Ozwald
Contributor
Can anyone offer any insight as to the quality of their side mount training?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Horizon divers and side mount training
- Thread starter Ozwald
- Start date
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
DevonDiver
N/A
Did you try approaching them directly and asking for relevant information on the background and specific sidemount experience of the designated instructors?
Did he/she/they dive sidemount as a primary means for years, or did they do a 4-day 'fast-track' conversion to teach it?
Do the use sidemount for technical and/or overhead dives?
What specific rigs do they have experience diving in and teaching on?
I notice they don't really list any specific instructor details. Personally, I am always wary of 'anonymous' courses/instructor. For truly great training, you need to be able to vet, research and even interview your prospective instructor.
Be wary that PADI, and some other agencies, have/are flooding the market with 'quick-fix' sidemount instructors - many of whom have only a few days experience on a sidemount conversion course, before attempting to teach sidemount. This is woefully inadequate and virtually guarantees disappointing training results.
Did he/she/they dive sidemount as a primary means for years, or did they do a 4-day 'fast-track' conversion to teach it?
Do the use sidemount for technical and/or overhead dives?
What specific rigs do they have experience diving in and teaching on?
I notice they don't really list any specific instructor details. Personally, I am always wary of 'anonymous' courses/instructor. For truly great training, you need to be able to vet, research and even interview your prospective instructor.
Be wary that PADI, and some other agencies, have/are flooding the market with 'quick-fix' sidemount instructors - many of whom have only a few days experience on a sidemount conversion course, before attempting to teach sidemount. This is woefully inadequate and virtually guarantees disappointing training results.
OP
Ozwald
Contributor
Hey Devondiver
Yeah I hear what you are saying. Basically still trying to decide whether or not side mount is something I want to get more intimate with. Not yet 100% certain.
Yeah I hear what you are saying. Basically still trying to decide whether or not side mount is something I want to get more intimate with. Not yet 100% certain.
Aren't there any instructors in your neck o the woods teaching or diving sidemount? It may be a way to see if it's for you. I have done a workshop in the pool with someone that gives a diver an idea of what's involved. I own three different rigs and have access to a couple more.
OP
Ozwald
Contributor
Jim....I laughed my as off when I read your comment then I realized that not many would know what's available up here for instruction. In short no.....not a lot of choices up here. But it does allow me the opportunity to meet some of you great peeps south of the 49th and at the same time dive that nice blue water that exceeds 40F !
Hey Oz, I'm located in Edmonton and teach sidemount, I'd love to come out a do a demo day or full course, feel free to pm me even if you just have some questions. As Andy says research your instructor, Cheers!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
djcheburashka
Contributor
I did side mount training with horizon. I like dan Dawson a lot and I think he's a good instructor.
The class was pretty routine. There are a lot of different sm configs out there, and dans only really familiar with a few of them. So if it's a different rig you'll have a better experience if it's configured beforehand.
The class was really let's maintain bouyancy taking tanks on and off, let's practice with two tanks switching air, let's spend an hour going into the furthest pebetrable parts of the Duane. Or maybe that was trimix class whatever.
The one negative about it is the boat crews aren't totally "with it" on sm.
Was it worth it? I was pretty squared away before. Dan helped me optimize, get used to more difficult maneuvers, and made me a lot more confident that I was using the gear in a way consistent with team safety (dan is also a UTD guy). So overall I'd say yes it was worth it.
The class was pretty routine. There are a lot of different sm configs out there, and dans only really familiar with a few of them. So if it's a different rig you'll have a better experience if it's configured beforehand.
The class was really let's maintain bouyancy taking tanks on and off, let's practice with two tanks switching air, let's spend an hour going into the furthest pebetrable parts of the Duane. Or maybe that was trimix class whatever.
The one negative about it is the boat crews aren't totally "with it" on sm.
Was it worth it? I was pretty squared away before. Dan helped me optimize, get used to more difficult maneuvers, and made me a lot more confident that I was using the gear in a way consistent with team safety (dan is also a UTD guy). So overall I'd say yes it was worth it.
scuba127
Contributor
I did PADI Sidemount and Tec 40 in sidemount with Horizon in 2011. Instructor was Dan Dawson. I thought Dan was a great instructor. Firm and insisting that standards be met without being a jerk about it. The class was done with aluminum tanks in Hollis SMS 100 configured as you would find on the Hollis web site. Obviously, this isn't the best setup available for aluminum tanks but worked well enough IMO to get adequately trained in the basics of sidemount. I was good with that as I like to go out and modify/tweak things on my own after a class anyway. I'd do it again and probably will at some point with Padi Tec 45.
---------- Post added July 8th, 2014 at 06:03 AM ----------
also....I agree with djheburashka on the Horizon boat crews when it comes to sidemount....
---------- Post added July 8th, 2014 at 06:03 AM ----------
also....I agree with djheburashka on the Horizon boat crews when it comes to sidemount....
I did SM TEC 40 with the Horizon boat and gear but my instructor was Tom Witmer from Pirate Island which is just down the road. Tom is a very good instructor, all around great dude, and has a ton of knowledge to impart to his students. I actually thought that Jame Icaptain) and Jeff (DM) were cool with Sidemount so no issues with the boat.
Similar threads
