Sidemount PPB diving is growing in popularity within technical diving communities for general compression diving. It has become an increasingly popular specialty training for recreational divers with numerous certification agencies offering technical and recreational sidemount training programs.
Hi Steve, I really enjoyed your Sidemount PCB Essentials course in Gozo! Have probably never spend my money on anything better. It made so much fun and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Seeing your dedication and experience is simply amazing. You pay attention to the smallest details and you are always striving to improve things even further. I also... read moreHi Steve, I really enjoyed your Sidemount PCB Essentials course in Gozo! Have probably never spend my money on anything better. It made so much fun and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Seeing your dedication and experience is simply amazing. You pay attention to the smallest details and you are always striving to improve things even further. I also love your enthusiasm to capture all those details, new equipment, new methods, hints etc. with the camera to be able to include them in upcoming videos to the benefit of everyone. Speaking of your online training videos I must say that they are a class of its own. They definitely get you well-prepared for the things you need to know during the in-water training and I think that exactly this concept is the key to the steep learning curve because the time underwater can be used efficiently. Thank you so much for everything Steve! Cheers, Nils read less
International Training is the parent company of Technical Diving International. Both courses have a lot in common. Both courses use identical learning materials (which we also wrote). So, what is the difference?
Steve, your tutorials are fantastic and a great addition to any instructor’s toolbox. I am a PADI instructor in Cyprus. I have taken a few courses to learn this style of diving which, although it is derived from cave diving, has become very popular with recreational divers. However, my only method of certification is sidemount diving. This technique has helped me to become a confident and competent diver. I am a PADI instructor in Cyprus. I have taken a few courses to learn this style of diving which, although it is derived from cave diving, has become very popular with recreational divers. Your technique allowed me to certify confident and competent sidemount divers. This is a method that I have found works well for Dive guides and dive boats. It takes up twice as much space and requires half the time. They will also look sleek underwater and be very safe. It is all thanks to your organized approach to explaining every aspect sidemount diving, which is critical. It is a great way to teach sidemount. We are very grateful! read less
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.
These cards are only issued to those who have earned them. Participating in a course is not a guarantee of certification. Certification cards may be offered by multiple agencies for cave courses. C-cards cost $30 to $30 per card, depending on the agency. Ask your instructor for more information.
Steve/Vas, Your instructor series has been amazing. Please allow me to be the first person to state that I agree with everything you said. One can learn SM simply by watching the videos. I was able to sacrifice my learning without the help of SM Essentials Instructor. It took me nearly one year to get good at AL80s. I then read moreSteve/Vas. The instructor series you have created is truly amazing. Let me just say that I agree with everything you have to say. As I have shown, anyone can learn SM from watching videos. I was able to sacrifice my learning curve, but not without the help of SM essentials instructor. It took me almost one full year to get used to AL80s. I completed the tech dive level one year later and informed my tech instructor that I was diving in SM configuration. I had to explain to him that I taught it myself. His response was "you most likely need to take a SM class with me depending upon how I do on dive 1". After my first dive he said, "There is no reason why you should take a class alongside me." Your online training is perfect, but I would go back to Joe Seda if I had to. I plan to continue the course with him in the future. Regards Tony read less
Technical diving is not the same as regular diving. Tech divers usually have multiple tanks. SidemountPCB is becoming a more popular method to configure multiple cylinders when technical diving. You can learn how to tec dive with the Tec Sidemount PCB Diver Course and then transfer your knowledge to other TecRec courses. The instructor might offer to incorporate this course into the Tec 40, Tec 45, or Tec 50 courses.
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.
sidemountpcb.com online training is a critical component for all recreational and technical divers. I consider the start of my technical training sidemount essentials, which I did with Joe Seda in Florida, even though I had completed a Tec 40 / sidemount class prior to starting my training with Joe. The online training allowed Joe to focus on the in-water skills... read moreSidemount PCBing.com online training is a critical component for all recreational and technical divers. I consider the start of my technical training sidemount essentials, which I did with Joe Seda in Florida, even though I had completed a Tec 40 / sidemount class prior to starting my training with Joe. The online training allowed Joe to focus on the in-water skills development, which was the foundation for cave training and all other technical training including trimix with Vas Proud. The online training shows what all divers should expect from high quality in-water training, and it expedites in-water skill development. My daughter, who is just starting her journey into diving, has watched the backmount diving videos prior to starting open water training, and I am reviewing the instructors videos to make sure I'm the best 'buddy' I can be for her through her training process. I cannot stress enough the importance of these training tools in the safe development of recreational and technical divers. Daniel Glynn (father and cave diver) read less
We do not issue certification cards unless they are earned. The mere fact that you have taken part in a training course does not make you certified. There may be multiple certification agencies that offer certification cards for cave courses. C-cards typically cost around $30 per card depending on their agency. You can ask your instructor more.
AQUI Water Sports is a leader in scuba diving training for multiple agencies under the Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC). We have created a global community for like-minded divers and educators who believe in quality over quantity. Don’t be just a number on a certification card, be a teammate, a friend, and a lifelong diver.
Know what you’re getting: Prices include instruction and eLearning fees. Bear in mind, the cost of eLearning, by itself, can be worth anywhere from $140 to $280 or more. Thus, a $640 course from us may actually cost the same as a $500 course from someone else if you have to pay for elearning separately.
We offer the TDI course as an option, although we can also teach the SDI course if asked. This course can be taken on its own, or with our Apprentice Cave Diver course.
A typical diver, at a typical depth, with a typical tank
Based on personal experience, an average open-water certified diver on a 40-foot dive with a standard aluminum 80-cubic-foot tank will be able to stay down for 45 to 60 minutes before surfacing with a safe reserve of air still in the tank.
from 130 to 148 feet
Those who are already decompression certified can immediately qualify for rebreather decompression dives. Individual training agencies set depth limits ranging from 130 to 148 feet (40 to 45 meters).
The PADI Rebreather/Advanced Rebreather Diver courses take four days to complete. The course fee is $1250, which includes books and rental.