Sidemount diving offers a streamlined, balanced configuration that many divers find more comfortable and efficient than traditional backmount systems. This three-day course teaches you how to set up, adjust, and dive with cylinders mounted at your sides for improved trim, better gas management, and greater flexibility underwater. It is a practical option for divers interested in recreational skills development or as a stepping stone towards technical diving.
The programme begins with an equipment workshop where you learn how to set up a sidemount harness, position cylinders correctly, and tailor the rig to your body shape. This preparation ensures your equipment remains streamlined and comfortable throughout the course. You will also review weighting, hose routing, and pre-dive checks that differ from standard backmount procedures.
Across four dives, you will practise moving cylinders in and out of the water, switching regulators, and maintaining trim as your tank weights change. The training also introduces propulsion options suited to restricted spaces, along with gas-balancing strategies that allow you to use both cylinders efficiently. Instructors adjust the pace according to your comfort, helping you refine buoyancy, body position, and cylinder management as your confidence grows.
By the end of the course, you will be able to plan and conduct recreational sidemount dives safely and efficiently. The configuration’s comfort and flexibility make it a valuable skill set for future deep, wreck, or overhead-environment training.
Training takes place across Dubai sites suited to skill development, offering easy entries and controlled depth profiles. These predictable environments allow you to focus fully on mastering equipment handling, gas switching, and buoyancy adjustments.
The calm, warm conditions typical of the region help you refine trim and propulsion techniques without environmental complexity. Your instructor will select appropriate sites based on conditions and the training phase.
A PADI Open Water Diver certification or equivalent is required. You should be comfortable with basic buoyancy control and regulator handling before starting the course, as sidemount work requires frequent switching and repositioning.
Participants must be at least 15 years old and should be medically fit for scuba diving. Recent diving activity is recommended, though not mandatory; a refresher may be advised if you have been inactive for some time.
This centre has long-standing experience teaching sidemount configurations and offers a structured, supportive path into a different style of diving. Instructors emphasise practical understanding, helping you adapt gear settings and cylinder positioning to suit your personal diving style and build comfort quickly.
Safety, professionalism, and a strong community environment underpin every session. You’ll benefit from clear demonstrations, detailed feedback, and a relaxed atmosphere that encourages steady skill progression, whether you aim to dive recreational sidemount or move towards technical training later on.
About the centre
The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
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