Sidemount Rec Diver Class

Having scuba tanks on your back isn’t a requirement for exploring the underwater world. Many scuba divers have discovered the joy of mounting cylinders on their sides. Sidemount diving gives you flexibility and streamlining options. Plus, you don’t have to walk with heavy cylinders on your back – just enter the water, clip them on and go.

The sidemount configuration is most commonly used by technical divers, either to streamline their equipment in overhead environments or to carry extra cylinders for long decompression stops. If you want to expand your underwater horizons beyond the recreational limits, the Sidemount Diver course serves as an introduction to the skills and equipment used in tec diving. However, there is no reason why recreational divers can’t also dive sidemount — in fact, many recreational divers simply prefer sidemount because it improves their comfort and maneuverability in the water.

Academics:
Along with learning about the many benefits of diving with a sidemount configuration, during one confined water and three open water scuba dives you will learn how to:

• Properly assemble and configure sidemount scuba diving equipment,
• Trim your weight system and sidemount gear to be perfectly balanced in the water,
• Manage gas by switching second stages as planned, if wearing two cylinders,
• Perform air consumption rate swims to gather information for later calculation,
• Manage and switch your air supply during simulated emergency situations,
• Swim without a mask,
• Practice deploying a DSMB from depth,
• Practice frog kicks, reverse frog kick, helicopter turns,
• Optimize your trim and buoyancy,
• Respond correctly to potential problems when sidemount diving.

After purchasing this course, don’t forget to come by to pick up your course materials before class! There are knowledge reviews to complete before class, and as a class participant you have a 10% gear discount to use towards the purchase of your sidemount BCD, regulators, redundant dive lights, finger spool / DSMB, wrist slate and line cutter / knife (and any other gear that your heart desires).

You can pick the certifying agency of your choice: PADI or SSI.