Looking for a good sidemount instructor

[av8ngreg]

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. :-)

[CaptnJack]

In the Puget Sound region?
Is your profile accurate that you have 11 dives?
What is your goal for SM?

[LCF]

Here, or elsewhere? I know Rob Neto in Florida has a ton of experience with the Nomad and the Hollis setups.

[av8ngreg]

Profile is a bit outdated.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.

[spatman]

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. :-)

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.

EDIT: Rob Neto is who I trained with in FL.

[Jeff Pack]

Here, or elsewhere? I know Rob Neto in Florida has a ton of experience with the Nomad and the Hollis setups.

If I was gonna travel, Rob is who I'd go see.

[Jeremy]

You might also ask NWBrewer at a MMM dive. He dives a sidemount setup.

[av8ngreg]

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]

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)

[spatman]

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. :-)

Sounds great. I'm back in town the 18th, but pretty flexible after that.

[spatman]

Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

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.

[av8ngreg]

@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.

[Grateful Diver]

Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

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.

That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...

... Bob (Grateful DIver)

[spatman]

Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

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.

That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...

... Bob (Grateful DIver)

Nice guy, too.

[CaptnJack]

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

[spatman]

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

Hah. Hey, I tried.

[CaptnJack]

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

Hah. Hey, I tried.

At least its not a Razor! :p

[spatman]

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

Hah. Hey, I tried.

At least its not a Razor! :p

Shh, you'll hurt Jake's feelings.

[av8ngreg]

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. :-)

[spatman]

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. :-)

"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]

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

[CaptnJack]

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

You'll fit in just fine

[Nwbrewer]

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

Hah. Hey, I tried.

At least its not a Razor! :p

Shh, you'll hurt Jake's feelings.

Why do you have to hate on the Fazer?

av8ngreg, if you're in the N end and want to dive at all let me know.

[av8ngreg]

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.

[spatman]

Dan down in Vancouver (Seven Seas Scuba) is about the only "local" instructor around here who does.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

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.

That would be a shame. Based on what I knew of him, he was a good instructor ...

... Bob (Grateful DIver)

Seems like Dan has stopped teaching, according to a source at the shop.