VOTED AS CANADA’S #1 DIVE SHOP | TRAINING HAPPY DIVERS FOR OVER 40 YEARS
VOTED AS CANADA’S #1 DIVE SHOP | TRAINING HAPPY DIVERS FOR OVER 40 YEARS
If you've ever wanted to increase your bottom time with a second tank, but your back aches at the thought of carrying around a set of doubles, then sidemount diving may be for you! In sidemount diving, you take the cylinders off your back and wear them along the side of your body. Most of the time, you'll put them on in the water too! Not only are the cylinders easier to carry and wear, but diving sidemount offers many benefits for in-water streamlining and flexibility.
Actually, everything about this course is fun! Sidemount is all the rage these days, and not just for technical divers as in the early days. Most divers, even those with only a few Open Water dives under their belt, rave about how easy the transition to Sidemount diving was for them. Suddenly they are gliding around the dive site with their cylinders at their sides, helping improve their buoyancy control, reduce their drag and lowering their air consumption. Getting in the water and climbing back onto the boat or shore is a breeze, and it’s easy to accommodate divers that love to travel. Of course there are some new things to learn, and new equipment to get used to, but once adjusted and streamlined, diving becomes quite effortless.
To take this course, you must be:
With your instructor, you'll make a confined water dive to become familiar with sidemount diving equipment. They will also teach you sidemount diving skills including: frog kicking, attaching and removing scuba tanks as you enter and exit the water, unclipping a scuba tank and swimming with the tank in front of you, and how to switch second stages and manage your breathing gas when wearing two scuba tanks. When you’re comfortable with these skills, you’ll make three open water dives where you’ll practice your new skills, buoyancy control and problem solving.
As you progress through your Divemaster course, you will expand your diving knowledge, hone you skills and increase your confidence. Then, as a PADI Divemaster, you’ll use these attributes to lead, mentor and motivate other divers and experience the joy of seeing them transformed by the majesty of the aquatic realm.
You’ll need a Sidemount BCD, two fully independent first and second stages each with an SPG, at least one of which has a 7 foot second stage hose. At least one first stage must also have a low pressure inflator hose to supply air to the BCD and a Drysuit whip as appropriate to diving environment & gear.
The course materials include the PADI Recreational Sidemount Diver e-learning module, which is an important component of your new adventure! During the e-learning, you’ll learn about some of the main procedures and techniques used in sidemount diving. Your instructor will review these techniques, and you’ll spend time during your open water dives fine tuning your techniques to get you fully “dialed in”, including important techniques for donning your tanks in the water, gas management, how to alternate breathing the tanks effectively, streamlining your gear, proper weighting and placement and much more.
Sidemount has become a mainstream gear configuration option for recreational divers. Many Sidemount divers go on to take Sidemount Tec if they have an interest in pursuing Tec diving. For others, the interest and challenges of CAVERN or CAVE diving will be the driver for taking the Sidemount course, so our PADI CAVERN course is a logical next step. If your goal was just to get some longer dive times without the challenge of doubles, perhaps the WRECK or DEEP diver courses would be a great next step to maximize the benefits of your new Sidemount certification.
Whatever it is, please contact the team at the shop to learn more and discuss a plan and options for you.
3245 Harvester Road, Unit #9 Burlington, ON, L7N 3T7
Tel: 905-333-Dive (3483)
Fax: 1-877-838-3203
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