Sidemount Course

The PADI Sidemount Distinctive Speciality Course

Teaches you how to control your buoyancy resulting in a more streamlined profile that reduces drag while making finning and moving through the water easier and more efficient, therefore improving your air consumption.
Attain a greater comfort level as sidemount equipment and harness can be custom fit to each individual, accommodating divers of all shapes and sizes.
Learn how to take advantage of many skills including learning how to help any divers with any disabilities, as you carry the cylinder(s) separate from your harness to the water. Whilst within the water you would then attach your cylinders and weights, making the entries and exits to dive sites much easier.
Learn safer options in terms of air management as you have an easier access to your cylinder valve(s), first stage(s) and alternate regulator should a problem arise.
How to configure equipment learning that one harness and BCD does it all. The same sidemount equipment you use, can be used for more advanced types of diving i.e wreck, technical and cave diving.

What do I need to start?

    All kit would be provided for the course if you don’t have your own

        The equipment for twin cylinder course

        Mask, Fins & Suitable Exposure Protection (snorkel optional)
        2 Single Tanks
        2 Primary Regulators and 1st Stages
        1.5 to 2m long regulator hose (recommend Miflex)
        Sidemount Harness & BCD (approved by instructor prior to the course)
        Dive Tables, Depth Guage & Dive Timer (or Dive Computer)
        Dive knife
        Slate with Pencil
        Two Surface Signaling Devices (whistle & SMB or signal mirror)
        Reel & SMB (if required by local regulations)
        Compass
        Multi Pouch Or Pocket
                                                          Redundancy Equipment (spare bungee, double ended bolt snap, cable ties and mouthpiece)

What will I do?

Don and doff the sidemount cylinders whilst in the water.
Conduct a buoyancy check at the surface.
Donor and receiver to an out of air diver.
Switch regulators to keep gas balanced in their independent cylinders
Neutral buoyancy swimming using various finning techniques.
Valve shutdowns exercise combined with gas switches (safety drill).
Twin partial cylinder removal and swim neutrally buoyant.
Neutral swim with one cylinder removed (hand-held).
Simulate a regulator free flow and breathe from regulator using (valve fluttering).
Maintain the correct trim of the sidemount cylinders (especially when buoyant).
Sidemount bungee failure, replace with spare.

Course duration?

The course is conducted over one evening of theory follwed by a confined water session
(if nessessary) to practice the new skills for sidemount diving you will learn on the course.
Two days are then spent doing a minimum of 3 training dives followed by practice skill sessions (scenarios)

What qualifications do I need?

You need to be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent rating) and at least 18 years old with 25 logged dives

What happens now?

Go Diving!

The next step is to practice your skills and become comfortable using the equipment and the

configurations you have learned.

A lot of divers use this as an intermediate step into learning wreck penetration.

The course itself integrates well with penetrating wrecks and caves and allows you to explore

places you have only read and dreamed about