Sidemount Full Cave

[Omisson]

Question on sidemount certification. Many agencies certifying technical divers have seen a great expansion of side mounting. It is also becoming a popular open water alternative.

I understand that the current NACD standards require that sidemount be taught only as a post-Full Cave certification. Will that continue to be the case?

Have you considered amending the standards to permit previously sidemount certified & technically trained divers to take full cave in sidemount?

Thanks.

Dan

 

[Dive-aholic]

Hi Dan,

That's been in the works for several months. The revised standards have already been discussed amongst the Training Committee and the Board of Directors. The Board has the final copy of the current revision in their possession and the standards should be updated very soon. Not only will previously sidemount certified/trained/experienced divers be able to complete full cave in sidemount, but also cavern, intro cave, and apprentice. This will not result in a sidemount cave card. And not all NACD instructors will be qualified to teach students in sidemount.

Rob Neto
International Training Director
National Association for Cave Diving

 

[Omisson]

Thanks Rob - Much appreciated!

 

[kwinter]

Rob, was anything discussed about full cave divers who then take sidemount training, but not in a cave environment? Would they be expected to do additional training for sidemount cave?


Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dive-aholic]

Sidemount training and cave sidemount are not the same thing. Sidemount training consists of getting trim in sidemount, the various types of rigs available along with their characteristics, gas and regulator management, cylinder removal and replacement, and so on. Cave sidemount deals with specific gas planning for small passages, maneuvering through small passages, emergency procedures in small passages, and more. Cave sidemount also requires that students actually negotiate small restrictions, something you don't get in a basic sidemount course.

 

[Omisson]

Just got my NACD full cave card in the mail yesterday... Very happy to have joined the dark side....

 

[boulderjohn]

Just got my NACD full cave card in the mail yesterday... Very happy to have joined the dark side....

I already congratulated you on another forum--glad to repeat it here.

 

[Omisson]

Getting the card is a nice feeling!

 

[shellmoundal]

Getting the card is a nice feeling!

I dove this past weekend with an Intro diver, NACD, and his temporary card is falling apart. He is still waiting for his Intro Card from NACD. Temporary cards , I was told, expire. Ginnie is a stickler on current cards. Rob Netto was his instructor and the intro diver is Brandon C. from NC. It is not Rob's problem and I am not putting this on him. Simply pointing out that Intro Divers , above all, must have a card to get in any of these caves.
Please make sure that he gets his card soon.
I completed me Full Cave to NSS/CDS because of the card situation. Instructors for the NACD may have trouble taking a student all the way through if the student is constantly being told excuses for not receiving his or her card. The student paid for the lesson and gave the time to be trained. I would think that the least an agency could do is to get the card to the deserved student.

 

[Blue Life]

Just got my NACD full cave card in the mail yesterday... Very happy to have joined the dark side....

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S! Welcome to this beautiful magical paradise!