PADI Recreational Sidemount Diver

Find a new and different way to configure your cylinders with the PADISidemount Diver course. Sidemount diving offers:

an alternative way to streamline in the water
easier equipment transportation when topside
reduced lower back strain
provides redundant gas supply
ability to monitor all equipment because it’s in front of you
increased gas supply for longer dives

Because you are able to move the cylinder from your back to your side, it instantly takes the pressure off of your back and gives you more flexibility to move and enjoy your dive. Plus, you don’t have to walk to the dive site with the cylinders on your back. You can enter the water and clip them on and go.

Course Overview

Equipment considerations
Gas management
Attaching cylinders
Trim and buoyancy
Deployment of surface marker
Different water entries

The course is strictly non-decompression and is designed for any diver interested in learning to dive with sidemount configuration. This course is not brand specific and any sidemount unit can be used to teach this course. Maximum depth is 40 meters or within the limit of the students current certification, whichever is shallower.

PADI Sidemount Diver Course can be integrated with PADI TecRec Programs

This course can be combined with a TecRec 40-45-50 course or TecRecTrimix course where sidemount configuration is used instead of backmount. Any TecRec programs conducted in sidemount are to be conducted according to the standardized PADI TecRec outline.

Prerequisites

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent
Minimum 15 years of age

Qualifications after certification

Upon successful completion of the PADI Recreational Sidemount course, graduates may engage in sidemount diving activities with maximum two (2) independent tanks without direct supervision provided the following limits are adhered to: Planned dives do not exceed diver’s current certification level.