International Training, which is the parent organization of Technical Diving International / Scuba Diving International, offers both TDI (Sidemount PCB Diver) versions. Both courses can be used in the same way. Both courses use the exact same learning materials (which, obviously, we also wrote). What is the difference between these two learning materials?
You'll learn about the advantages of diving with a sidemount configuration and how to set up a tec sidemount harness. You'll get hands-on training during one confined water session and four open water dives where you'll start with two tanks and add at least two more, maybe even getting to six sidemounted cylinders.
Our CDS Basics Orientation course is the best option if you don't plan to use sidemount while you cave diver training.
Steve, I want to thank all sections of your online courses. It was worth the effort. I learned a lot more online than my brain could comprehend. Your videos are clearer than any book or other material. I'm going to be repeating the most important lessons in the water course. Regards Rafal
Are you a Technical Diver? Great! In addition to the standard mixes, we have several banks of helium, and can partial pressure blend any desired fill. If you want to become a tech-diver, click here for more information going past recreational limits.
This course will teach you how to set up and operate the equipment that you will use in your training as a cave diver or tech diver. This includes:
Technical Sidemount Scuba Dive Training BabyLove 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.
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 love your enthusiasm to capture... 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
It's easy to use, portable, no steel back plates or aluminium backplates, light weight, adjustable, easy get into and out of the water. This makes it ideal for divers with back problems, disabled divers and female divers.
Sidemount PCB Diving developed from cave diving in the early decades. Lamar Hires, an explorer, was the first to use multiple tanks to reach places where back mounted divers were unable to. As the sport developed, sidemount PCB diving has become one the fastest growing segments.
Minimum age is 18 years of age to enroll in the NAUI Introduction to Technical Diving course. You must also be a certified NAUI Scuba Diver and NAUI EANx Diver (or their equivalents), and have at least 25 logged dives with at least 10 EANx dives. Prerequisites vary for each technical training program.
I've never tried sidemounting before, but I learned a lot from his online video training and I knew Steve was the man for me to learn it. I was correct! It was truly a life changing week! Sidemount PCB Essentials far exceeded my expectations. Steve is an excellent teacher who has patience and spends a lot... read moreI had never tried sidemount but I learned from his online video that Steve was the ideal man to teach me how to do it. I was not wrong. It was truly a life changing week! Sidemount PCB Essentials far exceeded my expectations. Steve is a wonderful teacher. His patience is amazing and he puts in a lot time and effort with his students. Everything is well planned and executed with great care. It was both memorable and rewarding. Sidemount PCB Essentials Course was a transformative experience for me. In such a short time, I saw a change in my awareness and skill level below water that I didn't expect. Everything is in its right place, from the harness setup to the weight amount and location, through the cylinder trim to your balance in the pool. This will make you feel calm, confident, and allow you to experience sidemount set-ups that are true... without any back pain. This course was both challenging and very enjoyable. Each day begins with a planning session. We end the day with a video review of what we did in the water. It was a tedious process to drain the cylinders before we could go into the water. This is why our learning curve has been so steep. Everything was handled in a calm and secure environment, yet with remarkable professionalism. Steve's course is worth it. Steve will assist you in achieving more than you could ever imagine if Sidemount PCB is your passion. read less
I just wanted to tell you that your online training has been outstanding. Every time I log on, I learn something. Your website is amazing in terms of the value it provides. We are grateful for your time.
I just want to say, your online training is top notch. I learn something every time I log in. The fact that you go above and beyond to engage with your subscribers only adds to the already incredible value we get from your site. Thank you very much for your time.
What exactly is the Tec 40 Course? Your first step into technical diving is the PADI Tec 40 course. It is a fundamental level of decompression diving that allows you to dive with gas redundancy, higher Enriched Air mixes of up to 50%, decompression on EANX 50% for conservatism, and up to 10 minutes of decompression.
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).
A typical diver, at a typical depth, with a typical tank
Based on personal experience, an average open-water certified diver on a 40-foot dive with a standard aluminum 80-cubic-foot tank will be able to stay down for 45 to 60 minutes before surfacing with a safe reserve of air still in the tank.