how can I learn sidemount diving?

Hello,

what are the divign agencies that teach sidemountin?

I am a recreational diver but want to learn the sidemounting how can I do it? what agency should I contact?

Any agencies in Italy ?

thanks

Mario

I would contact PADI, they're probly cheapest, and SM diving is nothing more than a cosmetic thing in OW anyways, so go as cheap as you can.

Try Steve at:
Homepage PADI and DSAT Sidemount Scuba Diving Training Course Director Steve Martin

SangP

Just buy one and dive it...
If you're doing open water, the articles on diverite's website as well as all of the videos online of both Steve and the DR crew is all you really need... Half of the time all the instructor is going to do is make sure your gear is set up right and just have you practice hovering and stuff... Nothing you can't do on your own in a pool, especially with the pictures and videos of what it's supposed to look like. For cave it's a whole other story, but for Open water, I agree with James. No real difference

IANTD was the first agency I'm aware of that offered a SM course. PADI started offering one about a year ago. From what I understand, most of PADI's SM instructors took the SM course and became instructors in the same extended weekend. Make sure whatever instructor you choose has a significant amount of experience diving SM, otherwise you're just wasting your money.

ucfdiver:

I would contact PADI, they're probly cheapest, and SM diving is nothing more than a cosmetic thing in OW anyways, so go as cheap as you can.

Click to expand...

You couldn't be more wrong about SM diving in OW.

For OW dives, I think that you can either buy or modify your current gear to support SM- it is not difficult to modify most BCs by adding the bungee loops and waist D-rings (or some butt-plate alternative).

You can find lots of helpful tips, information, gear configuration etc in this forum, cavediver and perhaps thedecostop, as well as looking into Armadillo manuals, and also at stores that sell sidemount parts- looking at the images you can learn how to connect things, what to look for etc.

Then, you jump in the pool (you can ask friends to join you for support or for fun), practice tank positioning, regulator routing etc- modify gear "on the fly" and get experience, experience and experience...

You'll be surprised how soon you'll be ready to leave the pool and go diving.