Sidemount course cost

[Searcaigh]

I know of an instructor here in UAE who charges AED6,000 / USD1,628 and will not teach anyone who has not completed AOW.

 

[Cheizz]

I know of an instructor here in UAE who charges AED6,000 / USD1,628 and will not teach anyone who has not completed AOW.

Being 'advanced' seems fair. It helps tremendously if the diver is proficient in basic buoyancy, propulsion, trim, knows how to correct stuff, and doesn't panic or anything.
Unfortunately, having an AOW (or similar) certification doesn't necessarily mean they actually master all that.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I know of an instructor here in UAE who charges AED6,000 / USD1,628 and will not teach anyone who has not completed AOW.

Do I know this instructor?

With RAID I can teach SM in the OW course. Many people lose their minds with this but the students have never put on scuba gear so everything they do and wear is new. Now mind you, I have never taught an OW in SM.

As for what the other people have said, find someone who dives your rig. I have a ton of dives in the Xdeep and that is what I teach. I know how to set it up well. If someone came to me with a Razor, could I do it, yes I could but I would tell them that there are better instructors out there for that system.

 

[TylerG.]

A good instructor should not charge less than around $250/day, and 3-350 tops, and a good SM course should be 3-4 days. If your instructor is severely under-valuing, or over-valuing themself, you should have second thoughts about your choice.

 

[Searcaigh]

Do I know this instructor?

Possibly, he teaches at RAK.

 

[SlugLife]

(Disclaimer, I'm not reccomending this, but am just adding a data-point)

I went a little non-traditional. I paid $200 for the Sidemounting.com materials (which were fantastic!) and proceeded to "self" teach. It was certainly more frustrating and time-consuming to go that route, but I had the free-time and patience to do it. I may also be missing some "refinment" that I'd get from an in-person class.

At some point, I wouldn't mind taking the class from the SideMounting.com instructor or someone equivelant. The sidemounting courses locally, I've heard a few things that throw red-flags, for example, they apparently use regular backplates and wings, and then modify them.

I wouldn't ONLY look at the price, but rather the quality and quantity you get for that price. One $350 sidemount course might barely teach you how to put on a sidemount harness, clip on some tanks and get in the water. Another at $800 might offer 5x the material, and be much easier to understand. Sidemount is one of those areas that's constantly being refined and updated, it's not like an Open Water course where there's generally a fixed curriculum.

 

[0ctoman]

I paid $1200 for my gorazor sidemount one on one 4 day course in Cancun cenotes/caves. To this day it’s still far an away the best training course I’ve had in any facet of life. 100% worth it IMO

Day 1:
- configuration and adjustment of the harness
- prepare the tanks
- gear up at the surface
- gear up in water
- proper weighting,
- descent/ascent
- buoyancy,
- trim
- communication
- Read pressure gauge
- 2 hands Regulator switch
- pressure gauge reading
- swimming techniques (frog kick, flutter, helicopter turn, back kick...)

Demo Dive in Side Mount practicing skills

This will be the base for Day 1 and then depending on how it goes, the program will be adjusted to enable you to get the best out of your training.

Day 2 and 3: The skills will include
- one hand regulator switch (both right and left)
- gaz sharing receiving and doning (3 ways: breathing from the long hose, breathing from the short hose unclipping long hose, breathing from the short hose using the break away connector) - static, swimming and ascending
- stowing the long hose underwater
- send a SMB
- drop and recover right tank underwater
- Valve drill
- swim without mask

Equipement failures:
- Clip failures
- mask replacement
- bungee replacement
- LPI failure self inflate disconnect and oral inflate
- primary wing failure switch to back up
- regulator's free flow

Side Mount dives including practice of the skills

Day 4
- tune up if necessary and evaluation of all skills .

Sent you a PM about this course

 

[ofg-1]

Costs you ask? Well, as a guess, if you go UTD and buy the entire bargeload of hoses, fittings, clips, manifold and assorted bits and pieces, figure about one kidney, 3 pints of blood, and your left testicle.

 

[SlugLife]

Costs you ask? Well, as a guess, if you go UTD and buy the entire bargeload of hoses, fittings, clips, manifold and assorted bits and pieces, figure about one kidney, 3 pints of blood, and your left testicle.

On the bright side, at least it didn't cost you an arm and a leg.

 

[ofg-1]

On the bright side, at least it didn't cost you an arm and a leg.

No, you have to save those for a rebreather or big Suex scooter.