Side Mount and Videography?

[JamesK]

No, but I can try to take some when I head out this weekend.

 

[drbill]

Again, appreciate all the feedback. I do have a tech instructor with a fair degree of side mount experience who can help me along.

And for Dave (TeamCasa), I don't think I'll be hitting the 200 ft depths again with sidemount. No real reason to. I'm planning to do a series of dives in the 125-150 ft range with sufficient time for video on a few reefs I want to monitor with the camera. Just need the extended bottom time. My 200 ft dives were all with an HP120 and backup tank and although total dive time could be up to an hour, much of that was offgassing in the shallower depths.

 

[mulla]

And I do it differently. I pull the reg out of my mouth then grab the reg I'm switching to and put it in my mouth. If I'm switching to my bungeed reg it's a little easier because it's just a matter of reaching under my chin for it. If I'm switching to my clipped reg I have to unclip the reg but I've done it enough that it's not an issue. I would not suggest doing this unless you know you are absolutely proficient in unclipping that reg.

I might have a few practice runs with JamesK's method before I move to this. Reason why I don't like just spitting the reg out as it tends to free flow unless I turn the mouth piece facing down. I would expect some free flow to happen via JamesK's method, hopefully my motion would be quick enough for it not to annoy me too much.

Thanks for letting me hijack this thread

 

[Dive-aholic]

I have found few advantages to mounting the gauges up, and kelp seems to offer a real reason to point them down.

The gauges stay very streamlined and out of the way with no need for bungees or inner tube if you position the 1st stages up toward you instead of away from you. If you look at your 1st stages you'll notice the HP port is angled slightly out so positioning the 1st stage up angles the SPGs into your shoulders.

 

[beanojones]

Well now that I have pretty much committied to the Nomad Ring bungie system, and it's outward facing regs, lollipopping the SPGs is problematic, because the angle is out away from things.

Of course it is possible I am overlooking some fancy solution.

 

[JamesK]

The gauges stay very streamlined and out of the way with no need for bungees or inner tube if you position the 1st stages up toward you instead of away from you. If you look at your 1st stages you'll notice the HP port is angled slightly out so positioning the 1st stage up angles the SPGs into your shoulders.

I angle my valves in, and they do stay up in tight, especially using compact SPG's, but I still like how the inner tube keeps them right where I like them and in tight.

 

[beanojones]

Does inner-tubing do anything to your ability to move them around and stuff?

 

[JamesK]

Not in my opinion. I can still swing them forward very easily.

 

[turt1e]

I have seen some horrendous "sidemount instructors" that basically hang 2 stage bottles and call it sidemount. Unfortunately, many students, who do not have your extensive experience, will never know any better.

I'm thinking of getting into sidemount myself, so maybe you can elaborate on this a bit as I would be one of those students with out extensive experience. So what exactly are these instructors doing that is so horrendous?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm thinking of getting into sidemount myself, so maybe you can elaborate on this a bit as I would be one of those students with out extensive experience. So what exactly are these instructors doing that is so horrendous?

Basically - just thinking that 'sidemount' is a case of hanging two tanks at the sides, without any of the refinement that makes it a coherent, streamlined and flexible configuration.

Take a look at my article/notes... especially the first few paragraphs ("What is, and isn't Sidemount Diving?").
Sidemount Diving Training Notes - Scuba Tech Philippines

I've seen a few divers doing 'Stage-only Diving' in the misunderstanding that it was 'sidemounting'. I've also seen a few divers who were sidemounting, but just plain doing it badly (awfully trimmed tanks etc).

Sidemount is becoming much more mainstream - and more agencies are rushing to qualify/approve instructors to teach it. Very few of those 'zero-to-hero' sidemount instructors will have any extensive experience or expertise in the configuration (most having done a 2-day conversion/instructor course).

The PADI (basic) sidemount course requires 25 dives and/or instructor conversion (2-day). That's typical for many PADI specialty instructor ratings. You wouldn't expect a depth of transferable experience or expertise in an instructor who did that....

As with all things 'tekkie' or 'advanced' or 'specialist'.... vet your potential instructor first - to establish if do actually possess some expertise in the discipline they're offering to teach you.