WarrenZ
The Ultimate Bad Example
I tend to wait my turn when I am diving BM singles as I hate to be the rude diver climbing over people trying to get into my gear and it gets others out of the way so I can gear up and move easier.
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Haven't had any issues diving sidemount in California. Every boat I've been on has been fine with the extra gear or with passing cylinders down or back up for entry and exits.
I think its probably culture - they may be used to doing things a certain way done it a zillion times now someone turns up with something new and they have to adjust their systems ( maybe) boat i dive with regulary - we have a pre dive gearing up plan before we leave the lodge- whose diving where and with whom whos gearing up first etc. whose gear gets loaded first and whose last. having said that we all know each other so its not a big deal maybe with a bunch of strangers might be different but still, having a gearing up plan is not hardDo you dive the Peace? While they allowed me to use my sidemount equipment, they spared no effort letting me know they weren't happy about it. To be fair, I was pretty new to sidemount at the time, and had some experimenting to do before I figured out what worked under what conditions and what I would want to do differently.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Bob, no I have not used the Peace. Boats I use often now are Asante, Humboldt, Cee-RayDo you dive the Peace? While they allowed me to use my sidemount equipment, they spared no effort letting me know they weren't happy about it. To be fair, I was pretty new to sidemount at the time, and had some experimenting to do before I figured out what worked under what conditions and what I would want to do differently.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
It's always a good idea to call ahead and feel the operator out about sidemount. If you get pushback, find another operator. Really, you will both be happier.
Z-system by any chance? The QD does make getting in very quick. My procedure is exactly the same as yours.Here's how I do it: I get my wetsuit and harness on a few minutes before we arrive at the dive site. When we arrive to the dive site I pull tanks and put them on the deck right tank on the right, left tank on the left. I them kneel down clip them into my ring bungees, plug in my hoses, grab my mask and fins and head to the water. It takes about as much time as a fairly efficient single tank diver to get geared up. I don't put on my mask and fins on the boat I wait until I get into the water and it only takes a minute to put those things on and then I'm diving.
If I dive my 50s then I usually clip those things on while I'm still sitting on the bench. The I can just stand up and walk over and splash in.
If I can't get thru an access way the solution is as simple as turning 90 degrees and side stepping thru.