Question Sidemounts on a Liveaboard

[autrichon gris]

if you really want to stick to sm-like set up, then consider doing monkey diving (sm with just 1 left cylinder)

you put long and shot hoses on the same reg, long hose remains fully stowed away

in fresh water you don't need any weight changes

in salt water, i would definitely put a 1.5-2kg weight on the right side to counterbalance the tank

Interesting. I am a French diver with 1060+ dives, half of them in sidemount both tank and one tank left cylinder, the "one tank dives" only in Egypt (classic SM both tank in fresh water), liveaboard or land based.

The Red Sea is one of the most salty sea in the world, so the buoyancy is almost perfect with a tank on the side (try it, it's suprising). I am considering one tank SM for my next liveaboard which will be in the Maldives. Obviously the Indian Ocean will be less salty and the buoyancy more unbalanced.

I was wondering if anyone here have already has to deal with different kind of sea, and the effect on SM one tank (as i can, but don"t want to counterbalance with 2kg on the right side at the belt !) Thank you guys.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

@autrichon gris I only tried it in Mexico, and in fresh water I needed 0 weights and 1 cylinder set up was perfectly balanced (with the tank at 50bar, and a hand held light clipped on the opposite)

Now in the ocean it was unbalanced for me. you can still dive it without any weights and use some body tension to counterbalance the tank weight. Its probably fine for a couple of daily shore dives, but given how many dives are done on a LOB per day, I think it would get annoying and I would rather have a counterbalancing weight

 

[autrichon gris]

Thank you @Underwater Tourist

 

[ReebokPoseidonTiger]

I dive Sidemount both cave diving and recreationally, and when I dive recreationally I use one tank on my right with a small Nomad. I place one 3 pound on my left and I am completely balanced. I have been diving Sidemount since 2010. I suggest trying it out in a pool first before the trip - I always try my configuration - equipment out in a pool before taking a trip to make sure everything works as expected.

I did try backmount once a couple years ago and regretted it.

Here are a couple of pictures when diving Sidemount recreationally - I have made some adjustments since these picture were taken a couple years ago (3 pound weight on the left), and tighten up the tank some.

 

[McGinty]

Well, i just returned from Palau on the Black Pearl. I ended up going with a back mount because I didn't have enough time with sidemount to feel comfortable with it in currents. Anyway it turns out the Cruise Director/Lead Divemaster was monkey diving (single tank sidemount)! so it is getting into the rec diving world.

 

[autrichon gris]

@autrichon gris I only tried it in Mexico, and in fresh water I needed 0 weights and 1 cylinder set up was perfectly balanced (with the tank at 50bar, and a hand held light clipped on the opposite)

Now in the ocean it was unbalanced for me. you can still dive it without any weights and use some body tension to counterbalance the tank weight. Its probably fine for a couple of daily shore dives, but given how many dives are done on a LOB per day, I think it would get annoying and I would rather have a counterbalancing weight

Back from the Maldives 2 months ago.
Well, the tanks were C80 not S80, so a little bit heavier. I tried with 2 kg as a counterweight on my right side as suggested above and trim was ok, if not perfect.
Will i do it again ? Probably...