Sidemounts and Manifolds

[karstdvr]

I think it is important to distinguish between diving a sidemount configuration and sidemounting. Most people will dive a sidemount configuration for many of the reasons mentioned (ie medical issues,it looks cool etc etc),but it is important when choosing to do a sidemount dive which involves small/tight cave,that the fundementals are learned-how to get unstuck,how to communicate to your buddy,gear removal etc. I've seen many people who have purchased an off the shelf sidemount rig and declared they are ready to do a sidemount dive,but the questions that need to be asked next is how.

 

[ShagMan]

I have the most awesomest mentor in the whole south AL area, Mr. Mat Bull!!!

In all seriousness, I dive with a lot of side-mounting divers (Mat included), so I'll learn with these guys as I go.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Josh, you drunk? LOL

 

[GLENFWB]

I have the most awesomest mentor in the whole south AL area, Mr. Mat Bull!!!

Hey, if you guys want to get a room by yourself next time just let me know! Not sure if "mentor" is some kind of Alabama code word for something else.

 

[ShagMan]

Hahahaha you guys kill me

I'm feeling like I'm on TDS all of the sudden, what with the attacks and all :shocked2:

I have no idea why you guys can't appreciate me using "awesome" as a noun or verb

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I appreciate all usages of the word "awesome", but I'd look elsewhere for a sidemount mentor than for someone with a piddly 50+ dives in the rig

 

[tgsmith]

Richard, it's a distinctive specialty that one of the PADI CDs wrote. It's designed to get OW divers into sidemount either during their initial certification or afterward. It is not a no mount class, though. Just a different way of mounting tanks.

Are you sure it wasn't a course on "monkey-diving?" To actually get a new OW diver proficient in a side-mount rig would probably be a HUGE task, and I imagine an extremely long/in-depth course(read: Not how PADI does it). It takes experienced cave divers a few dives, even.....

YouTube - Abby's first Monkey Dive

For those that aren't sure, monkey-diving is NOT side-mounting......

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm positive. I know the CD that wrote the distinctive specialty and we had a long conversation about it. He sidemounts not monkey dives. The issue with the learning curve for sidemount is that most go to it after backmount so you have to relearn things. It actually didn't take me long to get things dialed in. My first sidemount dives in a homemade rig went very well. My first sidemount dive in a borrowed Nomad wasn't quite as easy, but I was told by my buddies that I looked fine. My next dive was just fine and I took it in a cave. Teaching new OW divers in backmount v. sidemount isn't an issue because they don't really know any different.

 

[sskasser]

With some students, I have a hard enough time getting them to check ONE SPG often enough...I can't imagine adding the additional task loading of monitoring TWO...for a brand new OW diver. I don't doubt there are many who can pick it up without a problem, just not something I'd want to add to the task loading for the majority.

For someone who is at the point where they are ready to start diving doubles anyway, I don't see it being a problem at all.