Sidemount diving requires only an Open Water Diver to begin. Although it's important to have excellent buoyancy and trim, you should also be able handle your equipment independently. Sidemount diving offers a whole new level of skill and equipment setup.
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.
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.
I took my first sidemount and technical sidesmount courses. Sidemount diving, like the name implies, requires you to place your tank on your hands. My hands and knuckles were completely covered by cuts at the end. The idea behind sidemount diving is to unclip your tanks and then place them in front you, Superman style. This will streamline your workflow. After making some adjustments to my harness size, the afternoon dive went more smoothly. I was now comfortable unclipping my harness and "Superman-ing” with the tanks. Sidemount gives you an amazing level of freedom, even if you have doubles on your back. Matt put up obstacle courses. We were soon flying through them with tanks in front, barrel-rolling, swimming upside down and tanks at the rear.
It's normal to be anxious about how it will all work out. Your instructor will assist you with everything!
Sidemount diving offers additional air sources, as you can dive with two tanks, each one with an SPG regulator and a first stage. Sidemount diving is safer and provides little air-hogs, like me, with more air. Sidemount diving is extremely comfortable. You can put tanks on the surface, and there is no pressure on your stomach.
Technical diving is fun, but not for those who want to dive deeper. Cave and decompression diving carry a greater risk. Dive planning and training are key to reducing this risk. These divers are held to a higher standard. To become a skilled diver, it will take practice. It is not possible to replace the time spent in water, no matter how much research you do. Divers will see that minimum standards are often exceeded by instructors during training courses. Technical training teaches diver redundancy. This allows problems to be solved at 1500ft in a cave, and then an exit can be made to the surface. Although it sounds scary and complicated, this is an essential aspect of diving in such an environment. Technical training is challenging, but also fun. The diver will have a golden ticket that opens up new areas of the world.
Most agencies allow you to choose between technical Sidemount or recreational Sidemount. While the prerequisites for SDI and TDI are identical, the tec Sidemount course will require more skills. You will need to master them more - perfect trimming and maintaining a level of skill is essential!
The initial pool sessions were tough; I felt like an open-water diver again, strapped into the twin tanks and trying to conduct valve drills. But as we progressed through the Tec 40, 45 and 50 courses, new skills started to come naturally, and by the end of the course I was enjoying myself. The satisfaction in Tec diving comes from taking your dive skills, buoyancy and awareness to the next level. Knowing that you’re capable of managing life-threatening emergencies at depth, and without the option to ascend straight to the surface (due to decompression requirements) is quite a buzz. And it’s satisfying to execute your dive plan with military precision.
Sidemount rigs were initially designed for cave diving. It allows divers to pass through small cracks and restrictions (tiny hole) much more easily than the traditional back mount rig.
2 first stage regulator, 2 second stage regulator, exposure suit with side pockets, BCD sidemount, SMB, cutting tool, diving spool, Jet fins, mask and another spare mask, technical diving equipments, 1 long hose (2.10m - 7ft), hogarthian or cave harness.
Skills (specific). Throughout the tech program, specific diving skills are practiced until they are perfect. Overhead diving navigation and line skills can be honed until they are automatic. Decompression divers know how to manage the gas and plan stops. Rebreather divers meticulously construct, test and tear down their equipment to ensure that it is functional. The skills required for each course are mastered at the beginning level. As you progress, they can be further developed. Each level takes these skills further and creates new challenges that make you a more knowledgeable, competent and well-rounded diver.
While most Sidemount divers use two tanks as a standard, you can also just use one tank (I was told it’s called ‘monkey’) or more than two tanks for deco dives.
Technical diving means that a diver is not allowed to reach the surface from any point during the dive. It could be due to a ceiling in the form of a cave/wreck or virtual ceilings created by decompression obligations. To avoid decompression sickness, you must perform mandatory stops on ascent when the NDL's are exceeded. This usually requires the use special equipment like Sidemounts and Twinsets. Twinsets and Sidemounts require special gas mixes, additional training, and twinsets/sidemounts to ensure that you can perform these stops correctly on ascent in order to maximize Nitrogen offgassing.
from 170 to 350 feet
While conventional scuba diving has a recommended maximum depth of 130 feet, technical divers may work at depths ranging from 170 feet to 350 feet, and sometimes even deeper.
Technical diving (also known as tec diving or tech diving) is non-professional scuba diving that exceeds the agency-specified limits of recreational diving.
- 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.