Ontwreckdiver
Contributor
I also recommend Nico. Próximamente • Coming Soon – CenoteXperience
where to sidemount dive
- Thread starter rgkv
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Diver-Drex
Contributor
I dive SM everywhere I dive backmount. NJ, NC, St Lawrence, Caribbean, Florida, etc. Rec and Tec dives.
You need to be able to rig up fully on the boat and climb a ladder with tanks on. No one touches my gear but me.
Giant stride, back roll, doesn’t matter. I hold the tanks down and back with my triceps. For back rolling just sit with the tank bottoms over the rail.
On typical Caribbean boats I’ll dive two tanks for the first dive. One down to 2000psi, the other to 1000psi. That leaves plenty of gas for the second dive. If I can grab a third tank, I’ll take that and the 2000psi tank from dive 1. If the first dive is deep, 100’ plus, I’ll just ask up front for three tanks and spend the couple of extra dollars.
I don’t understand the hang up with the valves. My tanks are left/right but using rentals with two common valves requires almost no additional thought.
You need to be able to rig up fully on the boat and climb a ladder with tanks on. No one touches my gear but me.
Giant stride, back roll, doesn’t matter. I hold the tanks down and back with my triceps. For back rolling just sit with the tank bottoms over the rail.
On typical Caribbean boats I’ll dive two tanks for the first dive. One down to 2000psi, the other to 1000psi. That leaves plenty of gas for the second dive. If I can grab a third tank, I’ll take that and the 2000psi tank from dive 1. If the first dive is deep, 100’ plus, I’ll just ask up front for three tanks and spend the couple of extra dollars.
I don’t understand the hang up with the valves. My tanks are left/right but using rentals with two common valves requires almost no additional thought.
Paul M
Contributor
If you end up going the Mx route, I also highly recommend Nico.
Great guy, excellent TDi (and IANTD) instructor. I did cavern to full cave with him and enjoyed every minute of it.
CenoteXperience Whatsapp
Great guy, excellent TDi (and IANTD) instructor. I did cavern to full cave with him and enjoyed every minute of it.
CenoteXperience Whatsapp
not sure who you would be doing a sm course with in cuba. should we assume you are traveling with a dive shop from home? and one of their instructors will be teaching the course down there?
i completely agree with the mexico suggestions. the cenotes give you predictable conditions in order to be able to focus on the basics. if you do combine with a cavern class, i also agree it can change the way you dive forever. florida might be another option as well.
only word of caution is to be sure to allow enough time. you would be doing sm first and then the cavern class i would assume. so you want to be very comfortable in the new sm set up and have sorted out your trim and buoyancy control before even thinking of starting a cavern course.
as far as diving sm when traveling.....i actually prefer single tank sm over single tank bm any day. and thats what i do primarily. i have done doubles when in the cenotes and on one trip to st maarten.
as someone posted above, unless you are visiting an area like mexico where you have easy access to suitable tanks, you will want to get familiar with using standard tanks.
i am a bit confused however why someone above suggested you would need 4 tanks to do two dives though. for me at least, if diving doubles, i can easily get two dives on them when everyone else is diving single tanks. everyone has their own way of doing things though.
for me.....once i get on the boat (or even on the dock) i set up my tanks (clamps, clips, regs etc) and then i never have to touch the hardware again til we are done.
when it is time to splash, i carry the left tank in my hand, reg in mouth, gas in bcd, and away i go. i attach the tank while in the water and have the crew hand me the right tank. attach that tank. switch regs, and i am set. when exiting, i prep my right tank during the safety stop, hand it up to the crew, remove and hand off the left tank, and up the ladder i go. pretty simple.
i completely agree with the mexico suggestions. the cenotes give you predictable conditions in order to be able to focus on the basics. if you do combine with a cavern class, i also agree it can change the way you dive forever. florida might be another option as well.
only word of caution is to be sure to allow enough time. you would be doing sm first and then the cavern class i would assume. so you want to be very comfortable in the new sm set up and have sorted out your trim and buoyancy control before even thinking of starting a cavern course.
as far as diving sm when traveling.....i actually prefer single tank sm over single tank bm any day. and thats what i do primarily. i have done doubles when in the cenotes and on one trip to st maarten.
as someone posted above, unless you are visiting an area like mexico where you have easy access to suitable tanks, you will want to get familiar with using standard tanks.
i am a bit confused however why someone above suggested you would need 4 tanks to do two dives though. for me at least, if diving doubles, i can easily get two dives on them when everyone else is diving single tanks. everyone has their own way of doing things though.
for me.....once i get on the boat (or even on the dock) i set up my tanks (clamps, clips, regs etc) and then i never have to touch the hardware again til we are done.
when it is time to splash, i carry the left tank in my hand, reg in mouth, gas in bcd, and away i go. i attach the tank while in the water and have the crew hand me the right tank. attach that tank. switch regs, and i am set. when exiting, i prep my right tank during the safety stop, hand it up to the crew, remove and hand off the left tank, and up the ladder i go. pretty simple.
This is exactly how I do it.
Paul M
Contributor
In addition to all of the recommendations of going to a place like Mexico, I would add that it wouldn't hurt to subscribe to Steve Martin's online training.
It's a very good staring point. But as we always say there's no better way to learn than actually getting in the water.
1 week free trial:
It's a very good staring point. But as we always say there's no better way to learn than actually getting in the water.
1 week free trial:
2 hr 50 min split over 18 videos
You need to sign up for this course.Try the Sidemount Diving course and sample lessons on equipment, configuration and diver skills. See how our learning system can work for you.Click here to gain access. You are…
www.sidemounting.com
to the op.....that makes sense. i would assume cuba does not really have any sm instructors of their own. thats why i was curious.
As a sidemount diver you will enjoy your freedom. You have your harness, your regs, and stuff. You go diving wherever you want. No staff, no hassle. You need to get the cylinders filled of course, but you own them, allright? Be it AL80 or smaller European 7L 232 bar steels or something else. There are so many dive sites out there that have not been commercialized and that offer some tranquillity.
European Online Shop
Welcome to the Online Shop Razor Go Side Mount Europe. Here you find all the Razor Products for Side Mount incl. Razor Systems and Razor Lights for your Diving
razorgosidemount.eu
I had great trouble accessing that site as it seems to be listed as harmful. Don't know why. The European copy does not suffer form this issue.
Paul M
Contributor
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