first S.M dive

[Chad]

Did my first sidemount dive today and it was awesome!! It felt very streamlined almost to sreamlined I used 11 inch bungies and put them around the valves and it was so close under my pits I had to wrestle with the tank to see the spg( I think I am going to do the choker set up with bolt snaps to let the tanks hang a bit more)

My tank set up was Right 95 lp with posidian reg short hose and spg also bc infation ran up arond neck and down to inflater

Left was 95 lp w/posidan reg short hose spg and drysuit inflation

so two major things I didnt like was weight belt made me butt heavy so I think I am going to put weights on my back on the nomad and I think I am going to get a 13 cf bc/drysuit inflation and attach it to harness on my side that way the tanks will only need a reg and spg with one inflation hose bungied down for spare that way the tanks wont have any connections to me and if my buddy needs air I will just hand off a tank and wont need a 7 ft hose

as far as the dive went it was cool really cool 38 deg F max depth was 50 feet you can really feel the diffreance when you breath down a tank and I would start to list on the port side then would switch regs every like 300-400 psi about. I would have really liked to have been in a wetsuit but far to cold for that!! it was a bit clusmey getting in the water and was going to put the tanks in and walk them out to waist deep then put them on but ended up just putting them on at the van and walking them down did not feel as heavy as having tanks on my back but maybe just diffrent. I didnt get into any tight spots but hopefully soon.

so let me know what yeah think

[FW]

38 deg, brrr! I assume you had a very thick undergarment. In Florida, you probably won't need a weight belt at all with 95s. With a 400gr undergarment, I only need weight on deco, so I ue a steel O2 bottle, rather than a weightbelt.

[DA Aquamaster]

so two major things I didnt like was weight belt made me butt heavy so I think I am going to put weights on my back on the nomad...

I put a 2 pound weight on each shoulder strap just above the bladder - basically as high up on the shoulder strap as you can get it. It resolves the feet down trim issue.

There is no need to have the tanks up in your armpits, and if you route the SPG straight up from the reg (opposite direction from the other hoses routed down) on 6" hoses, you can easily see them both with no fuss. It might be better to move them aft slightly but still keep them fairly high. They do not need to be on the same plane as your body (an inch or two low does not hurt anything) but you do want them level for minimal drag, and having them nose low also should be avoided as it creates more potetial to bash the valve and reg.

I have found you also want the tanks loose enough in the tail to make them easy to move and with sopme play in the tail, they are easier to put on and take off in the water.

and I think I am going to get a 13 cf bc/drysuit inflation and attach it to harness on my side that way the tanks will only need a reg and spg with one inflation hose bungied down for spare that way the tanks wont have any connections to me and if my buddy needs air I will just hand off a tank and wont need a 7 ft hose...

A 13 is a bit bulky, will get in the way and will add another item that could get in the way and or wedge you in positon in a restriction.

In my opinion, it works better to set up each reg with an inflator hose that is just long enough to reach both the wing inflator and the suit inflator so that either tank could be used for either inflator when you hand off a tank. Also, even if you exchange an "empty" tank with another diver, you will have his "empty" tank. Many regs will stop delivering gas through the second stage, but still leave gas in the tank that can be used to inflate. In short using a separate inflator tank would be a major pita with no real benefit.

I didnt get into any tight spots but hopefully soon.

Be advised that while you can easily back out of most places you get stuck in in backmount, you usually can't back up in a restriction in sidemount as the tanks tend to wedge out. So...before you try to get anywhere tight, be sure you know how to manipulate your tanks and remove them in a restriction to get yourself unstuck.

[Tegg]

In my opinion, it works better to set up each reg with an inflator hose that is just long enough to reach both the wing inflator and the suit inflator so that either tank could be used for either inflator when you hand off a tank. Also, even if you exchange an "empty" tank with another diver, you will have his "empty" tank. Many regs will stop delivering gas through the second stage, but still leave gas in the tank that can be used to inflate. In short using a separate inflator tank would be a major pita with no real benefit.

Just wondering....

How many times have you done the above procedure?

[DA Aquamaster]

Inflating off a tank that no longer delivers gas through the second stage is something I've done with numerous regs that have come through for service as more of an academic interest.

But don't get hung up on it, the general idea is just that a separate inflation bottle is not worth the trouble unless you are using trimix, and sidemount diving does little to change that picture.

In my humble opinon, a long hose also still makes senses even if you have the option of handing off a tank, but I'd prefer not to take on that argument.

[aainslie]

Be advised that while you can easily back out of most places you get stuck in in backmount, you usually can't back up in a restriction in sidemount as the tanks tend to wedge out. So...before you try to get anywhere tight, be sure you know how to manipulate your tanks and remove them in a restriction to get yourself unstuck.

Says who? (other than you that is)

It's a lot easier to manipulate a tank by your side than one hidden behind you. I've been "wedged in" a few times, and I'd have been far unhappier in BM.

I also watched a friend wedge himeslf in in BM. It was a really entertaining (for me - he was petrified) 2 or 3 minutes unwedging him from behind.

[Chad]

A 13 is a bit bulky, will get in the way and will add another item that could get in the way and or wedge you in positon in a restriction.

In my opinion, it works better to set up each reg with an inflator hose that is just long enough to reach both the wing inflator and the suit inflator so that either tank could be used for either inflator when you hand off a tank. Also, even if you exchange an "empty" tank with another diver, you will have his "empty" tank. Many regs will stop delivering gas through the second stage, but still leave gas in the tank that can be used to inflate. In short using a separate inflator tank would be a major pita with no real benefit.

Be advised that while you can easily back out of most places you get stuck in in backmount, you usually can't back up in a restriction in sidemount as the tanks tend to wedge out. So...before you try to get anywhere tight, be sure you know how to manipulate your tanks and remove them in a restriction to get yourself unstuck.

I think I will route the spgs up and as far as the infaltion I do not think I will be going anywhere where a suit inflation on my side will get me any more stuck then the canister light on the other sideI am not yet a cave diver but like the SM set up and can use it in other aspects so super tight squezze not any time soon so I will have plenty of time in set up before getting stuck anywhere.

as far as weight I used 15 lbs to get down and I might have been a bit heavy so I will fine tune the weight to see what happens then distrubte it where it needs to go to trim out

thanks Chad

[Webmaster]

Sure, if you're not doing anything tight, and you're diving cold water do what you're comfortable with.

Just be aware that having that extra bottle will not do you any favors when you get into something tight.

[Swede]

I don't have any problem with my inflation tank and I do get in to tight areas. It's all depending on where you put it.

I can remove the tank under water...