Sidemounting bailout with a BM RB, pros/cons

[JonG1]

As per the title really, I have been playing around with this idea for a while but can't bring myself to commit due to horror stories about how much faff is involved, especially after a Covid break, wasting time with new configurations is low on the agenda,

So I currently dive a BM unit (KISS Classic), pretty standard config, 2x3L dumpys, suit inflate on the back plate, dil/wing is inboard, o2 is inboard, deep bailout is via BOV in a typical stage config as are any other stages or deco bottles, but are rigged left and right with 3rd stage on left if carried.

I am usually OHE in mines so no restrictions but its all swimming, and OW is wrecks off a hard boat with a lift.

I like stages for the ease with which I can move them around, easy to check gauges, leaks etc. during the dive and can share with oc divers if required or use myself if on oc.

I don't see a scooter in my future any time soon, and have never dived side mount oc.

I am just not sure how much benefit there would be going to SM bailout for any learning curve or faffing, but if has really made a difference to people'e experience I'll consider biting the bullet.

 

[tbone1004]

@JonG1
the benefits of sidemount bailout are streamlining of the cylinders themselves. Can be as simple as adding a loop bungee to your backplate *I have a thread on that subject somewhere relatively recently*, and actually hiking those top bottles up instead of letting them flop around. You do not need to go to a "sidemount setup" in terms of the bottles and I wouldn't recommend it for open water diving.
Mine diving I would treat like a cave and would then go to a full sidemount setup. Your onboard dil bottle now becomes your suit inflation bottle and wing inflation if it's big enough, and everything else goes offboard.

 

[rjack321]

Are you using a stand with your Kiss?

Just pulling up the valve end and not having them swing down 20cm below your body is a huge help for almost nothing costwise

 

[JonG1]

Thanks Tbone I was looking for your thread bit couldn't find it the other day.

How much difference does the streamlining make tho for swimming I guess is my metric and obv it's subjective. No flow in mines over here mind.

Why do you go full side mount with BM inflation in an OHE out of interest?

 

[JonG1]

No stand but have a custom long plate cos I'm a lanky streak of pi##

 

[tbone1004]

@JonG1
thread here
Loop Bungees on backplates

It makes a much bigger difference swimming than it does scootering, but the difference is substantial.

When in OHE I go to redundant dilout sources. A bov hooked to a 3l is utterly pointless in an overhead so take the real estate and get the larger inflation bottle on the back and plug dil/bov offboard to the big bottles. Also gives you the ability to plug that into your deco bottles if you have to use SCR mode. When scootering after you bailed out, but even while kicking, it's much more comfortable to stay on the BOV than to have it flailing around.

 

[grantctobin]

@JonG1
thread here
Loop Bungees on backplates

It makes a much bigger difference swimming than it does scootering, but the difference is substantial.

When in OHE I go to redundant dilout sources. A bov hooked to a 3l is utterly pointless in an overhead so take the real estate and get the larger inflation bottle on the back and plug dil/bov offboard to the big bottles. Also gives you the ability to plug that into your deco bottles if you have to use SCR mode. When scootering after you bailed out, but even while kicking, it's much more comfortable to stay on the BOV than to have it flailing around.

I'd add that most people doing this keep a female QC6 to female BC Inflator hose cheater in their pocket. In the (somewhat unlikely) event you lose the ability to use your onboard suit/wing bottle, you can now plug the cheater onto your primary bailout male QC6 whip and have an additional inflation source to your wing. Alternatively keep an inflator hose on said SM bottles.

 

[tbone1004]

I'd add that most people doing this keep a female QC6 to female BC Inflator hose cheater in their pocket. In the (somewhat unlikely) event you lose the ability to use your onboard suit/wing bottle, you can now plug the cheater onto your primary bailout male QC6 whip and have an additional inflation source to your wing. Alternatively keep an inflator hose on said SM bottles.

I keep a QC6 to CEJN/omniswivel and a QC6 to BC inflator in my wetnotes for that reason.
If diving in full sidemount though, it's pretty easy to just leave both on there.

 

[rddvet]

Looks like you got all the info you need, but I agree a full sm setup probably isn't needed for OW diving, but having a loop bungee will make a huge difference. I tried carrying bailout rigged like a regular stage in OW and hated it. I hated the valve hanging low and not being in my armpit and I hated the movement when finning. I immediately went back to using the loop bungee on the neck and it was much better.

 

[JonG1]

Ok have caved in, just added some loops, will see how they go at weekend.

Do you normally clip off tail to hip ring or a beaver tail or another attachment point further back than hip.