Sidemount, seems cool but why give it a try ?

[stuartv]

Very balanced, free feeling, and redundant for solo dives. It also lets me dive longer for each shore entry. My recent Bonaire trip was done this way. I tried using my 13 cuft pony for my solo dives and found double SM to be better. Not an issue with the entries/exits. I actually feel more stable with entering and exiting SM than BM.



BM easier to set up on a boat? Not in my limited experience. Did 6 boat dive on my recent trip and I took up less space, was ready sooner, and packed up quicker after the dive than any of the BM divers. I did rig my gear for single SM (the Divemaster wouldn't let me do doubles - thought I would stay down too long). Key is you can wear the harness going out and coming in - or at least put the harness on before arriving. Can't do that with BM as it tethers you to the tank.

FYI, my single SM diving with a group was with a short bungeed 2nd and a long hose donatable 2nd. Entry was giant stride, and exit was with tank still clipped. I didn't even need to hand up fins or camera rig.

Lastly, yes single SM can be a little unbalanced. Since I was using an Al 80 and they end up positive I just put all my weight (4#) on the same side as the tank. This balanced things nicely.

But, you wouldn't need to with BM. SM, you're clipping a tank on. And if you're doing it while seated on a boat bench, you are taking up more width. With BM, while you're clipping your tank on, I'm slipping my shoulder straps on. And I'm only taking up the width of my body. It's kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other, on speed for single tank.

Then, when it's time to get in the water, you're taking a wider path to get from your seat to the exit versus someone with BM. And I feel sorry for anyone that you're walking past that accidentally gets whacked in the knee by the tank that is clipped to your side.

With doubles, you're clipping on two tanks and taking up even more width. With BM, it's still only slipping into the shoulder straps.

I spent a week diving off a boat with a buddy that has been diving SM for a good while. He was as quick as anyone to gear up to get in the water. But, he definitely took more width on the bench and when going to or from his seat. And he generally required more assistance from the boat crew on getting out because he really needed to unclip one tank and hand it off before climbing the ladder. Not an issue for me in BM doubles.

I'm not anti-SM. I just bought my first SM rig and have done one pool session with it, so far. I like it. But, let's not be too over the top in singing the praises of SM. SM and BM both have pros and cons. Neither one is "better" (IMO). One is "better" than the other only when you're talking about specific scenarios - and then, which one is better just depends on the scenario at hand.

 

[raftingtigger]

My sentiments exactly!
Next time tell the DM you will take both tanks on both dives!

If I needed to I would have, but it really didn't matter. Also I was already at odds with the DM and boat Captain. My husband had held up the boat's departure (he was barely on-time, they wanted to leave early) and also I had told the DM we weren't doing the wreck dive - but doing the nearby reef (but would end our dive when the deeper divers returned). Captain had a problem with this - but when my (out of practice husband) had signed up for the dive the location wasn't posted. Didn't feel like making any more waves for something I could deal with easily.

 

[olphart]

I gave up SM just recently. I found that I was using far more gas than single tank just pushing the rig around, so the benefit of having the extra gas wasn't all that great. Now for recreational dives I use the single tank and if I'm going deep and cold, I'll take a pony for the redundancy. Kinda too bad, I like SM, but an RMV of 1.2 with a moderate workload at 40' is just embarassing. (single tank, drysuit, cold water, it's more like .7)

Yes, my rig and trim was tight and tidy so I can't blame it for the extra work. I blame old age and not being as fit as I was. If I head out to someplace like the Belle Island wrecks again, I still have enough gear to SM it.

 

[raftingtigger]

But, you wouldn't need to with BM. SM, you're clipping a tank on. And if you're doing it while seated on a boat bench, you are taking up more width. With BM, while you're clipping your tank on, I'm slipping my shoulder straps on. And I'm only taking up the width of my body. It's kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other, on speed for single tank.

Then, when it's time to get in the water, you're taking a wider path to get from your seat to the exit versus someone with BM. And I feel sorry for anyone that you're walking past that accidentally gets whacked in the knee by the tank that is clipped to your side.

I didn't find that so, but then again I was VERY conscious of not taking more room or time. I could have taken more bench space, but made sure I didn't need to (it was easy). Nor was I the diver who had their tank fall from the bench and miss my foot by inches. It is all about situational awareness.

I'm not anti-SM. I just bought my first SM rig and have done one pool session with it, so far. I like it. But, let's not be too over the top in singing the praises of SM. SM and BM both have pros and cons. Neither one is "better" (IMO). One is "better" than the other only when you're talking about specific scenarios - and then, which one is better just depends on the scenario at hand.

I'm not anti BM either, but the thread is about the advantages of SM.

 

[stuartv]

I didn't find that so, but then again I was VERY conscious of not taking more room or time. I could have taken more bench space, but made sure I didn't need to (it was easy)..

How do you sit in your boat bench spot, clip on a SM tank and not take up more width than just your body while clipping on and while sitting there with a tank clipped on?

The boats I usually dive from have the divers sitting so close together that there is not room between two divers for a tank. I don't see how I could clip on a tank to my SM rig and not have part (or all) of the tank being physically between me and the person next to me. Which, by definition, means that I am taking up more width than just my body.

Yes, the thread is about benefits of sidemount. Let's not claim benefits that do not exist.

 

[raftingtigger]

How do you sit in your boat bench spot, clip on a SM tank and not take up more width than just your body while clipping on and while sitting there with a tank clipped on?

Simple, I did not sit on the bench. I put the tank where most divers sit, squatted (slightly) sideways next to the tank and clipped in, then bungeed in, straightened up and got in line to enter. But then again I was only using one tank and not two. Took me only seconds.

It worked for me, and as one of the few SM divers on the island, was very conscious on making a good impression. It is quite possible that I took more care to not use extra space as a result. It probably helped that we were not packed in like sardines, just a comfortably full boat. YMMV.

 

[stuartv]

Simple, I did not sit on the bench. I put the tank where most divers sit, squatted (slightly) sideways next to the tank and clipped in, then bungeed in, straightened up and got in line to enter. But then again I was only using one tank and not two. Took me only seconds.

It worked for me, and as one of the few SM divers on the island, was very conscious on making a good impression. It is quite possible that I took more care to not use extra space as a result. It probably helped that we were not packed in like sardines, just a comfortably full boat. YMMV.

Gotcha. Yeah, on the NC boats, I don't think my buddy could have done that, except on possibly the very rarest, calmest of days. Normal days there, the boat is pitching too much, I think. Standing up involves holding onto overhead rails. You also normally put your fins on before standing up and heading to the exit. Not sure how that would work if you're clipping in after standing up. Especially if the exit is to your right, and you want to face to the left to clip on your left side tank. Turning around in the aisle with fins on and other divers' feet (with fins on) in the way....

In other words, it seems like, for some cases, SM is no worse. But, for others it IS worse. In contrast, I don't see any time where it's better. Again, this is just in regards to kitting up, getting off a boat, and then getting back on at the end. You may or may not take up more bench room, but you are certainly wider as you are moving from your seat to the water entry point. Unless, of course, you hang both your tanks, get in, and clip them both on in the water. In which case, I am curious to see how that works on a boat that is really pitching. I'm new to SM and looking forward to diving with some people who are way more SM-savvy than I and seeing how these things are done.

 

[Coztick]

No need to sit with bottle(s) attached.
The last thing I do is stand, turn, put a knee on the bench, clip to upper d ring and let the harness lift the bottle.
Toss a necklace on and go.
If you don't clip the bottom until your wet, they hang more in front where your forarms can tame any swinging and still leave your hands free.
For me, the extra steps are worth it.
YMMV

 

[WarrenZ]

I use ring bungies so I can clip both tank necks off then sit with the tanks between my knees and either clip off in the water or clip right before I roll in.

 

[mmadiver]

Hello all,

I start to have a lot of dive, more I dive more I meet Sidemount divers, they are all telling me that's the best way to dive.

I can understand the point in cave or wreck but not for fun dives. Can someone explain me why is that so great ?

Doubles are not available in many places. With a sidemount rig you can assemble a technical rig anywhere in the world you can find two scuba tanks.