SM and rec charters

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Using attachment points on the waist, I can easily pull my tanks(two of em) in front of me and climb a ladder... My 72s have neck clips, so they're clipped and bungeed in place, no problem with walking them(I don't bother to do this with LP95s).

I don't see a problem with it. If a dive boat has a problem with it, they'd lose my business - there's plenty out there who'd surely like my business.

 

[LiteHedded]

Seriously?

I have dove several whole weekends off of rec charters in Florida as a sidemount diver (single tank) with no issues and heck, I was MORE stable with the boat rocking then the any of the backmount divers... (lower center of gravity with sidemounted tank)

I was ready to dive off the boat faster then the rest of the divers and could doff my gear and be ready for the next dive faster.

I will continue to dive this manner on OW dives, as I find it MUCH more comfortable and MUCH easier to dive.

Here is a pic of how I dove the last time (on the wreck of the Eagle >100ft)

and he did it all in a big floppy hat

 

[TSandM]

I spent a week in British Columbia with Curt Bowen of Advanced Diver Magazine. He dove sidemounted Al 80s the whole time.

Prior to this trip, it was my opinion that sidemount offered a lot of advantages in terms of not having to haul all the gear to the water at once, but it was much slower and less efficient to gear up. Curt really proved the opposite. He stored his two tanks on the skiff just as we did. He geared up as fast as we did in more traditional gear. He had no problems reboarding the boat, or could hand up a tank or tanks and then climb the ladder unencumbered.

At the end of the week, I was very impressed with the ability of an experienced sidemount diver to provide himself with the advantages of double tanks in a setting where they weren't available, without being any kind of inconvenience to anyone else.

 

[Tegg]

Nice pic..

But there is a huge difference between sidemounting a single tank and double tanks. While I guess I might prefer single-tank sidemount (scratch that, I know I would) over single-tank BM, OP's idea is to reap the advantages of doubles on a non-tech charter. I don't think that's going to happen with any regularity. It'd be very difficult to get both tanks on and wobble around on the boat (not to mention you can't really climb a ladder with both tanks and have any stability), so entry and exit would involve lowering/retrieving the second tank into/out of the water, and extra time required for you to screw around getting your second tank on while floating, and certainly no fun with a surface current or chop. I'd think most crews would take a very dim view of that.

You need to see someone that knows how to sidemount dive off of a charter/any boat.

I have done it with both single and dual AL80s, both were "just as easy".

 

[Tegg]

and he did it all in a big floppy hat

It was sunny down there, had to protect myself from the sun... :cool2:

 

[handben]

Seriously?


Here is a pic of how I dove the last time (on the wreck of the Eagle >100ft)

Tegg, Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've never dove side mount so forgive my naivete, what sort of set up are you using? I see the tank and a small strap but nothing else. What is your wing and harness?

I wonder if it is worth the extra effort to dive with 2 tanks when the rest of the boat is diving singles. I can see some pissed off folks if your profile is twice as long as the next longest diver on the boat. Or if you are switching between the 2 tanks and you breath them roughly down 1/2 way on the first dive; do you dive the same tanks the next dive? Or would you start with 2 fresh tanks? If it just a matter of having redundancy, I think my small pony will suffice for me. But I am keen to hear of the advantages of this rig. I would like to use both of my Al 80s more and would also like to avoid all that weight on my back.

 

[Tegg]

Tegg, Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've never dove side mount so forgive my naivete, what sort of set up are you using? I see the tank and a small strap but nothing else. What is your wing and harness?

When diving in salt water with no exposure protection needed, I keep it as minimalist as possible. There is nothing more to my rig then 2" webbing, D rings, bungee.

When I add a second tank, that means longer bottom time and means a wetsuit is needed. I add the wetsuit and just enough lead to offset it's buoyancy. Still no wing needed.

I wonder if it is worth the extra effort to dive with 2 tanks when the rest of the boat is diving singles. I can see some pissed off folks if your profile is twice as long as the next longest diver on the boat. Or if you are switching between the 2 tanks and you breath them roughly down 1/2 way on the first dive; do you dive the same tanks the next dive? Or would you start with 2 fresh tanks? If it just a matter of having redundancy, I think my small pony will suffice for me. But I am keen to hear of the advantages of this rig. I would like to use both of my Al 80s more and would also like to avoid all that weight on my back.

If the rest of the boat is diving single 80s, I dive a single 80. A buddy is there for redundancy. This is OW Recreational diving we are discussing here, and as such does not require a whole lot of gear. No long bottom times. Decent vis. Diving off of a 6 pack or more charter boat.

 

[jimmy71]

Tegg,
now that i look at that picture i realize why it looked odd to me. You have no wing. How do you manage your buoyancy without a wing? From your post, it seems you rarely dive with a wing. Interesting...... i would love to know more.
Jimmy

 

[Tegg]

Tegg,
now that i look at that picture i realize why it looked odd to me. You have no wing. How do you manage your buoyancy without a wing? From your post, it seems you rarely dive with a wing. Interesting...... i would love to know more.
Jimmy

Actually, I dive with a wing pretty often... of course I usually have 2 steel tanks and some AL80s as stages...

A lot of diving has been done with AL80s with no wing needed in the past, and after getting trimmed out with my setup, I don't know why people still dive with wings when exposure protection is not needed.

I find diving with my rig to feel like I am simply freediving but with a REALLY long breath hold...

 

[mrmccoy]

Tegg, when you sidemount with a single cylinder do you add a second stage for your buddy?