PADI® Sidemount Rec Diver Course

Age, Depth, and Prerequisite Certification

There are minimum age requirements and maximum depth limits for all the specialties that require scuba training dives in open water.

As a result, before you can enrol in the PADI Sidemount Rec Diver course and get certified you will need to be:

• At least eighteen (18) years old.
• In good physical health for scuba diving activities.
• Already certified as:
  • PADI Open Water Diver (or one of the PADI equivalent qualifications)

Sidemount Rec Training Dives in Confined Water: One (1)

Sidemount Rec Training Dives in Open Water: Three (3)

Maximum Depth: Thirty (30) Metres (unless Deep Diver certified)

Note: Even though scuba certifications do not expire, we recommend taking the PADI refresher scuba course if you have been inactive from diving for a while (e.g. longer than six months).

Reasons to Become a Sidemount Rec Diver

It's fair to say that some recreational scuba divers prefer the comfort of having the cylinders on the side of their body - instead of on the back.

By and large, diving with a sidemount scuba setup will also be easier to put on while you are at the surface of the water.

However, the most notable reason to try diving with side mounts is to be able to make longer dives and for improved neutral buoyancy.

Pro Tip: There are several disadvantages of sidemount diving to be aware of. For example, it takes longer to prepare for the dive and you also need to be agile enough to clip the tanks to the harness, either before you enter the water or at the surface.

Digital Learning Programs for Self-Study

In general, it is much easier for divers with a busy schedule to choose the online learning option to start scuba lessons.

Being able to complete the independent study portion of a multiple day course offers you some flexibility and convenience.

As long as you have a computer or a mobile device, you will be able to study the knowledge development portion at your own pace (online or offline).

Signing Up for PADI eLearning™

You can complete some self-study assignments PADI online eLearning®. Then, you would need to contact the dive shop to perform any required scuba training dives with a PADI Instructor.

Sidemount Rec Diver: What Skills Will You Learn?

After you become comfortable and familiar with sidemount diving equipment in a confined water dive the instructor will teach several important sidemount diving skills, including:

• How to assemble and configure the equipment for safe diving with scuba tanks mounted on the side.
• How to mount and attach scuba tanks safely while entering and exiting the water.
• How to adjust the diving weight system for optimal balance.
• Using proper frog kicking techniques.
• How to unclip a sidemount scuba tank and swim with it in front of you.
• Problem solving: Includes how to switch second stages and manage the breathing gas when you are using two scuba tanks.

Note: Another section explains more about the typical sidemount diving configuration and how the setup differs to traditional scuba cylinders and buoyancy control devices.

Choosing a Sidemount Diving Rig

It's best to get some advice from a Sidemount Instructor before purchasing a system. But, some of the important considerations will be:

• Where will you be diving and how accessible is it going to be? Plus, different tanks determine how much lift is needed from the BCD.
• Handling the clips and attachments will be more difficult if you will be wearing thick dive gloves. So, choose a rig that you find easy to add and remove tanks with gloves on.
• Will you be able to secure and release tanks in choppy seas or on a moving platform (e.g. boat diving with a sidemount system).

FAQ Section and Medical Questionnaire Form

What's the Deepest Diving Certification?

The term 'deep dives' has a different meaning in recreational scuba diving than it does in technical diving.

The deepest dive made for recreational purposes should not be below forty metres (130 feet). Whereas, a professional technical diver can go down to sixty (60) metres (200 feet).

Can I Survive Below 40 Metres Underwater?

We refer to the US Navy decompression dive tables to answer this question. Divers can only stay at forty seven metres (160 feet) for around five minutes before they need to decompress during the ascent.

Is it Possible to Scuba Dive the Titanic?

The Titanic is resting at a depth of 2,100 fathoms (12,500 feet). Because normal air consumption through a standard tank only lasts about fifteen minutes at 40 metres, scuba diving to the Titanic is impossible.

Fun Fact: The deepest scuba dive ever made is 332.35 metres (1,090 feet) undertaken by Ahmed Gabr in September 2014 in Dahab, the Red Sea. Using open circuit scuba, it took only fifteen (15) minutes to make the descent, but the ascent took thirteen (13) hours and thirty five (35) minutes.

Can I Touch the Underwater Organisms?

Divers share a common responsibility to protect and conserve nature. As a result, interacting passively with aquatic animals helps to safeguard the habitats of delicate and sensitive sea life.

Medical Requirements: Free Download

You must be in good physical and mental health and be medically fit for recreational scuba diving. You can review the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire Online to check whether you need to be evaluated by a physician.

It is not appropriate to ask dive staff (e.g. divemasters, instructors) for medical advice or clearance to go diving. Instead, you can contact the Divers Alert Network (DAN) if you have questions about your medical fitness to dive.

Price for PADI Sidemount Rec Diver Specialty Course in Thailand 19,900 THB*

We have qualified instructors and expert dive guides who can teach in several languages, including English, Thai, and Chinese.

The price includes (all):

Boat trips (with free soft drinks served on board)

Professional tuition from a "Private Scuba" Instructor

Free rental of required diving equipment (including a dive computer)

PADI Sidemount Rec Diving Specialty Manual and Certification Card

Hotel transfers within Pattaya City limits

Important: You will usually be making two (2) scuba training dives in the same day. The scuba diving and flying regulations say you need to wait a minimum of eighteen (18) hours after the second dive before you go to altitude. Please send an email to our team if you need further information.

YouTube Video and Knowledge Base for Sidemount Divers

Most of the information and advice in this section focuses on deep scuba diving activities which we usually conduct from a boat in Thailand.

We also have a list of blog articles about snorkeling and freediving - with other popular watersport tourist attractions at the beach resort of Pattaya.

Scuba Diving Help Guides

• Discover Technical Diving Program
• Diving Emergency Action Plan (EAP Flowchart)
• PADI® Rebreather Diver Course

Note: The short video presented by "Crystal Divers Mauritius" highlights what to expect if you take the Sidemount Rec Diver Specialty course.

What Comes after the Sidemount Rec Diver Specialty?

The certification links to several other scuba certifications, including the PADI® Specialties offered by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

But, the Sidemount Diving course combines really well with several other specialty courses such as, AWARE Shark Conservation, Boat Diver, Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB) Diver, Multilevel Diver, Tec 40 CCR, and Wreck Diver.

Note: All course prices for diving are subject to change and assume that all prerequisites have been met to start the training. Click here to contact the team at Private Scuba in Thailand to make a booking or send an enquiry.