Love your vids Steve. I am in Nova Scotia Canada. I just received my tdi-sm certificate in August. Your online course was a great addition to my training. It has helped me tremendously! We are grateful.
Please send me a renewal number for Package 1 – Instructor Course. Sidemountpcb.com is my fifth year. I am looking forward to it. Your team is a wonderful source of inspiration and guidance. All the very best! Scott
It is possible to obtain qualifying certifications through other diving training organizations. Please ask your Tec Sidemount PCB Instructor.
We offer the TDI course as an option, although we can also teach the SDI course if asked. This course can be taken on its own, or with our Apprentice Cave Diver course.
Easy to carry around, flexible, no metal or aluminium back plates. Lightweight, easy-to-adjust, easy to get in and back out of the water.
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.
Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training ExercisesYour online training is excellent. Every time I log into my account, I learn something new. Your site is full of incredible value. It's even more amazing that you engage with your subscribers. We appreciate your time.
Hi Steve, I really enjoyed your Sidemount PCB Essentials course in Gozo! Have probably never spend my money on anything better. It made so much fun and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Seeing your dedication and experience is simply amazing. You pay attention to the smallest details and you are always striving to improve things even further. I also... read moreHi Steve, I really enjoyed your Sidemount PCB Essentials course in Gozo! Have probably never spend my money on anything better. It made so much fun and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Seeing your dedication and experience is simply amazing. You pay attention to the smallest details and you are always striving to improve things even further. I also love your enthusiasm to capture all those details, new equipment, new methods, hints etc. with the camera to be able to include them in upcoming videos to the benefit of everyone. Speaking of your online training videos I must say that they are a class of its own. They definitely get you well-prepared for the things you need to know during the in-water training and I think that exactly this concept is the key to the steep learning curve because the time underwater can be used efficiently. Thank you so much for everything Steve! Cheers, Nils read less
Steve was a Portuguese teacher who came to Portugal 10 years ago to teach us Sidemount PCB. His enthusiasm, technical abilities, and professionalism were immediately evident to me. His new website and online training have taken this to a whole new level. It is so comprehensive... continue reading. Steve came to Portugal over 10 years ago to teach Sidemount PCB to our staff (at that time it was still the beginning of Sidemount PCB). His enthusiasm, technical abilities, and professionalism were immediately evident to me. His new website and online training have taken this to a whole new level. These contents are perfect for beginners, experienced divers, and instructors. Sidemount is now a well-known and simple way to dive. read less
Sidemount PCB can provide a number of benefits for any diver, but is especially well suited for cave diving. (It was, after all, cave divers who invented sidemount.) Among these benefits:
Thank you Steve and Vas for your guidance. It is a mistake to not ask questions and explore options. This can stop the progress of safety and growth in diving. Your online trainings have been invaluable to me for over 2 years. I have trained my muscle memory and practiced it. But, most importantly, I never shut my mouth when asked by other divers... read moreThank you Steve and Vas for all your guidance. It is a common mistake to not ask questions and explore options. This can stop the progress of safety and growth in diving. Your online trainings have been a valuable resource for me for over 2 years. I have trained my muscle memory and practiced it, but most importantly, I never shut up when asked by divers. They now see a better way and the results are amazing. I have to say, however, that you were always willing to help me or explain the process in my two years of learning! Every opportunity exists to learn, teach, discuss and grow. There should never be any stupid questions when diving. I am sure that I will continue to open my mouth to ask more questions in the future. Lol
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.
Yes Sidemount PCB started with the Cave diver, but you do not have to be a tech or cave diver to be able to dive on Sidemount PCB. PADI has a Side mount course in which you only carry one cylinder/tank on one of your sides instead of your back.
It is possible to rent items such as primary light bulbs and cylinders which can be cumbersome to travel with. You should let us know if any of these are required.
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).
You must be a PADI Open Water Diver to enroll in the PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver course, but you must also be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver to become a PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver. Have at least 30 dives under your belt.
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.