Boat Entry

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Parsons

Contributor
Messages
82
Reaction score
9
Location
Edwardsburg, Michigan
# of dives
200 - 499
How is the sidemount system working with the Great Lake wreck diver who does boat entrys with 4 foot waves and a strong current? Were I think the last thing I want to do is hang out behind the boat to put tanks on my side. I like the sound of the system but these boat entrys and exits concern me.
Thanks
DP
 
If the boat or conditions are questionable, you could hang the tanks off the side of the boat clipped on a line. I use a line in the water to clip off my tanks before exiting on my own boat and my buddy has clips anchored to the rear of his swim deck on his boat for clipping off tanks/bc's/lobster bags for side mount or back mount dives.

Worst case, if environment does not support side mount, don't do it.

Dwayne
 
Last edited:
I dove SM on the Oriskany in 2-3' seas and significant current. I just geared up on the boat and splashed ready to go. No issues with 108s, 2 AL40s, and a scooter all clipped on. Scooter and 40s came up gear lines and getting out was much easier in SM than in BM.
 
Depending upon your personal strength you have a couple of options stepping off a boat in current. As far as a giant stride while geared up in sidemount...no problem and no more challenging then before with one tank on back.

Hang Cord / Leash
You can hang a line off the back of the boat and clip you stage / deco tanks to it for getting in. One thing to keep in mind is that you want this length of line long enough so that your tanks are far enough below the boat as to avoid any risk of the boat smacking you in the head while it's rolling in the chop. If you go this method I would recomment that you don both sidemount tanks. Upon return you can clip off all but one tank on the line.

Fully Outfitting Before entry
Depending upon how many tanks and how bad the current it may make sense to suit up completely...provided you can handle the weight while dealing with the boat rolling. One option is to secure both sidemount tanks and then at last moment before stepping off clip any stage/deco bottles to your chest d-ring. Jump in and then sort out your gear while at surface or hanging a few feet below.

None of it is as bad as one imagines. On the same trip I found myself doing all three depending upon conditions.
 
Thank you for the info. Sounds like you folks have no problem with the bungee system to hold the SM bottles and do the giant stride in poor conditions.
Are World Underwater is in Chicago in Feb and on that Sunday the 20th is a SM seminar by TDI/SDI I plan to go.
DP
 
Thank you for the info. Sounds like you folks have no problem with the bungee system to hold the SM bottles and do the giant stride in poor conditions.
Are World Underwater is in Chicago in Feb and on that Sunday the 20th is a SM seminar by TDI/SDI I plan to go.
DP


Ahh - Different question - I use "backup" snaps which are loose with the bungy but provide stability for boat entries and exits. Most of the weight of the tank is supported by the lower snap when standing.

There are many ways to rig side mount. I have the Razor harness which comes with no tank neck snaps and the Hollis SMS which includes bottom cam bands/snaps and neck snaps for backup/support.

My neck snaps are nothing more than stainless steel snaps and a loop of 4mm line which can fit over the valve of a tank.

I still use the shock cord for keeping the tanks snug using the "wrap around the valve" method.

Check out the following link which is three different methods of securing your tanks -
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/5637790-post55.html

Dwayne
 
Thank you for the info. Sounds like you folks have no problem with the bungee system to hold the SM bottles and do the giant stride in poor conditions.
Are World Underwater is in Chicago in Feb and on that Sunday the 20th is a SM seminar by TDI/SDI I plan to go.
DP

I don't use the standard bungee system sold with most rigs. I made my own because the standard system does not hold cylinders very well, even in the water.
 
I don't use the standard bungee system sold with most rigs. I made my own because the standard system does not hold cylinders very well, even in the water.
I'd like to see pics of your setup. I am thinking of making mine and am shameless enough to not re-invent the wheel. I 'd like to see what others think of...
 
Check out the My venture into sidemount thread. I've posted quite a few pics of my rig there.
 
Thank you for the info. Sounds like you folks have no problem with the bungee system to hold the SM bottles and do the giant stride in poor conditions.
Are World Underwater is in Chicago in Feb and on that Sunday the 20th is a SM seminar by TDI/SDI I plan to go.
DP

Parson...sorry for the confusion. I am not a cave diver, but rather open water and deep. I don't ever use the bungees as primary support / attachment for the tanks to my harness. I use a dog clip on a lnyard around the neck of the tank to secure it to one of the D-rings on my chest. When fully suited up it is this connection point, and not the bottom of your tank attached to a D-ring on your waist belt or back rail, that bares the majority of the tank's weight. After the neck and bottom of the tanks are secured to D-rings my dog clips I stretch the bungee around the outside of the tanks and clip together at center of my chest pulling up the tanks close to my body.

If there isn't time, space, heavy chop, or strong current and you don't want to get team to strung out you can simplify kitting up process for multiple tanks by simply clip just the necks of any stage/deco tanks to your chest D-ring and it will be able to support the entire weight. Jump in and then arrange/tify up gear starting with attaching the rear clips of each tank to harness.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom