How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Class

All Tec diving lessons, open circuit and closed circuit rebreather, as well as technical scuba dive classes, are held at Scotty’s dive center headquarters facility in Mactan. If you aren't a Shangrila hotel guest, you can still walk in or we can pick up you at your hotel.

I'm not sure when or why I chose to take my Sidemount course. It was, as with many of my diving decisions. I think it was a case where I thought, "Oh, that looks cool. Could be useful. I'm going for it!" I knew Sidemount would be useful and something I could continue to use and improve on. Sidemount certification would be useful for me if I ever wanted to cave dive.

Because of the difficulties with single orifice doubles and backmounted independents, doubles were introduced to backmounted diving. Independents are two cylinders that are strapped to one's chest with separate regulators. A 1st stage failure would result in only one cylinder being used by the diver. A single orifice double was two cylinders connected together by a valve and one regulator. All gas would be lost if the first stage of a single orifice twice set failed. Today, both problems are eliminated by the isolated manifold doubles. Each cylinder can be operated independently. However, the diver can still inhale gas from both cylinders using one regulator. The doubles are usually held together by metal bands. The valves are connected with an isolation manifold so they can be separated if necessary. Doubles diving with backmounted doubles is similar to a regular single-cylinder backmount. It offers a vertical profile that is the same.

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.

You don't need to worry about how all this will work. The course includes learning how to set-up your Sidemount equipment, as well as how to measure and adjust clips and bungees so that your tanks are in perfect trim. You will have your instructor to assist you in all aspects.

The Sidemount Diver Specialty course dive may count toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification – ask your instructor about earning credit.