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Sidemount, Safety and Wreck Penetration

If you have not yet read my page on why sidemount please do so before continuing this page, you will require previous sidemount training prior to starting this course (details of course here)

Why take this course..? 

• A way to further develop your sidemounting skills.
• Develop skills to safely enter the wrecks overhead environment (more safety with side mount equipment).
• Gain access to areas you can not safely get into with a "twinset" (backmount equipment).
• Wreck penetration dives interest you and you have no interest in taking a cave diving course.
• The only PADI TecRec advanced wreck sidemount course.

Skills learn't during this course;

• Setup their sidemount equipment so it is suitable for overhead diving.
• Equipment matching exercise (on surface).
• Safety drill with another team member (S-Drill).
• Staging techniques for cylinders outside wreck.
• Keep their gas balanced in their independent cylinders (maintaining trim and 1/3 of gas).
• Line course following maintaining team contact.
• Removal and replacement of mask while maintaining contact with the guideline.
• Suitable finning techniques for diving in an overhead environment.
• Correct hand and light signals.
• Valve shutdowns exercise whilst maintaining contact with the guideline.
• Sidemount partial and full cylinder removal techniques for entering restrictions.
• Air Share to an out of air diver in confined space.
• Simulate a failed free flowing regulator and use valve fluttering technique.
• Lay line suitable for wreck penetration (including required tie offs)
• Line course following while air sharing whilst in a restriction (touch communication).
• Line course following without mask (using touch communication).
• Line course following without mask while air sharing (using touch communication).
• Suitable search techniques to find the guideline or a team member when contact is lost (include silt out procedures).
• Primary light failure and back up light deployment. 

What will we do..? 

Course duration - 4/5 days with classroom, practical workshops, training dive & 6 wreck penetration dives

• Day 1 - Classroom theory, equipment workshop, surface line laying skills and drills. 
• Day 2 - Skills training dive (includes video demonstrations of skills).
• Day 3 - Wreck penetration dives 1 & 2. (various skills from training dive to be repeated during all dives)
• Day 4 - Wreck penetration dives 3 & 4.
• Day 5 - Wreck penetration dives 5 & 6.

Please note: A 5 day program is recommended if you like either a more relaxed training program or just more time to develop and practice skills. It may be possible to do this over 4 days, depending on divers skills level using sidemount equipment configuration.

All courses are performance based not based on time. On a 4 day schedule you will start at 8am till approx 6pm (9 hours training with 1 hours break), on a 5 day schedule we may have a more relaxed time frame 9am till 4pm (7 hours with 1 hour break). The schedule is flexible and can be customised before each course start.

What do I need to start..?

• Cetified as a PADI TecRec Tec 50 Diver.
• PADI Wreck Diver Specialty (or equivalent rating)
• Open Water Sidemount Diver - Sidemount Essentials (or equivalent rating)
• Minimum of 18 years old.
• You will need to build up your sidemount diving experience and skills to a comfortable level before you start this course. 

What can I do once certified and what to try next..?