Having scuba tanks on your back isn’t a requirement for exploring the underwater world. Many scuba divers have discovered the joy ofmounting cylinders on their sides. Sidemount diving gives you flexibility and streamlining options. Plus, you don’t have to walk with heavy cylinders on your back – just enter the water, clip them on and go. Sound interesting? The best way to get the max out of sidemounts is by using enriched air in the 2 tanks on the dive. In Pattaya we have some great WW2 and ex US Naval ships to dive, on a single tank you might get 25 minutes on the dive where as on sidemounts with Enriched air (Nitrox) you will double that time.

If you’re a PADI Open Water Diver who is at least 15 years old, you can enroll in a PADI Sidemount Diver course.

Along with learning about the many benefits of diving with a sidemount configuration, during one confined water and three open water scuba dives you’ll learn how to:

• Properly assemble and configure sidemount scuba diving equipment.
• Trim your weight system and sidemount gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water.
• Manage gas by switching second stages as planned, if wearing two cylinders.
• Respond correctly to potential problems when sidemount diving.

HTMS Mataphon, the turtle verses the Divemaster on sidemounts.

We usually do the sidemount dives either on the Pattaya wrecks if you are an Advanced diver or on the Pattaya island coral dives sites, either are suitable for sidemount diving.

We can also combine the Enriched air specialty course with this course, with a bargain discount.

Equipment

You’ll want to use your own mask, fins, snorkel and exposure suit. Our PADI Instructors will explainthe sidemount equipment you’ll need, such as a BCD and harness configured for sidemount diving along with cylinders, each with a regulator and SPG and here at Real Divers we use Hollis aand Scubapro sidemount BCD’s.