Question Sidemount in warm water?

[robbiny]

Posting before I decided to go that route. Tried a few times in the yucatan cenotes and absolutely in love with those. I was thinking to go sidemount but wouldn't be able to dive everyday. Probably will travel more to other places to explore the underwater world.

How do people feel about using sidemount in warm water as a redundancy? Will mostly be in boat dives or liveaboards.

 

[rongoodman]

I’ve seen one side mount diver on 20+ liveaboard trips. Not worth the hassle for the dives you’ll be doing on them.

 

[robbiny]

I’ve seen one side mount diver on 20+ liveaboard trips. Not worth the hassle for the dives you’ll be doing on them.

Is it the effort putting on both tanks or the unbalance?

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Don't believe they allow doubles of any sex on the MV Fling on the Flower Gardens (never went, but want to and have read their site, both under the old and new operators). They'll allow a pony for redundancy, but will only fill once on the trip. Doubt they'd allow an 80 as a pony, side or back mount.

Don't know if its the length of the dive at a given location that they wish to limit or if they are trying to avoid somebody getting themselves into a deco position as shore side support is only 10-12 hours away unless it's on one of those things that don't really fly but shake so violently that they kinda throws you up thorugh the air...

 

[robbiny]

Don't believe they allow doubles of any sex on the MV Fling on the Flower Gardens (never went, but want to and have read their site, both under the old and new operators). They'll allow a pony for redundancy, but wioll only fill once on the trip. Doubt they'd allow an 80 as a pony, side or back mount.

Don't know if its the length of the dive at a given location that they wish to limit or if they are trying to avoid somebody getting themselves into a deco position as shore side support is only 10-12 hours away unless it's on one of those things that don't really fly but shake so violently that they kinda throws you up thorugh the air...

Thank you this is really good info. Likely saving me thousands lol

 

[Normygenius]

My opinion ss a SM user, advocate and ex skipper: SM is a tool for certain types of diving including cave and shore. On boats it is a faff which takes up more space, more time to get ready and it takes longer to recover divers.

 

[LFMarm]

I have been sidemount diving in all the day and multi day liveabords I have been on. If you ask before booking, you know for sure you will get it. They indeed are afraid you will start doing long deco dives with it so behaving well and listening to the dive masters will ensure they will let you do it.

Why doing it for 60 min rec dives? I like the stability and also to keep training for more serious dives.

In Cozumel I had once to donate a tank to the guide who ran out of air and was using another diver’s octopus. They really liked that.

 

[KerrenL]

Just check with the liveaboard before you book them. Most won’t allow two tank dives as they’re not set up for it (many don’t have two tanks per diver they just refill the one tank). If you focus on tech liveaboards you’ll be welcomed with SM. You could monkey rig a single tank using SM wing but it kind of negates the point of SM.

Some recreational liveaboards will allow you to do SM as long as you discuss with them in advance and talk through what support you’ll need. For example, if they do most of their diving from very small RIBs having two tanks is an inconvenience, more so if there is big swell.

Steve Davis (of Speaking Sidemount podcast) only ever dives SM for all the right reasons, but he checks with dive centres / boats before booking and that’s the best way to manage it.

If the liveaboard allows BM Doubles then they should allow SM.

 

[MrBlenny]

My opinion ss a SM user, advocate and ex skipper: SM is a tool for certain types of diving including cave and shore. On boats it is a faff which takes up more space, more time to get ready and it takes longer to recover divers.

^This. I sidemount off my boat since I solo dive (and make the rules) Otherwise it is a pita for operators. I will be taking my SM kit to Bonaire next month so I can spend longer hunting for seahorses to photograph.

 

[robbiny]

I have been sidemount diving in all the day and multi day liveabords I have been on. If you ask before booking, you know for sure you will get it. They indeed are afraid you will start doing long deco dives with it so behaving well and listening to the dive masters will ensure they will let you do it.

Why doing it for 60 min rec dives? I like the stability and also to keep training for more serious dives.

In Cozumel I had once to donate a tank to the guide who ran out of air and was using another diver’s octopus. They really liked that.

Thank you for that. I was really thinking about the same scenario. Practice in open ocean and also be able to go back into the caves. I heard cave divers say it's "uncomfortable" for them to be in the ocean currents. Do you experience similar scenes?