SDI/TDIIncludes two open water divesMinimum of 18 years, or 15 with parental consent
This course will require the same equipment, as your goal is to learn the operation and setup of the equipment you will use during your cave diving or tech diver training. This includes:
Be aware of what you're paying: All prices include instruction and eLearning. The cost of eLearning by itself can range from $140 to $280. A $640 course purchased from us may cost you the same as $500 from someone else, if you need to pay for elearning separately.
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.
International Training, which is the parent organization for Technical Diving International / Scuba Diving International, offers both the SDI version and TDI versions their Sidemount Diver course. Both courses can be used in the same way. Both courses use the exact same learning materials (which, obviously, we wrote). What's the difference then?
Sidemount diving has many advantages. You have two tanks with one regulator, a first stage, and SPG. It makes it safer and allows for little air-hogs such as myself to get more air. Sidemount is also very comfortable, as you can quickly put tanks on the water surface and there's no pressure on your back.
Due to the issues with single-orifice doubles or backmounted independents (which are not as common in modern diving), backmounted doubles were invented. Independents are two independent cylinders attached to one's back, with independent regulators for each. One cylinder was sufficient to take care of a failed 1st Stage. Single orifice duplicates were two cylinders linked with a valve and one regulator. A single orifice doubles set would cause all gas to be lost if a first stage fails. These problems can be eliminated with the modern isolated manifolds. Each cylinder can work independently but divers can also inhale gas from both of them through one regulator. These doubles are typically held together with metal bands. The valves can also be linked with an isolation device, which allows them to be seperated if required. Backmounted doubles diving offers a profile that's vertically identical to regular single-cylinder backmount.
Although the gear selection is important, entry level tech divers will learn how to streamline their equipment and prevent drag. This maximizes propulsion efficiency and awareness.
It's becoming increasingly popular and Girls that ScubaHQ noticed it quickly! There were lots of questions and nerves. So we went to Theresia Gullner, one of the few female tech instructors in Asia. She works at Blue Marlin Gili T Lombok. We were then introduced to the twin sets and given an introduction to technical diving. Here's what we learned from her:
To get started on Sidemount diving you don’t need more than an Open Water Diver. Mind you, it obviously helps to have good buoyancy and trim and you should be able to set up and handle your equipment comfortably by yourself. Sidemount diving will add a whole new dimension when it comes to equipment setup and skills.
Are you interested in becoming a Sidemount diver. This post will explain everything you need to know about becoming a Sidemount diver.
Different depths require the use of different gas mixes. The maximum partial pressure of oxygen a diver wants to dive at is 1.4 which is reached on air at 56m. Due to the water pressure the pressure of each individual gas increases and therefore we need to use appropriate mixes if we choose to go deeper. In general, the more oxygen a gas mix has the less deep we can go. A tech diver will use low oxygen mixes at depth and high oxygen mixes coming up shallower to off-gas Nitrogen faster and decrease the mandatory decompression time overall.
However it is important at greater depths to decrease effort and achieve maximum performance to avoid overexertion and CO2 buildup. CO2 is the trigger for our breathing reflex, so the more CO2 we build up the more we will feel the urge to breathe. This means in the same amount of time we will pump more gas through our lungs and we take in more gas in the same amount of time.
New gear means new techniques. If you are able to dive sidemount, it is easy to acquire new skills.
To begin a technical diving course, you must have completed the following prerequisites: a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent, a PADI Enriched Air Diver certificate or equivalent, and a PADI Deep Diver certificate or proof of at least 10 dives to 30 metres/100 feet.
According to experts, approximately 40% of technical divers enroll in additional education and training programs. This yields a reasonable estimate of approximately 160,000 active technical divers worldwide.
The depth range of oxygen rebreathers (simple closed circuit) is limited to approximately 6 m, beyond which the risk of acute oxygen toxicity rises to unacceptable levels very quickly.