KAYAK DIVERS > GEAR > CYLINDERS, MOUNTS & HARNESSES > DIVING WITH SIDE MOUNTS

Conventinally open water and kayak divers use a back mounted cylinder on a wing or stab jacket BCD but there is an alternative method of cylinder mounting, borrowed from cave diving, that offers some advantages to the kayak diver. This is the use of dual equal capacity side mounted cylinders with separate DV's. On the face of it, it sound more complicated and cumbersome having two of everything but here's how it works..... You have a special "ASM" harness (American Side Mount) which allows the cylinder on each side to be attached via a clip on its base (fixed via a jubilee clip) to a D on the harness situated just behind each hip, with the neck secured just in front of your arm pit with a shockcord loop. The contense gauge is secured close to the cylinder valve with the HP hose routed down and up the side of the cylinder held in place with large rubber bands, often made from old motorcycle or car inner tubes. The hose to the 2nd stage of the DV is routed from the 1st stage in such a way that it stays close to the chest but allows full freedom of movement when in use. The 2nd stage of each DV is kept close to hand by the use of a shockcord neck loop. This allows easy routine swapping between each system during the dive or in the event of a valve malfunction or failure. With regard to bouyancy control and surface flotation it is best to use an old style (but still available) ABLJ. Although most divers stopped using these a couple of decades ago they are lightweight, simple, effective and easy to use. In addition they work as a life jacket for the kayak diver. The main advantages of diving with ASM's are:- Kitting up is easy. You gear up ready to dive with the exception of your cylinders and DV's, attaching these to each side of the ASM harness just prior to diving. Upon surfacing the cylinder with its DV can be easily removed while in the water and attched to a lanyard from the kayak or dive boat. When diving you have easy access to the main cylinder valves allowing control in the event of a DV malfunction. The divers center of gravity is centralised allowing easier control of angle and attitude in the water. The likelyhood of entanglement in lines, nets or wreckage is reduced having the cylinder valves protected under the divers arms. In the even of entanglement it is much easier to cut free. In the worst case a cylinder can be easily removed to be freed or even dumped. If walking around on surface fully kitted with cylinders the weight is distributed between the shoulders and waist which is more comfortable and mass is centralised making movement much easier. If using this method the best cylinder sizes are twin 3, 4 or 5L with 3's or 4's being the most practical. Shaun using an ABLJ with twin 3L side mounted cylinders prior to a dive on the Loch Duich 100m drop off, 20th September 2007. Photo: Angela Puckering. Enlarge Warmbac ASM Harness:- Once donned the free end of the elastics are moved from the lower D rings to upper D's on the front of the shoulders. Available from: www.hitcnhike.co.uk on-line, shop and mail order T: 01433 651013.