Sidemount from Rec Boats

[rongoodman]

Last May at Cocos Island on the Okeanos II a young guy from our panga spent the week diving his X-Deep Stealth rig. He didn't appear to have any problems, although I wasn't paying attention to exactly what he was doing. Entries were backrolls and we had to get down fast because of the currents, exits were up the ladder.

 

[Patoux01]

Did two weeks of single SM on a boat in Bonaire and one in Aruba. Generally easy enough. I re-rigged my LH reg set with an alternate but the hose really wasn't long enough.

I don't quite understand the issue. If you dive a "normal" (ie long hose and necklaced backup), you just put them both on the same 1st stage and the lengths will be fine? You keep breathing the long hose and give that one if you have to.

 

[Carl_F]

I don't quite understand the issue. If you dive a "normal" (ie long hose and necklaced backup), you just put them both on the same 1st stage and the lengths will be fine? You keep breathing the long hose and give that one if you have to.

For the recreational dives, I simply chose to use a recreational length alternate and not to put the long hose on the LH reg. Just passing along what worked for me and what didn't. I may try that next time.

 

[Pullnglide]

I’ve had good and bad experiences diving sm off of rec boats. The last time I dove sm on a rec boat the captain gave me this speech about how there was “no call for that out here”. I was diving out of PCB and brought along someone I wanted to do an assessment dive with. The captain continued to talk down to me and at that time I decided I’d dive how I planned that day and we’d go our separate ways at the end of the day never to be seen again. I can understand rec boats being concerned if your diving 108’s or 120’s and being inconsiderate of the other divers while they’re waiting for you to surface however I was diving LP50’s so there shouldn’t have been much concern in regards to that.

 

[Diver-Drex]

I’ve had any issues diving off of Tec boats in SM. One local captain joked around a bit but that stop after a dive or two.

I don't quite understand the issue. If you dive a "normal" (ie long hose and necklaced backup), you just put them both on the same 1st stage and the lengths will be fine? You keep breathing the long hose and give that one if you have to.

My long hose is left and my necklaces shirt hose is on the right. That short hose isn’t long enough to use on the left side. If I were to go to a single tank I would move the long hose over and dive with the right cylinder only.

 

[DevonDiver]

 

[scubanerdnick]

I’ve had good and bad experiences diving sm off of rec boats. The last time I dove sm on a rec boat the captain gave me this speech about how there was “no call for that out here”. I was diving out of PCB and brought along someone I wanted to do an assessment dive with. The captain continued to talk down to me and at that time I decided I’d dive how I planned that day and we’d go our separate ways at the end of the day never to be seen again. I can understand rec boats being concerned if your diving 108’s or 120’s and being inconsiderate of the other divers while they’re waiting for you to surface however I was diving LP50’s so there shouldn’t have been much concern in regards to that.

I'd be interested to know which boat/shop was against it. I've dove SM out of PCB a ton with a few shops and always had no issues. I normally ask beforehand but have never had anyone offer any resistance.

 

[Marie13]

I’ll be divng rec SM on Lake Huron this season off two different boats. DRIS new boat captain told me he doesn’t mind novice SM divers, so I’m taking him at his word. I’ll also be diving SM in Thunder Bay (off Alpena, MI) in August. I’ll report back how both go.

 

[stuartv]

I wish I got to dive in water that calm (outside of my local quarry)! Well, okay, every now and then, maybe 1 day in 20(?) I have had a day with flat water diving off North Carolina.

I did a week of NC diving once with a buddy that was in SM the whole time. Watching him get from his bench to the entry and splash was always a nerve-wracking affair. It's bad enough (most of the time) with tanks on my back that don't move independently!

 

[Pullnglide]

I'd be interested to know which boat/shop was against it. I've dove SM out of PCB a ton with a few shops and always had no issues. I normally ask beforehand but have never had anyone offer any resistance.

It was Divers Den on Thomas Dr. I’ve dealt with every shop at PCB and never had that problem except there. Pat Green and PC Diving has always been my go to place down there. They’re a great outfit.