How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver For Free

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 900

Cave passage formed over millions of years of water erosion that stretch thousands of feet from the entrance are reserved for those trained in overhead diving. The unique beauty and tranquility that these sites offer is only surpassed by the incredible timescale with which they formed.

Initially I had no interest in technical diving. I distinctly remember chuckling to myself at the Tec divers I saw, wondering why anyone would want to carry more equipment underwater. I love the sense of freedom and proximity to nature that can envelop you in “the silent world.” However, Tom had a reputation as an inspirational teacher, and as I was working in a dive shop with Tec courses it seemed rude not to at least try.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver For Free

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 360 —

Sidemount cylinder mounting originated for cave diving and have become more popular in all forms of technical diving since. They separate the dual cylinders, with a 1st stage on each cylinder, and mount them on either side of the diver’s body. This doesn’t allow the diver to breathe from either cylinder in the event of a regulator failure, but does give the diver easier access to valves. Sidemount diving gives the diver a larger horizontal profile, but a smaller vertical profile.

International Training, the parent organization for Scuba Diving International (SDI) and Technical Diving International (TDI) offers both SDI and TDI versions of their Sidemount Diver course. Both courses are very similar. Both use the same learning materials (which, by the way, we wrote). So what’s the difference?

Side Mount Dive Training

Sidemount regulators will be taught. Asidemount regulators can be used on both long and short hoses. Sidemount regs are marked differently to normal regs. This allows you to easily identify the tank that you are currently breathing from. In my training, I was given a swivel elbow to use as a regulator for my short tube. There will be 2 SPGs available - one each for each stage.

The goal of this course is to teach you the basics of how to use the equipment in your cave or tech diver training. You will also need the same equipment for the course. This includes:

Side Mount Dive Training
Tdi

Tdi

And then there are the rebreathers…a rebreather is a machine that recycles exhaled gas and is the preferred method for ‘very’ deep dives in order to use the gas carried more efficiently. In this case the exhaled gas is going thru a canister filled with a chemical which is called Sofnolime or scrubber to remove CO2 from the breathing loop and the remaining gas will be inhaled again by the diver. Metabolised oxygen is replaced into the loop to keep the oxygen content in the divers’ body at the desired pressure.

Television, magazines or stories from a close friend can all be used to explore the underwater world. It doesn't really matter which source you use, it is still exciting and very enticing. So what can we do to continue exploring? What is technical diving?

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 80 Feet

Each PADI Specialty you complete gets you one step closer to earning the elite Master Scuba Diver™ rating.

Skills (general): The introductory tech diver will practice the use of new equipment to trim and control buoyancy. This helps to build the foundation for efficient diving. Once you have a solid foundation, you can start practicing locomotion or move on to more advanced skills.

Regulators
Regulators

There are many great readings about technical diving. Some are stories of personal experiences and adventures in technical diving that are definitely worth reading. Some of the greatest books for sure are:

Scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness. Chronic health conditions, certain medications and/or recent surgery may require you to get written approval from a physician before diving.

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Specific skills - The tech programs teach specific dive skills that are required for each category of diving. Navigation and line skills for overhead diving are practiced until they become automatic. Without blinking an eye, decompression divers are able to plan and execute gas management stops and stops. To ensure the equipment's perfect functionality, rebreather divers carefully build, test, and disassemble their equipment. Each course is covered in the initial level of certification. From there, you can move up to the next level. Each level of certification takes these skills deeper and makes them more challenging. This helps divers become well-rounded, knowledgeable and well-prepared.

Your Sidemount BCD harness is made up of a bladder, sliding D-rings and bungee cords. Your tank position and trim will depend on their fit. Your instructor may spend a lot of time getting them right.

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Frequently Asked Questions

- Increased Bottom Time A Closed Circuit diver is not concerned with running out of gas because they are only limited by decompression. This can also be reduced by selecting an oxygen partial pressure that provides the diver with virtually limitless bottom times in 60 feet or less of water.