Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training

Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training Course

Steve, Your tutorials have been a tremendous help and are an invaluable addition to any instructor's arsenal. I teach PADI in Cyprus and took several courses to learn how this type of diving, which originated from cave diving has been very popular among recreational divers. I was able to certify confident sidemount divers using your method. I teach PADI in Cyprus and took several courses trying to master this type diving. Although it was originally cave diving, it has been very popular with recreational divers. I discovered that my technique is sufficient to certify competent, confident sidemount divers. The space required and time it takes to prepare for the dives, and the Dive Guide, are not a problem. I am also confident that they will be safe underwater and will appear streamlined. This is due to your systematic approach to explaining all aspects of sidemount diving. This approach is something I would recommend to anyone who teaches sidemount. Thank you so much! read less

It's easy to use, portable, no steel back plates or aluminium backplates, light weight, adjustable, easy get into and out of the water. This makes it ideal for divers with back problems, disabled divers and female divers.

Stage-only diving is the use of standard deco/stage cylinder configuration, without back-mounted cylinders, on an otherwise standard, or partly modified tec/rec BCD. The lower cylinder is attached to waist D-Rings and the upper cylinder to shoulder D-Rings, both via direct bolt-snap. Some divers (untrained in specific sidemount diving techniques) often incorrectly assume this approach to be sidemount diving. No bungee cord is utilised in the upper attachment, causing the cylinders to hang low beneath the diver and not in line (parallel) with their torso beneath their armpits. Without change of the BCD design, the lack of back-mounted cylinders also causes taco’ing of wing designs and much instability.

Blue Label Diving offers all levels of Sidemount PCB Diving courses from SSI, TDI, and PADI in Thailand. From recreational side mount diving in two tanks to advanced sidemounting in overhead environments, and even instructor level. Only problem is that you might never want to go back to backmount diving after you have mastered sidemount diving.

Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training Test

Your instructor series, Steve/Vas is amazing. Let me be the first one to tell you that you are absolutely correct. You can learn SM by simply watching the videos, as I did. But, I had to compromise/sacrifice some of my learning curves without you (SM essentials instructor). To get proficient with AL80s, it took me nearly a year. Then, I... read moreSteve/Vas. Your instructor series is amazing. Let me be the first one to tell you that you are right in everything you have said. You can learn SM by simply watching the videos, as I did. But, I had to compromise/sacrifice some of my learning curves without you (SM essentials instructor). To get proficient with AL80s, it took me nearly a year. The first level of tech diving was taken by me a year later. I told my instructor that I was using SM configuration. He was shocked that I did not teach myself. I told him, and he replied with "You most likely will need to take a SM workshop together depending on how well I do on dive one". He said that there was no reason to have you take a class after the first dive. Your online training is excellent, but I'd rather see Joe Seda if it was all over again. I will continue to learn from him in the future. Regards Tony read less

Certificate cards: These are issued only to those who have earned them. Certification is not guaranteed by simply taking part in a course. Multiple training agencies might offer certification cards for cave courses. C-cards usually cost about $30, depending on which agency you choose. Talk to your instructor for details.

Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training Test
Water Diver

Water Diver

Steve, I just stumbled upon the new chapters that you have added to your online courses. They are great. They are especially useful when searching for a specific part of a video or reviewing them. They were easy to use and I started using them immediately after I saw them. Timo, a big thank you!

Thanks so much to you Steve, and to Vas for your mentoring. Not asking questions and exploring options, tends to put a stop to the progression of safety and growth in diving. I have studied in depth your online teachings for 2 years now and counting. I have practiced and trained muscle memory but most importantly never kept my mouth shut if other divers ask... read moreThanks so much to you Steve, and to Vas for your mentoring. Not asking questions and exploring options, tends to put a stop to the progression of safety and growth in diving. I have studied in depth your online teachings for 2 years now and counting. I have practiced and trained muscle memory but most importantly never kept my mouth shut if other divers ask me. The results are incredible as they now see a better way. I must also say that in my 2 years of learning, you were always kind enough to explain, or give me an idea for improvement!!! There is always an opportunity to ask, learn, teach, discuss, and grow. In diving there should be no stupid questions. I’m sure I will open my mouth in future to ask another question!! Lol

Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training

How do I set up my Sidemount tank

Sidemount PCB refers to scuba divers who have their diving cylinders placed along the diver's side, below the shoulders, and along the hips. As smaller cave sections can be penetrated, the tanks can be changed more easily. This was originally a popular configuration for cave divers. Diving professionals who perform technical wreck diving penetrations recognized the same benefits. To teach scuba divers in Thailand, we have highly-trained instructors.

Sidemount PCB offers many benefits to any diver, but it's especially useful for cave diving. (It was actually cave divers that invented sidemount. These are just some of the benefits.

How much does a rebreather course cost
How much does a rebreather course cost

Easy to travel with, flexible, no steel or aluminium back plates, light weight, easy to adjust, easy to get into in and out of the water, perfect for disabled divers, divers with back problems and female divers that are small but want extra in water time, longer in water time as you can carry 2 cylinders at the same time, safer as you will have redundant gas supply.

Qualifying certifications from another diver training organization may also be available - ask your Tec Sidemount PCB Coach.

Diving Instructors

Trimix II provides you with the skills and knowledge needed to minimize the risks of utilizing helium-based trimix breathing gas mixtures for dives to 300 fsw+ requiring staged-decompression and utilizing EANx mixtures and/or oxygen during decompression.

Sidemount PCB Diving originated in cave diving's early days. Lamar Hires was the first to make use of multiple tanks in such a compact way that they could reach places that back-mounted divers couldn't. This technique has been gaining popularity and is now one of our fastest-growing areas.

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Frequently Asked Questions

332.35 m
Hello and welcome to the Officially Amazing universe. Ahmed Gabr. Ahmed, 41, of Egypt, has broken the record for the deepest SCUBA dive, diving 332.35 m (1,090 ft 4.5 in) in the Red Sea off the coast of Dahab.

What exactly is the Tec 40 Course? Your first step into technical diving is the PADI Tec 40 course. It is a fundamental level of decompression diving that allows you to dive with gas redundancy, higher Enriched Air mixes of up to 50%, decompression on EANX 50% for conservatism, and up to 10 minutes of decompression.

The PADI Rebreather/Advanced Rebreather Diver courses take four days to complete. The course fee is $1250, which includes books and rental.