PADI Sidemount Instructor Specialty Course
Become a PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor on Koh Tao
Sidemount diving is not a new sport. Cave divers have used this equipment configuration for many years and it has now been embraced by the recreational and technical diving industry.
However, its adoption by the recreational diving community has been relatively recent and its rapid growth in popularity makes Sidemount diving a great way to keep your divers active, interested and excited about scuba diving.
Sidemount diving presents divers with a different approach to equipment configuration and comes with a new set of skills to learn.
Learn to Teach PADI Sidemount Specialty Course
As a PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor you will need to teach your student divers a new skill-set, which makes for an extremely exciting diving course and will keep your divers focused.
During the PADI Sidemount Instructor Specialty Course you learn how to teach your students about the benefits of sidemount diving.
You will be shown the techniques we use to help student divers develop the necessary abilities to assemble, configure and wear sidemount diving equipment.
The Instructor Specialty course teaches much more than equipment configuration and covers additional skills that are required to plan and make no stop recreational Sidemount dives.
Included in Koh Tao Sidemount Instructor Specialty Course
- 1 Sidemount training dive
- Rental of all scuba equipment
- FREE use of Dive Computer
- Black Turtle Dive Customer (and environmental) promise
To enroll on a PADI Sidemount specialty Instructor course you must:
- Be at least a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor or currently participating in or have completed an IDC/OWSI Program within the past 12 months.
- IDC/OWSI candidates may apply for Specialty Instructor certification only after successfully completing a PADI IE.
- Be a PADI Sidemount Diver.
- Have recent Sidemount diving experience – we recommend completing a Sidemount check dive if you have not dived on a sidemount configuration recently.
- Be medically fit to dive.
Upon successful completion of all course requirements, you must show proof of 10 logged Sidemount dives.
We conduct the PADI Sidemount Instructor Specialty course over 1 training dive.
The course consists of two sections:
- Knowledge Development
- Open Water training – 1 Sidemount training dive
At Black Turtle Dive we take our customer promise very seriously.
Our Dive Instructors are highly trained and will ensure you receive lots of attention and most importantly, progress at your own pace in a relaxed environment.
During your training we will slowly build your confidence and ability as you develop the skills necessary to become a competent PADI Sidemount Instructor.
Koh Tao PADI Sidemount Instructor Specialty Course Schedule
The PADI Sidemount Instructor specialty course schedule at Black Turtle Dive is flexible and we can work around your own personal needs and timeframe.
It is often scheduled as part of our multi-instructor specialty program such as our MSDT program.
Please feel free to ask if you have any special requests either via email or on one of the messenger apps on this page.
PADI Sidemount Instructor Specialty Course Cost: 4,000 baht
Course Schedule
Day 1:
09:00-11:30: Orientation & Knowledge Development
12.30 -17:00: Sidemount Instructor training dive
You are now a certified PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor.
PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor Course Information
Sidemount Instructor Knowledge Development
The PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor course consists of a minimum of 1 Open Water training dive at a Koh Tao dive site.
The knowledge development section is conducted before we do the Open Water training dives.
During the knowledge development section, you must complete the following:
- Present a knowledge development presentation from the PADI Sidemount specialty manual by prescriptively teaching a missed question from the knowledge review.
- Review & understand the purpose and goals of the PADI Sidemount specialty course.
- Review & explain the Sidemount course standards and procedures from the PADI Specialty Course Instructor Guide and list all student and Instructor equipment requirements.
- Demonstrate mastery of all knowledge development.
- Describe how to conduct all course segments in a manner that enables divers to meet course performance requirements.
- Participate in a marketing and promotional workshop where you will learn techniques to promote the Sidemount specialty diver course to your students and the general diving public.
- Participate in a pricing workshop.
Sidemount Instructor Open Water training dives
There are 3 Sidemount training dives to complete to become a Sidemount specialty diver.
During the Sidemount Specialty Instructor course you must complete all performance requirements of those 3 dives over a minimum of 1 training dive.
Prior to the dives you must explain the Sidemount specialty diver course Open Water training considerations.
During the training dives you must:
- Demonstrate mastery of all water skill performance requirements for the Sidemount specialty diver course.
- Conduct an Open Water teaching presentation from the Sidemount specialty diver course.
- Demonstrate all Sidemount diver specialty diver Open Water performance requirements.
Upon completion of all the performance requirements, you will receive the PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor certification.
2025 PADI Fees
PADI Sidemount Specialty Instructor Application fee: A$139
PADI Materials
Please bring your PADI Specialty Course Instructor Manual.
You will also need a copy of the PADI Instructor Manual that is available as a free download for all renewed PADI Members from www.padi.com/mypadi
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