Sidemount

Expand your skills and equipment configuration

Course prerequisites

Open Water and be at least 15 years old

What you can expect to learn:

Gas matching procedures

Gas management utilizing independent cylinders

Equipment considerations

Equipment and problem solving in a sidemount configuration

S-drills specific to sidemount diving

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

• Demonstrate various propulsion techniques such as the frog kick, modified frog kick, modified flutter kick, backwards kick, and helicopter turns.
• Demonstrate adequate buoyancy control; ability to hover at a fixed position in water column without moving hands or feet
• Demonstrate adequate trim; ability to maintain proper position during the descent, bottom, and ascent portion of the dive
• Demonstrate the ability to perform the following exercises while maintaining trim and buoyancy in the water column:
  • Unclipping and attaching sidemount cylinders
  • Perform gas switches with and without a mask
• Demonstrate the ability to safely manage gas in independent cylinders
• Deploy a lift bag

minimum certification requirements:

• Perform all land drills and dive requirements safely and efficiently
• Demonstrate mature, sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution
• Maintain an appropriate level of awareness and respect for the environment