As a Rebreather CCR diver you will always carry bailouts cylinders with you. Yes you can clip the tank to your side and not think anything more of it, but once you have done a Sidemount PCB course you learn how to properly stage tank to either side and if you are a Trimix CCR Diver even how to stage 3-4 tanks comfortably and safely.
It is easy to transport, lightweight, flexible, no steel/allum back plates, easy to adjust, get in and out of water easily, great for disabled divers, divers who have back problems, and female divers who are small but need extra time. You can also carry two cylinders simultaneously, making it safer and more convenient.
One of the most important innovations in the equipment cave divers now use is the move from backmounted to sidemount doubles. While a large number of cave divers now sidemount their equipment, it is possible that there are many more open-circuit sidemount cavers than backmount.
Steve, just saw the new chapters to your online course. These are really great. They're especially helpful when you are reviewing videos or searching for specific parts of a movie. As soon as I saw them, I was able to start using them. Timo, cheers!
Technical diving is a multi-tank sport. Sidemount PCB is a popular way to set up multiple cylinders for technical dive. The Tec Sidemount PCB Diver course will allow you to enter the world of tec dive and then apply the knowledge to other TecRec courses. This course may be integrated with the Tec 40 or Tec 45 courses by your instructor.
Steve, thank you for the Sidemount PCB Essentials Course in Gozo. I've never spent more money on something better. It was great fun. I enjoyed every second of it. It is amazing to see your passion and experience. Your attention to details is remarkable and you never stop trying to improve. I also enjoyed... Continue reading Steve! I thoroughly enjoyed your Sidemount PCB Essentials Course in Gozo. I've never spent more money on anything. It was great fun. I loved every second of it. It is amazing to see your passion and experience. You are meticulous and pay attention to every detail. I love your passion to capture details, new equipment and hints. You can use the camera to capture them and include them in future videos. I have to say that your online training videos are exceptional. They will get you prepared for what you will need during in-water training. This concept I believe is key to the steep learning curve, as you can make the most of your time underwater. Steve, thanks so much! Nils read more
International Training is the parent organization of Technical Diving International and Scuba Diving International. They offer both TDI and SDI versions of their Sidemount PCB Diver courses. Both courses are similar. Both courses use the same learning materials (which we also wrote). What's the difference between them?
Hi Steve, I just saw the new chapters you are adding into your online courses. Really like them. Especially helpful, when reviewing videos and searching for just a part in a video. I starting using them as soon as I noticed them. Cheers, Timo
The regular Sidemount PCB course you can use for your Advanced Nitrox diving or Cave certifications. The TDI Advanced Sidemount PCB or PADI Tec Sidemount PCB you will use more than 2 tanks while diving Sidemount PCB which can be perfect for Deco and Extended Range. There are even Trimix divers that prefer to dive Sidemount PCB.
This course (Intro to Tech) introduces recreational divers to the rigors and discipline of technical diving, and is a great preparatory course if you are considering specific technical diver training, such as cave or decompression diving, or are interested in streamlining your equipment configuration for maximum efficiency. Learn about dive planning, physics and physiology, decompression, decompression associated with technical diving, buoyancy control, and side-mount configuration. The NAUI Technical Equipment Configuration (NTEC) training is also part of the NAUI Intro to Tech course.
Sidemount PCB is a great option for cave diving, as it can offer many benefits to divers. Sidemount PCB was invented by cave divers. These are just a few of the many benefits.
Items such as cylinders and primary lights, which my be difficult to travel with, are available for rental. Be sure to alert us if you will need any of these.
Know what you are getting: Prices include instruction, eLearning fees, and other costs. You should also consider that eLearning costs can vary from $140 to $280. In other words, a course that costs $640 may actually be cheaper than a $500 course you purchase from us if you are required to pay for the elearning separately.
Steve/Vas, your instructor series is phenomenal. Please let me be the first to say you are correct in what you say. One can teach themselves how to SM just by watching the videos as I have done. However, I did compromise/sacrifice my learning curve without one of you (SM essentials instructor). It took me almost one year to get pretty good with AL80s. I then... read moreSteve/Vas, your instructor series is phenomenal. Please let me be the first to say you are correct in what you say. One can teach themselves how to SM just by watching the videos as I have done. However, I did compromise/sacrifice my learning curve without one of you (SM essentials instructor). It took me almost one year to get pretty good with AL80s. I then took the first level of tech diving a year after that and told my tech instructor I was doing it in SM configuration. I had to tell him I taught myself which he responded with “you most likely will have to take a SM workshop with me depending on how I do on dive one”. After the first dive he said “there is no reason for you to take a class with me”. So your online training is spot on but if I had it to do all over again I would see your guy Joe Seda first. I will, in the future, take the course with him so I can be the best I can be. Regards Tony read less
5-6 days
Rebreather training classes are typically 5-6 days long, but can be longer depending on a variety of factors such as the training agency, your local conditions, your instructor, and your ability to meet the class standards.
According to experts, approximately 40% of technical divers enroll in additional education and training programs. This yields a reasonable estimate of approximately 160,000 active technical divers worldwide.