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 $30 each depending on the agency. You can ask your instructor more.
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.
Technical divers can explore wrecks and reefs down to depths of 40 meters/130 feet. They can dive in underwater caves or other areas that are not accessible to recreational divers.
Skills (specific) – Throughout the tech programs the specific dive skills for that category of diving are practiced until faultless. For overhead diving navigation and line skills are honed in until they’re automatic. Decompression divers can plan and execute the stops and gas management without blinking an eye. Rebreather divers meticulously build, test and break down their units to ensure perfect functionality of the equipment. Skills for each course are laid solid in the first level of certification, and advanced from there. Each step deeper or further hones these skills and adds additional challenges to develop a well rounded, well prepared and well informed diver.
You should know what you are getting. Prices include instruction fees and eLearning fees. Keep in mind that eLearning can cost anywhere from $140 up to $280. If you pay for elearning separately, then a course costing $640 from us could be the same price as a course costing $500 from another source.
You might also be interested to take this scuba dive course offered by PADI tec sidemount.
Your Sidemount BCD harness is made up of a bladder, sliding D-rings and bungee cords. Your tank position and trim will depend on their fit. Your instructor may spend a lot of time getting them right.
The choice of equipment is very individual and different divers will recommend different styles. In general to go with a well known brand is useful as they stand for quality, performance and configurability. Some of the best brands are Apeks, Diverite, Halcyon, OMS, Scubapro, Hollis and some newer brands like xDeep or Tecline. The preferred divecomputers for tech divers at the moment are Shearwater products, whether it be the Petrel 2 or Perdix, the flexibility of the algorithm, handling and display.
Sidemount PCB has the expertise to answer any questions you or your doctor may have about your medical fitness to dive.
I don't know why or when I made the decision to take the Sidemount course. As with most of my diving decisions this was an easy decision. Sidemount certification would help me do proper cave diving, which I knew I wanted.
Sidemount mounting for cylinders was originally used in cave diving. Since then, they have grown to be more popular in all types of technical diving. The dual cylinders are separated with a 1st stage for each cylinder. They then mount them on either one side of the diver's bodies. However, this does not allow the diver access to any valves and allows him to only breathe from one cylinder in the unlikely event of a regulator failing. Sidemount diving offers a divers a wider horizontal profile, but smaller vertical profile.
Academics: The academic sections of a technical class are the same as any other scuba class. Students will complete some self-study, and then bring their knowledge to the instructor for a discussion. While the technical course's dive planning is more complicated than what most people are familiar with it is an essential part of performing a successful dive. Decompression and overhead diving require gas management discussions that will take much longer than normal. To calculate the required gas volumes for the dive, they use a computer program.
You can choose from the following options to learn more about diving or for lessons alternatives.
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.
5-6 days
Rebreather training classes are typically 5-6 days long, but can be longer depending on a variety of factors such as the training agency, your local conditions, your instructor, and your ability to meet the class standards.
- 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.
2-3 hours
Even with small cylinders, you can usually dive for 2-3 hours (rebreathers typically have two 2/3l cylinders or one 3/5l cylinder).