Requirements for OW Sidemount Training

[Slüdge]

A few things have changed.

Yeah, a few. When I took NASDS Open Water in the mid-1980s we learned decompression diving, wave patterns for shore diving, tide tables and tide charts (not the same thing), regulator theory, navigation, and rescue.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

If you're going to carry enough gas to get well into deco, regardless of how you mount it, it's probably reasonable to say that you should also be trained in decompression.

So then everyone on two tank recreational boat trips ought to have decompression training, despite the goal of recreational dives only.

I can push a single AL80, sticking within rock bottom, on a boat dive or two in moderate, recreational depths well past NDL if I wanted.




OW divers are trained to stay within NDL times, regardless of how much gas they are carrying.

[TONY CHANEY]

Am I the only one on CDF that started diving doubles before any "technical" class? I think that almost everyone I know, who dive doubles, was doing so prior to any formal class. I feel that with over 500 dives, I can figure SM without a class. But a class would be a better way to go. I am really surprised that so many would like to see a cert. for SM but I find a large number of divers feel dry suit class a waste of time and money. As for diving SM in OW, I would embrace a kit that can be used in every enviroment. OBTW, I defind Tec. as the same as Sludge but also anytime you plan a dive beyond NDL's.

[NWGratefulDiver]

Am I the only one on CDF that started diving doubles before any "technical" class? I think that almost everyone I know, who dive doubles, was doing so prior to any formal class. I feel that with over 500 dives, I can figure SM without a class. But a class would be a better way to go. I am really surprised that so many would like to see a cert. for SM but I find a large number of divers feel dry suit class a waste of time and money. As for diving SM in OW, I would embrace a kit that can be used in every enviroment. OBTW, I defind Tec. as the same as Sludge but also anytime you plan a dive beyond NDL's.

My first few doubles dives were with a mentor. After that I took a workshop that went through the "GUE" protocols for hose routing and valve drills ... then we went down to the local mudhole and practiced for a couple dives. After that, it was just diving. At no point during any of that did we go into decompression theory. It was more than a year before I took my first "tech" class.

As for decompression ... I can go into deco easily on a single cylinder ... and at certain sites I do so regularly. Sometimes I'll sling a bottle of EAN50 for the swim upslope ... but most times I just deco on backgas. Most of those dives are in excess of 80 minutes ... and I usually come out of the water with 800+ psi.

You can do a lot of diving on a single cylinder ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Slüdge]

I defined Tec. as the same as Sludge but also anytime you plan a dive beyond NDL's.

That was #3 of 4.

[TONY CHANEY]

Sorry Sludge, I was going from memory and forgot that one.

[Webmaster]

So then everyone on two tank recreational boat trips ought to have decompression training, despite the goal of recreational dives only.

I can push a single AL80, sticking within rock bottom, on a boat dive or two in moderate, recreational depths well past NDL if I wanted.

OW divers are trained to stay within NDL times, regardless of how much gas they are carrying.

Yes, but if someone is carrying twice as much gas as they normally would, pretty much anyone now has the capability to get into deco. Probably by not just a little bit, and without your (I'm sure stellar ) gas consumption. And if you have it, people will use it. Regardless of what they're told NOT to do in training. Isn't that a big part of the reason that you cover most of the essential cave diving skills in cavern?

So if you're going to offer training that transitions someone from a single tank to two tanks, whatever the configuration, is it responsible to offer that to students that are not trained in decompression?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

You can't fix stupid, taking the class away will just assure the stupid people will do it without a class. Responsible people are the ones who will be punished.


Is it responsible to teach in a two tank configuration if the student is not trained in decompression? Just as resposible as it is to train single tank divers without decompression training. No brainer.

[Line Squirrel]

And if you have it, people will use it. Regardless of what they're told NOT to do in training.

So why do the cave diving agencies allow intro divers to dive doubles then?

[phillip1]

I dunno ... I went to a rebreather workshop a few weeks back and discovered I really like it. I personally think that's the future of diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oops, I meant the future of open circuit diving..