Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Looking for a good sidemount instructor
I am looking to find an instructor that is familiar with sidemount techniques and setup. I would prefer someone who has experience with the Dive Rite Nomad XT as that it what I currently have. I don't so much mind the trial and error route, but figure if someone has already figured out all the failing ways, then that is more experience than I have and more time I can spend doing it the correct way. Any help is greatly appreciated. :-)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
In the Puget Sound region?
Is your profile accurate that you have 11 dives?
What is your goal for SM?
Is your profile accurate that you have 11 dives?
What is your goal for SM?
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Here, or elsewhere? I know Rob Neto in Florida has a ton of experience with the Nomad and the Hollis setups.
"Sometimes, when your world is going sideways, the second best thing to everything working out right, is knowing you are loved..." ljjames
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Profile is a bit outdated. I don't get on the boards much as I spend most of my workday on keyboards. Yes, in the Puget Sound area would be preferential, I am currently diving out of Tacoma Scuba down south. I have been using my Halcyon BP/W and just decided to try out something a little different. Eventually I hope to get into some wreck penetration diving, and figure SM would be beneficial to that.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
I'm not an instructor, but I have been diving my Nomad XT pretty much exclusively for a while now. I figured out a lot via trial and error as well as from some more formal training here and in FL. I can help answer your questions, and if you're willing to donate some cash for my gas money and fills, I'd be happy to get together and dive with you and help you tweak your gear.av8ngreg wrote:I am looking to find an instructor that is familiar with sidemount techniques and setup. I would prefer someone who has experience with the Dive Rite Nomad XT as that it what I currently have. I don't so much mind the trial and error route, but figure if someone has already figured out all the failing ways, then that is more experience than I have and more time I can spend doing it the correct way. Any help is greatly appreciated. :-)
EDIT: Rob Neto is who I trained with in FL.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
If I was gonna travel, Rob is who I'd go see.LCF wrote:Here, or elsewhere? I know Rob Neto in Florida has a ton of experience with the Nomad and the Hollis setups.
=============================================
- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it
CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
- I got a good squirt in my mouth
- I would imagine that there would be a large amount of involuntary gagging
- I don't know about you but I'm not into swallowing it
CCR discussion on Caustic Cocktails.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
You might also ask NWBrewer at a MMM dive. He dives a sidemount setup.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Spatman, that would be great! Def willing to put some fuel in your tank, air/nitrox in your other tanks, and maybe a beer or couple in the most important tank! I will shoot you a PM with my number and we can figure out a time. :-)
- Grateful Diver
- I've Got Gills
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Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Meet me in Tacoma Scuba sometime. We can talk, and even set up a dive. I'm an instructor, and I dive a Nomad XT, but I don't teach sidemount. I can show you a few things and talk to you about it.
Personally, I don't recommend many local instructors ... because sidemount is not what they normally dive. And while they may be able to go "by the book" on what their respective agencies teach, without the personal experience of diving it in the environment on a regular basis, you'll miss out on a lot.
I took my training from Rob Neto, in Florida, because my primary goal was to be able to take the rig into caves. I have more than 100 sidemount dives here in Puget Sound. I am not offering a class ... I won't charge you anything. Let's just go diving. I'll show you what I know. If you want more, go south and find someone who dives the rig on a regular basis. AFAIK, Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Personally, I don't recommend many local instructors ... because sidemount is not what they normally dive. And while they may be able to go "by the book" on what their respective agencies teach, without the personal experience of diving it in the environment on a regular basis, you'll miss out on a lot.
I took my training from Rob Neto, in Florida, because my primary goal was to be able to take the rig into caves. I have more than 100 sidemount dives here in Puget Sound. I am not offering a class ... I won't charge you anything. Let's just go diving. I'll show you what I know. If you want more, go south and find someone who dives the rig on a regular basis. AFAIK, Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Sounds great. I'm back in town the 18th, but pretty flexible after that.av8ngreg wrote:Spatman, that would be great! Def willing to put some fuel in your tank, air/nitrox in your other tanks, and maybe a beer or couple in the most important tank! I will shoot you a PM with my number and we can figure out a time. :-)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
I would all the shop to confirm that Dan is still teaching. I haven't sen him at the shop in a very long time.Grateful Diver wrote:Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
@Spatman- Sounds good.
@Bob- Yeah Joshua at the shop had mentioned your name and was going to talk to you about it. Any help is much appreciated. I will be at the shop in a couple days and will try to touch base with you on a time we could meet there.
@Bob- Yeah Joshua at the shop had mentioned your name and was going to talk to you about it. Any help is much appreciated. I will be at the shop in a couple days and will try to touch base with you on a time we could meet there.
- Grateful Diver
- I've Got Gills
- Posts: 5322
- Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 7:52 pm
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...spatman wrote:I would all the shop to confirm that Dan is still teaching. I haven't sen him at the shop in a very long time.Grateful Diver wrote:Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... Bob (Grateful DIver)
Threats and ultimatums are never the best answer. Public humiliation via Photoshop is always better - airsix
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Nice guy, too.Grateful Diver wrote:That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...spatman wrote:I would all the shop to confirm that Dan is still teaching. I haven't sen him at the shop in a very long time.Grateful Diver wrote:Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... Bob (Grateful DIver)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
I don't dive a Nomad (rather a Hollis SMS100) but happy to go diving sometime. We've done "sidemount" days off our personal boats in Lake WA in the past, maybe we should have another. At this point my 'system' is as refined as its going to get. With or without spatty lol
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Hah. Hey, I tried.CaptnJack wrote:I don't dive a Nomad (rather a Hollis SMS100) but happy to go diving sometime. We've done "sidemount" days off our personal boats in Lake WA in the past, maybe we should have another. At this point my 'system' is as refined as its going to get. With or without spatty lol
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
At least its not a Razor! :pspatman wrote:Hah. Hey, I tried.CaptnJack wrote:I don't dive a Nomad (rather a Hollis SMS100) but happy to go diving sometime. We've done "sidemount" days off our personal boats in Lake WA in the past, maybe we should have another. At this point my 'system' is as refined as its going to get. With or without spatty lol
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Shh, you'll hurt Jake's feelings.CaptnJack wrote:At least its not a Razor! :pspatman wrote:Hah. Hey, I tried.CaptnJack wrote:I don't dive a Nomad (rather a Hollis SMS100) but happy to go diving sometime. We've done "sidemount" days off our personal boats in Lake WA in the past, maybe we should have another. At this point my 'system' is as refined as its going to get. With or without spatty lol
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Thanks all for your help so far! I am up for a dive with anyone just as soon as I get my rig setup. Working with Spatman and most likely Bob on getting what I don't have already to set it up the correct way to then start tweaking. :-)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
"Correct" is a relative term. We'll show you what works for us and explain what we know of other options, but in the end it's really personal preference.av8ngreg wrote:Thanks all for your help so far! I am up for a dive with anyone just as soon as I get my rig setup. Working with Spatman and most likely Bob on getting what I don't have already to set it up the correct way to then start tweaking. :-)
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Well at least we could get me pointed in a direction and then I can start diving it at least. I would say then I could start telling you how you were wrong, but in this case I don't think that will happen! :-P
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
You'll fit in just fineav8ngreg wrote:Well at least we could get me pointed in a direction and then I can start diving it at least. I would say then I could start telling you how you were wrong, but in this case I don't think that will happen! :-P
Sounder wrote:Under normal circumstances, I would never tell another man how to shave his balls... but this device should not be kept secret.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Why do you have to hate on the Fazer?spatman wrote:Shh, you'll hurt Jake's feelings.CaptnJack wrote:At least its not a Razor! :pspatman wrote:Hah. Hey, I tried.CaptnJack wrote:I don't dive a Nomad (rather a Hollis SMS100) but happy to go diving sometime. We've done "sidemount" days off our personal boats in Lake WA in the past, maybe we should have another. At this point my 'system' is as refined as its going to get. With or without spatty lol
av8ngreg, if you're in the N end and want to dive at all let me know.
"Screw "annual" service,... I get them serviced when they break." - CaptnJack (paraphrased)
"you do realize you're supposed to mix the with water and drink it, not snort the powder directly from the packet, right? " - Spatman
"you do realize you're supposed to mix the with water and drink it, not snort the powder directly from the packet, right? " - Spatman
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Thanks NWBrewer. I need to work on getting my Nomad setup first, but should be up for diving it in a couple weeks. Waiting on a couple things I ordered in that I was told would make it more efficient to dive so guess it will just have to hang on the rack all pretty and dry until they come in. I will defo take you up on that offer as soon as I get it somewhat dialed in. Are you familiar with the Apeks Tek3 doubles reg set? I was curious as to how they would work on a SM with all the ports on the one side and being opposite with a right and left handed 1st stage. If they aren't ideal, what regs do you use, and do you recommend ones with the 5th IM port on the bottom for ~10" QD inflator hoses?
Edit- I already have the Tek3 set for my BM BP/W, that is why I ask about those. Not opposed to getting other regs though if they won't really work.
Edit- I already have the Tek3 set for my BM BP/W, that is why I ask about those. Not opposed to getting other regs though if they won't really work.
Re: Looking for a good sidemount instructor
Seems like Dan has stopped teaching, according to a source at the shop.Grateful Diver wrote:That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...spatman wrote:I would all the shop to confirm that Dan is still teaching. I haven't sen him at the shop in a very long time.Grateful Diver wrote:Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
... Bob (Grateful DIver)