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Can you Climb a Boat Ladder in Sidemount?

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by John Bentley

Sidemount is mainstream as a gear configuration and it works well for lots of people. While it originated in cave sites, it’s a common sight on dive boats, local quarries, and shore sites in present day. For good reasons, some people are hesitant about sidemount boat diving. This is due to two main reasons, both involving the wide surface profile of sidemount:

  • Walking down boat aisles is hard in wide-mount.
  • Climbing up small boat ladders is hard in wide-mount.

While in a horizontal profile underwater, sidemount feels very balanced and streamlined. Stand on the surface though and you’re wider than your pals in backmount.  How do you mitigate those problems and enjoy a boat dive in your preferred gear configuration.

General Tips

  • Leashes
    Not all sidemount instructors utilize leashes in their courses, but for boat dives they’re almost required. Leashes, chokers, necklaces; there are a number of names for the clips that offer a hard connection, often paracord, that secures the cylinder to the harness. This is typically in addition to the bungee that snugs your cylinder into place.
  • Bungees
    These elastic devices help snug the cylinders closer to the diver’s body when underwater. Typically, the diver does not want these attached on the surface as it puts stress on the bungee system, decreasing its life.
  • S-Drills
    Often times with sidemount, you enter the water without everything hooked up. Routing on the surface is pretty difficult so a popular method is to have 1 cylinder (often the left) all hooked up (except the bungee) when entering the water. That way your BC can be inflated and there is a 2ndstage off which to breathe. After entering the water, you descend a few feet, attach the bungees, route any hoses, and perform an s-drill. When well-practiced this can be done on the descent and done by 15ft (6m).

Getting off the Boat

  1. Single top clip method
    This popular method still makes you wider than backmount, but is easier to manage. Attach the left cylinder in full – top clip, bottom clip, LPI, and 2nd Pressurize the system and test functioning of the breathing and inflation. Then top clip only the right side. Without the bottom clip, the cylinder can hang freely in front of you. Then you’ll only be as wide as one cylinder.
  2. Drop cylinder method
    For boats that tie into the dive site in calm waters you can have the mate hand cylinder(s) or place cylinders on a drop line. This way you can enter the water with as many or few cylinders as you’d like. For people that dive sidemount for medical considerations, this may be the only realistic option.
  3. Get there early method
    This is the least realistic of the methods and involves the right kind of boat. Get there as early as possible and grab the furthest stern seat to hook up and fall in once it’s time to dive. While especially convenient on drift dive boats with no transom, it isn’t the best method.

Getting on the Boat

Boat ladders are scary, there’s no way around that. They’re scary because people don’t know how to handle them to start, so let’s start with general tips.

  • Approach the ladder slowly and thinking
    Your goal is not to get up the ladder; it is to get on the ladder. That’s the difficult part. Slowly approach the ladder, listen to the crew, and be cognizant of the boat’s movements.
  • Plant those feet, don’t lock your arms, and get all your weight on the ladder.
    Treat the ladder like a leg press machine. After your feet are on the bottom rungs, straighten your legs and the ladder is no longer your enemy; it’s your spot to hang out.
  • Go up rung by rung and plan your hand holds. Look ahead to where your hand will be for support.
  • Allow the DM to help out.
    You’re carrying a lot of extra weight and are probably unstable. It’s ok to get help. Just make sure to tip appropriately.

With the basics down, let’s look at sidemount-specific steps. Decide on your plan of action beforegetting in the water and visualize it for the most success. Cleaning your cylinder on the safety stop is a common prep method that pays off when getting back on boats. Simply remove the bungee, bottom clip, and temporarily stow the regulator on one cylinder. That leaves 1 cylinder attached only by the top clip, making it fast to do any of the below methods.

  1. Hand up method
    This is one of the more popular methods. Just hand one cylinder up to the DM after approaching the ladder. For fins-off ladders, it’s important to not remove your fins until you’re ready to climb the ladder. So hand the cylinder up, go back to the tag line, remove your fins, then approach the ladder for exit
  2. Muscle it up
    This option isn’t realistic for everyone, and exertion after a dive isn’t a good idea. With that said, maybe you’re diving steel 50s, AL 80s, or AL 40s. Lighter cylinders like that can go up the ladder pretty easily, especially employing the single top clip method on one side. Larger cylinders will probably just result in a clunky climb and wobbly walk.
  3. Drop line
    If you entered with a drop line it’s pretty easy to exit with one! Just clip off on your swim to the stern of the boat.

So there it is. With a few quick tips, a decision, visualization, and a little practice, you can take your preferred gear configuration to the open water off a boat. The best way to learn this is to take a course with a TDI instructor. Find one here: https://www.tdisdi.com/search/?area=instructors


To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.

From its humble beginning in 1994 to today, the group of training agencies Scuba Diving International (SDI), Technical Diving International (TDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) form one of the largest diving certification agencies in the World – International Training.With 24 Regional Offices servicing more than 100 countries, the company today far exceeds the original vision the founders had when they conceived the idea on a napkin, sitting at a kitchen table in the early 1990’s.

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Explorer Ventures Launches Hot Summer / Cool Prices Sale

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Explorer Ventures

Save up to $1100 on select liveaboard dive trips from June through October 2025

Explorer Ventures Fleet is turning up the heat with its new Hot Summer / Cool Prices sale. For a limited time, divers can save $1000 or more on select liveaboard departures from June through October 2025.

Whether you’re ready to dive into crystal-clear summer waters or planning a cool fall escape, this promotion offers major savings on world-class dive adventures in the Galápagos, Turks & Caicos, and the Caribbean.

Hot Summer / Cool Prices – For the Summer Dive Traveler:

From June through August, take advantage of deep discounts on summer getaways. Enjoy up to $1100 off select trips aboard the Humboldt Explorer in the Galápagos or save $1000 on select summer departures aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer Il and Caribbean Explorer II, exploring magic of Saba and St. Kitts.

Cool Fall / Hot Prices – For Travel in the Fall:

Leave the cool weather and falling leaves behind — fall is the perfect time to head south and save. Take $1000 off select departures from September through October aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer II and Caribbean Explorer II.

See all details and departure dates: www.explorerventures.com/discounts-and-specials

Space is limited – and once the trips are full, the savings are gone. Book now to secure your spot!

Looking for other dates or destinations? There are more savings available across the fleet, including liveaboard diving holidays in Indonesia, the Maldives, the Red Sea, and Palau. Explore all current deals here: https://www.explorerventures.com/year-of-savings-dive-liveaboard-specials/

Contact:

info@explorerventures.com

1.800.322.3577 (US/Canada) | +1.307.235.0683

www.explorerventures.com

About Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet

Since 1987, Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet has been delivering world-class liveaboard diving, blending authentic experiences with a commitment to safety and sustainability. Operating in some of the world’s most breathtaking underwater destinations, their fleet of well-appointed vessels ensures every guest enjoys the highest level of comfort and care.

Explorer Ventures is proud to be the first liveaboard company to collaborate with Green Fins, earning certifications on four vessels: Caribbean Explorer II, Turks & Caicos Explorer II, Tiburon Explorer, and Humboldt Explorer. Notably, Tiburon Explorer and Humboldt Explorer are the only PADI Eco Centers designated in the Galápagos, underscoring their dedication to sustainable and responsible diving practices. With exceptional destinations, a global array of itineraries, and diver-focused design across the fleet, every voyage is crafted for comfort, convenience, and adventure—both above and below the surface.

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Marine Life & Conservation

Make Every Dive Count

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The Shark Trust Great Shark Snapshot is back for its 4th year! And this time the Shark Trust are asking you to Make Every Dive Count!

The last week of July will see the return of the Shark Trust’s citizen science initiative: The Great Shark Snapshot. It encourages divers and snorkellers, all around the world, to record the sharks and rays that they see. This year it takes place between the 19th and 27th July. Get ready to dive in!

The event is back for its 4th year, and it is happening in “Shark Month”, more commonly known as July! To coincide with a series of events that celebrate all things shark and ray, including Shark Week and the 50th anniversary of Jaws.

Divers, clubs, centres, charter boats and liveaboards are all encouraged to show their support by organising dives and events throughout the week. As well as gathering vital data, the event will provide a chance to celebrate the incredible shark and ray species that live in our ocean.

Information about the species and numbers of sharks and rays the participants find over the week will be added to the Shark Trust’s Shark Log. This global shark census will, over time, allow shark scientists to build a picture of species distribution and any changes that occur

Caroline Robertson-Brown, Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust said “It is great to see this popular citizen science event back for its 4th year. We are asking divers to Make Every Dive Count this year. To identify. Count and Record every shark, ray and eggcase they see during the week-long event. To organise dives especially to take part. Whether you are diving your local dive site, or on a trip of a lifetime, we want divers to join in on the Great Shark Snapshot in July.”

It is easy to join in. Just go diving between 19th and 27th July and record every shark, ray, skate or eggcase that you and your dive group sees. If possible, take photos and some video footage too. Then make sure that you record your sightings on the Shark Trust Shark Log recordings website or by using the Shark Trust app.

This year we have created a digital guide that puts all the information you need in one handy online guide. Which can be downloaded from the website.

The Great Shark Snapshot is a way for divers to get together, go diving, and do something to help shark conservation. Why not dive in?

Find out more here: www.sharktrust.org/snapshot

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