Sidemount rigs were created originally for cave diving.
Academics – The academic parts of technical courses are similar to any other class in scuba diving. Students will learn from their instructors and do some self-study. Technical courses require a lot more planning than most people are familiar with, but they are crucial to a successful dive. Gas management will be a more involved part of overhead and decompression dives than many divers are used. The computer program calculates the required gas volumes and reserves for each dive.
The entry-level tech diver will learn to optimize their gear to avoid drag and dangling objects. This allows for maximum propulsion efficiency and awareness.
Our Scotty's headquarters facility for diving, Scotty's Scotty's, is located in Mactan, Cebu. We offer Tec diving lessons (open-circuit or closed-circuit rebreather) as well as technical scuba diving classes. You can walk in if you're not a Shangri-la guest or we can pick your up at your hotel.
Gear – While the gear is fundamentally identical, divers in their intro tech class (Intro, Tech, Sidemount or the CCR-Air diluent), may notice some fundamental configuration changes. They now have two second stages, each with a separate start stage. Gas planning becomes a detailed, thorough process. The harnesses also have more chrome.
Cave passages that have been formed through millions of years of erosion are only available to those who are certified in overhead diving. They stretch thousands upon thousands of feet. The incredible time span in which these caves were created is a testament to their unique beauty and tranquility.
Sidemount regulators are also covered. You'll usually find one regulator on long hoses and one on shorter hoses with a necklace. Sidemount regs can be marked to distinguish the tank from which you are inhaling, unlike regular regs. This was a swivel-joint that I used to control my short hose regulator during my training. Additionally, you will receive two SPGs for each stage.
Divers who decompression dive use oxygen mixtures of every kind to prolong their time on the seafloor looking for wrecks and corals. The sport diver might only get two dives at 100ft, but a decompression diver can cruise for up to 60 minutes and still get the best bang for their buck.
The popularity of sidemount diving continues to grow, even when it is open-water. Why? Sidemount diving is very simple and comfortable.
I’ve just arrived on Malapascua Island in the Philippines, where over the next two months I’ll work my way up to becoming a Tec diving instructor. I’ve been a recreational instructor in Bali for the last two years and want to expand my experience and professional dive résumé. My first taste of technical diving was at Sidemount PCB, where PADI course director and Tec instructor-trainer Tom West molded me into a Tec-50 diver.
International Training, the parent organisation for Technical Diving International / Scuba Diving International (TDI), offers both SDI (and TDI) versions of their Sidemount Diver courses. Both courses are very similar. Both courses share the same learning materials (which were written by us). What is the difference?
If you plan to go sidemount, particularly if you are a tec diver already, you will need to learn about your new rig. How to adjust it, how it can be used to enter the water, and more.
If you are not ready to dive locally, but wish to support your local dive center, you can complete eLearning courses and coursework close to home. You can then travel to complete your training dives. Ask your local PADI Dive Center for a referral.
My first pool sessions were difficult. I felt like an open-water diver once more, strapped into twin tanks and trying valve drills. The Tec 40 and 45 courses were difficult at first, but I soon found that new skills became natural and I enjoyed the course. The joy of Tec diving lies in taking your diving skills, buoyancy, and awareness to the next level. The feeling of knowing that you are capable of handling life-threatening situations at depth and without needing to descend to the surface (dues to decompression requirements) can be quite satisfying. It's satisfying to execute your dive plans with military precision.
The depth range of oxygen rebreathers (simple closed circuit) is limited to approximately 6 m, beyond which the risk of acute oxygen toxicity rises to unacceptable levels very quickly.
Have a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor certification or have completed a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor course. Have at least 100 logged dives, including at least 20 enriched air dives, 25 dives deeper than 18 meters/60 feet, and 15 dives deeper than 30 meters/100 feet. You can become a Tec 45 diver.
To register for the PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver course, you must first: You must be a PADI Open Water Diver, but you must also be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver to become a PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver. Have at least 30 dives under your belt.