How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Need

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Usa

Sidemount provides many benefits for divers but is best suited to cave diving. Sidemount was in fact invented by cave divers. These are just some of the benefits.

Make sure you understand what you're buying: Prices include instruction as well as eLearning fees. Remember that eLearning fees can run anywhere from $140 - $280. For example, a $640 course offered by us may be equivalent to a $500 course provided you pay separately for elearning.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Need

A great fact book about technical diving is ‘Deco for Divers – A Guide to Decompression Theory and Physiology’ written by Mark Powell.

You will need your standard wetsuit, fins and mask as well as a computer, compass and DSMB.

Technical Sidemount Diving

You can choose from the following options to learn more about diving or for lessons alternatives.

Because of the difficulties with single orifice doubles and backmounted independents, doubles were introduced to backmounted diving. Independents are two cylinders that are strapped to one's chest with separate regulators. A 1st stage failure would result in only one cylinder being used by the diver. A single orifice double was two cylinders connected together by a valve and one regulator. All gas would be lost if the first stage of a single orifice twice set failed. Today, both problems are eliminated by the isolated manifold doubles. Each cylinder can be operated independently. However, the diver can still inhale gas from both cylinders using one regulator. The doubles are usually held together by metal bands. The valves are connected with an isolation manifold so they can be separated if necessary. Doubles diving with backmounted doubles is similar to a regular single-cylinder backmount. It offers a vertical profile that is the same.

Technical Sidemount Diving
Tdi

Tdi

When or why I decided to do my Sidemount course I don’t remember. As with most of my diving decisions, it was probably a case of – oh that looks cool, could be useful, I’m going to try it!I knew that Sidemount was going to be a useful certification and something that I could use in the future and build on. I also knew that I eventually wanted to do some proper cave diving and that a Sidemount certification would come in handy for that.

If you plan to go sidemount, particularly if you are a tec diver already, you will need to learn about your new rig. How to adjust it, how it can be used to enter the water, and more.

What is the deepest scuba dive

Sidemount rigs were originally designed for cave diving. They allow the diver to easily pass through cracks and restrictions (tiny holes), much faster than traditional back mount rigs.

Skills (specific) – Throughout the tech programs the specific dive skills for that category of diving are practiced until faultless. For overhead diving navigation and line skills are honed in until they’re automatic. Decompression divers can plan and execute the stops and gas management without blinking an eye. Rebreather divers meticulously build, test and break down their units to ensure perfect functionality of the equipment. Skills for each course are laid solid in the first level of certification, and advanced from there. Each step deeper or further hones these skills and adds additional challenges to develop a well rounded, well prepared and well informed diver.

Scuba Sidemount Rigging
Scuba Sidemount Rigging

It was difficult to get into the pool for my first session. I felt like an open water diver, securing myself in twin tanks and conducting valve drills. As we went through the Tec 40, 45, and 50 courses, I found new skills and was enjoying the course. The best part about Tec diving is the ability to improve your buoyancy, awareness and dive skills. It's quite an experience to know that you can manage life-threatening emergencies at depth without having to go to the surface due to decompression requirements. It's also satisfying to execute your dive plan with military precision.

Different depths require the use of different gas mixes. The maximum partial pressure of oxygen a diver wants to dive at is 1.4 which is reached on air at 56m. Due to the water pressure the pressure of each individual gas increases and therefore we need to use appropriate mixes if we choose to go deeper. In general, the more oxygen a gas mix has the less deep we can go. A tech diver will use low oxygen mixes at depth and high oxygen mixes coming up shallower to off-gas Nitrogen faster and decrease the mandatory decompression time overall.

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For items such as primary and cylinder lights that may prove difficult to transport, rental is possible. We will be happy to assist you if you have any questions.

Sidemount diving was originally developed in cave diving. However, it has now made its way into recreational non-overhead diving. Simply put, sidemount diving means that you no longer wear one or two tanks on your back. Instead, you wear your tanks on either your side. The tanks can be attached to a Sidemount BCD with clips and/orbungee cords. This gives you great flexibility. Cave divers were able to use this flexibility to allow them to transport their tanks underwater and fit into tight spaces.

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Frequently Asked Questions

from 170 to 350 feet
While conventional scuba diving has a recommended maximum depth of 130 feet, technical divers may work at depths ranging from 170 feet to 350 feet, and sometimes even deeper.