around your arm to reduce snagging,but most importantly,the strain on the cord attaching to lid is great.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

Thanks for the update,you'll find it will never stop.

Curious why you choose a 7' hose,is it because you are diving with back mount divers? I will put 5' hoses on for back mounters,but prefer short hoses.

I like the butt mounting of the light,but you will find you will need to go with a long light cord,I use a 72" light cord. This is important because you can route the hose under your harness and around your arm to reduce snagging,but most importantly,the strain on the cord attaching to lid is great.

Yes you are correct, I run a 7' hose because my regular group is all backmount. I prefer the short hoses, but for now, I will be diving with the 7'.

I might buy another light with a thinline can instead of my regular wreck can. Do you mount it above your butt plate? and do you still mount your reels on the butt D ring?

Thanks for the tips. I'll post another video when I have the system tweaked to my liking .

Cheers

Mike

 

[karstdvr]

. Do you mount it above your butt plate? and do you still mount your reels on the butt D ring?

Actually I don't have a butt plate,my system uses carabiners with "egg beaters". I mount it with a swivel double ender from the bottom back,so it rides fairly low. I put reels on the butt D-ring,but also a perfect place is by putting a ring between the harnass and the tank,so it rides just above the tank-easy to get to,but sheilded by the tank.

 

[Tegg]

Thanks for the update,you'll find it will never stop.

Curious why you choose a 7' hose,is it because you are diving with back mount divers? I will put 5' hoses on for back mounters,but prefer short hoses.

Ever had to no mount through a restriction with a "drop" on the other side? That's why I use longer hoses... Put tanks through, let them slide over out of the way, come through restriction... longer hoses make that scenario easier...

As far as butt mounting lights... I used to do that until I got trapped because of it. It's tough to backup in tight cave when the light can catches a rock in zero vis and "locks" in... I now use a slimline can and mount on the side of the rig next to the tank...

Just my ways of doing it... Most people will find that sidemounting is a very personal thing within cavediving. Most people do many things slightly different, which is what makes it "their own".

 

[karstdvr]

Ever had to no mount through a restriction with a "drop" on the other side? That's why I use longer hoses... Put tanks through, let them slide over out of the way, come through restriction... longer hoses make that scenario easier...

In this scenario I find short hoses work well,but I call a short hose anything less than 5'. I have a hose that is long enough and is stowable, and not an entanglement hazard. Do you maintain a tether at this point? If both tanks are removed and being pushed ahead,and the visibility could be reduced,then a tether similar to a no mount configuration can be good.

As far as butt mounting lights... I used to do that until I got trapped because of it. It's tough to backup in tight cave when the light can catches a rock in zero vis and "locks" in... I now use a slimline can and mount on the side of the rig next to the tank...

This used to be a problem with big canisters sitting up high. I use a small wreck canister,and it rides low,so when backing up it doesn't push upward. I have found that in situations where I have had to remove the light canister that it was easier to reach behind (over the tank) me versus unfastening my harness and reaching around a tank to my front.

Just my ways of doing it... Most people will find that sidemounting is a very personal thing within cavediving. Most people do many things slightly different, which is what makes it "their own".

Yep I agree. Your system works well for you and you are successful in handling the situations you encounter.