How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Dies

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver 10

The popularity of sidemount diving continues to grow, even when it is open-water. Why? Sidemount diving is very simple and comfortable.

Specific Skills - These are the skills required to perform specific types of diving. Navigation and line skills are developed until they are effortless for overhead diving. Decompression divers have the ability to execute stops and gas management plans without a blink of an eye. Rebreather divers test, build and then disassemble their equipment meticulously to ensure it works properly. Each course requires skills that are established at the initial level. Then, it is possible to move on to higher levels. Each step further or hones these skills, and adds more challenges to make a diver well-rounded and knowledgeable.

Course Prerequisites —

Take our SSI technical sidemount dive course to learn how to use four tanks (cylinders) for longer dives. Technical sidemount diving is a great way to learn technical diving. It will teach you how to use multiple cylinders in one dive. You will also learn how to set up your sidemount gear, configuring a sidemount harness and how to adjust the sling tanks (cylinders).

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:

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Book

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

Gear - While the gear remains the same, divers taking an introductory tech class, such as Sidemount, Intro to Tech or CCR air diluent, will notice some configuration differences. Instead of two second stages on one cylindrical, they're divided between two with a separate initial stage for each. The gas planning becomes a more in-depth process, and the harnesses appear to have more chrome.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Book
Diving Sidemount

Diving Sidemount

The initial pool sessions were tough; I felt like an open-water diver again, strapped into the twin tanks and trying to conduct valve drills. But as we progressed through the Tec 40, 45 and 50 courses, new skills started to come naturally, and by the end of the course I was enjoying myself. The satisfaction in Tec diving comes from taking your dive skills, buoyancy and awareness to the next level. Knowing that you’re capable of managing life-threatening emergencies at depth, and without the option to ascend straight to the surface (due to decompression requirements) is quite a buzz. And it’s satisfying to execute your dive plan with military precision.

Technical diving is growing in popularity and it didn't take long until it grabbed our attention here at Girls that Scuba HQ! But we had a lot of questions first and a few nerves so we headed to the woman in the know - one of the only female tech instructors in Asia - Theresia Gollner - who is working at Blue Marlin in Gili T, Lombok. She gave us an intro course to twin sets and let us into the wonderful world of technical diving. Here's what she taught us:

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Drawing

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.

It is possible to rent items such as primary light bulbs and cylinders which can be cumbersome to carry. You should let us know if any of these are required.

What is the meaning of rebreather
What is the meaning of rebreather

Certification cards: We issue these only when earned. Simply taking part in a course does not guarantee certification. For cave courses, certification cards from multiple training agencies may be available. C-cards generally cost around $30 each, depending on agency. Your instructor can tell you more.

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 Dies
Technical Sidemount Diving

This course will teach you how to set up and operate the equipment that you will use in your training as a cave diver or tech diver. This includes:

The advantages of Sidemount diving are an additional independent air source as you are diving with two tanks each with a first stage, SPG, and regulator. This makes it a lot safer and gives little air-hogs like myself a whole lot more air. I also found diving with Sidemount to be incredibly comfortable because you can easily don tanks on the surface and there is no pressure on your back.

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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.
 

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.

- 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.