How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Kite

Why can't you dive and fly in the same day

Sidemount Diver Specialty may count towards your Advanced Open Water Diver certification. Ask your instructor for details.

Initial pool sessions were hard. I felt like an openwater diver again, strapped in to the twin tanks trying to conduct valve drills. However, as we moved through the Tec 40 to 45 and 50 courses, our skills improved and we were able to enjoy the course. The most satisfying part of Tec diving is taking your skills, buoyancy, knowledge and awareness to the next stage. It is quite exciting to be able to manage life-threatening emergencies at deep water without having to climb to the surface (due decompression requirements). It's gratifying to execute your dive plan in military precision.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 70 —

Academics - Technical courses have similar academic requirements to other classes. Students will conduct some self-study and present their findings to their instructor. A technical course requires that you plan your dives in advance. This is a crucial step to ensure a safe and successful dive. The gas management discussion in overhead and deep diving is more complex than what most divers are used too. A computer program can be used to calculate gas volumes and reserves.

‘Caverns Measureless to Men’ by Sheck Exley, one of the pioneers of cave diving in Florida, USA. He also wore ‘Basic Cave Diving: A Blueprint for Survival’ which studies many cave diving accidents.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Forest Fire

To make dives beyond 130ft, decompression divers will add Helium to the cylinders. Then they can explore the realm of the uncommon. Their experiences at wrecks and reefs are often less frequent than those of astronauts who visit the moon.

Academics - A technical course's academic portion is very similar to other scuba classes. Students will be required to do self-study and share their new knowledge with their instructor. Although the dive planning requirements for technical courses are more complex than what most people are used to, they are essential in executing a successful dive. The gas management portion of the planning discussion for overhead and decompression diving will take more time than most divers are used. A computer program is used to calculate the gas volumes and reserve required for each dive.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Forest Fire
Specialty Course

Specialty Course

The next day it was on to technical sidemount, which means adding our deco 50-percent oxygen and 100-percent oxygen tanks on either side. This increases your profile underwater so you must keep the tanks as trim as possible against your body. You have a couple of clips on each side of your waist. As you breathe down your tanks and they become positively buoyant, you adjust your tank position to the second clip position. The aim here is to be as streamlined as possible. Every few minutes you also switch your breathing from one tank to the other. That way the pressure in each tank runs down at roughly the same rate, and if there is a failure with either tank or regulator, you’ll still have gas to breathe. As with all new things, building up experience is key to comfort and enjoyment. I spent the next few days doing deco dives with the sidemount rig, buddied up with Evolution co-owner David Joyce — a hugely experienced Tec diver and Trimix instructor. On one dive we visited the Japanese Mogami wreck down at 164 feet, where I was beguiled by the bits of old gas masks, uniforms and even a few bones we saw.

Sidemount has many benefits, but it is particularly well-suited for cave diving. (It was cave divers who invent sidemount. These benefits include:

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 500

2 first-stage regulator, 2 2nd-stage regulator, an exposure suit with side pockets and a BCD sidemount. A diving spool, mask and a spare mask. Technical diving equipments. 1 long, 2.10m to 7.10ft hose.

Technical diving is defined by being exposed at the ceiling, which prohibits the diver from reaching the surface at any time during the dive. This can be due either to a literal ceiling (a cave, wreck, or virtual ceiling) or a decompression obligation. In such cases, mandatory decompression stops are required on ascent for anyone who exceeds the NDL. This may require the use of special equipment (e.g. Twinsets, Sidemount, special gas mixtures, and more training are needed to perform those stops as well as other tasks on ascent. This will optimize Nitrogen offgassing.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Kite
How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 10
How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 10

Dive sidemount has become a popular sport in open waters. While it looks more sleek than having a tank strapped to your back, it doesn't hurt your back.

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

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 007

Are you interested in becoming a Sidemount diver. This post will explain everything you need to know about becoming a Sidemount diver.

If you will not be using sidemount during your cave diver training, what you should be looking at is our CDS Basics Orientation course.

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Frequently Asked Questions

To begin a technical diving course, you must have completed the following prerequisites: a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent, a PADI Enriched Air Diver certificate or equivalent, and a PADI Deep Diver certificate or proof of at least 10 dives to 30 metres/100 feet.
 

The depth range of oxygen rebreathers (simple closed circuit) is limited to approximately 6 m, beyond which the risk of acute oxygen toxicity rises to unacceptable levels very quickly.

2-3 hours
Even with small cylinders, you can usually dive for 2-3 hours (rebreathers typically have two 2/3l cylinders or one 3/5l cylinder).