PADI Solo Course?

[scubadada]

Solo Diving: PADI Worldwide's Position
By:
Drew Richardson President & Chief Operating Officer, PADI Worldwide​

Can Solo Diving be done responsibly?

Yes, but let's be clear about what responsible solo diving is and what it is not. It requires experienced scuba divers willing to make the necessary commitment to train and equip themselves to accept the added risks involved. That is to say, a person with the required attitude and aptitude to pursue responsible solo diving. This is true in other adventure sport activities such as solo rock climbing.

It is important to clarify what responsible solo scuba diving is. PADI views it as a form of technical diving and not for everybody. To responsibly engage in solo scuba diving, a diver must first be highly experienced, have a hundred or so buddy accompanied scuba dives, be absolutely self-reliant and apply the specialized procedures and equipment needed to engage in the activity. This includes, but is not limited to redundant air sources, specialized equipment configurations, specific dive planning, and management of solo diving problems and emergencies. When solo diving is performed within this description, we see a place for it. Responsible solo diving is not diving alone without the mental discipline, attitude or equipment. That said, no amount of redundant equipment can effectively back up a diver's brain better than another individual.

The statement above appears reasonably mainstream and does not seem to provide any major obstacles for PADI to offer solo diving training and certification in the future.

Though it took more than a decade from Dick Rutkowski's breakthrough work with IAND/IANTD, PADI has offered nitrox training and certification since 1996. PADI's endorsement of nitrox has likely contributed very significantly to its current widespread use.

PADI's TecRec program currently offers 6 courses from Discover Tec through Tec Trimix.

I'll place my bet that PADI will eventually offer solo training and certification and that this will be associated with more universal acceptance of solo diving by appropriately trained and experienced divers. Time will tell.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Atomic_Diver]

I am sure If you "Put Another Dollar In" they will eventually...... Can't say when though......

 

[otterdive]

I am sure If you "Put Another Dollar In" they will eventually.....

That saying is getting really old, and has nothing to do with the discussion. Please give it a rest. This has been a good thread so far, and I would hate to see it go in that same old tired direction.

 

[muddiver]

The major certification agencies that crank out divers every day should sit up and take notice. It's not the diving alone by choice that needs to be addressed, it is the insta-buddy and "where did Bob go" diving that needs to be looked at. I think that a self-reliant component or specialty should be considered that will include a number of the safety techniques, equipment and thinking that SDI is providing as their Solo Diver course. As PADI's statement points out and as shown by DAN, a number of diving fatalities have occured when divers have become seporated, and therefore "solo divers". It is alsmost negligent to ignore teh issue and continue to only promote single gas source (i.e. one aluminum 80, surface with 500 psi) buddy team diving and no REAL gas planning.

 

[scubadada]

The major certification agencies that crank out divers every day should sit up and take notice. It's not the diving alone by choice that needs to be addressed, it is the insta-buddy and "where did Bob go" diving that needs to be looked at. I think that a self-reliant component or specialty should be considered that will include a number of the safety techniques, equipment and thinking that SDI is providing as their Solo Diver course. As PADI's statement points out and as shown by DAN, a number of diving fatalities have occured when divers have become seporated, and therefore "solo divers". It is alsmost negligent to ignore teh issue and continue to only promote single gas source (i.e. one aluminum 80, surface with 500 psi) buddy team diving and no REAL gas planning.

This is a great point. Fortunately, I've never had a major problem diving by myself or with anyone in my family (good buddies of known skill and experience). On the other hand, I've had several harrowing experiences with insta-buddies when they found themselves diving out of their league and were unprepared to deal with it. In addition, despite the best of intentions, I've "lost" some of these buddies and had to resort to lost buddy plan. Despite advance planning, these episodes have not always worked out as they should have. Luckily, it's been my good fortune that I've never had a buddy injured or permanently lost in any of these situations.

Good diving, Craig

 

[AndyNZ]

PADI will never offer a solo diver course.

However, they have approved a course that covers the same topics, called "Self Reliant Diver".

I wrote this course, and currently it's exclusively available through me. Some details of the course here: Self Reliant Diver Course Outline.

This course is better than a solo diver course - the emphasis is on having a team of divers who help each other when needed, but are also trained to deal with emergencies independently of the team.

It's a fantastic course, even if I do say so myself! I ran one last weekend, here's what one of the students on the course wrote: SRD Course - Student Testimonial.

I'm quite happy to travel to teach this course if anyone wants to do it.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

You forgot option #5: "I don't care if PADI ever offers a Solo Course." SDI does offer one and I highly doubt PADI's would be any different or better.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

IMHO there is already a PADI solo level cert and they make a bunch of money from it; OWSI. Who is the instructor's buddy?

I did quite a few dives with Ocean Divers after I became an instructor through them, including 16 Draeger Dolphin dives, and I was told by the captains to be ready to splash as soon as we tied up (especially with the RB) as well as being asked to make a last diver down sweep of the site before surfacing (mostly just with the RB).

If you approach it right many operators will allow instructors to go solo, even PADI instructors.

 

[AndyNZ]

From my understanding of his plans, self-reliant and solo are not the same thing.

The main distinction is that in my course I'm not promoting or encouraging divers to enter the water alone - but to prepare them in case circumstances cause them to be alone.

Which, to be fair, is the same principle as the SDI Solo Diver course - it's just often misrepresented because of the word "solo" in the title.

Roughly comparing the courses (ok, I admit my bias here!!):

SDI Solo Diver - 2 dives, one involves skills, one involves a dive planning exercise. Admittedly SDI instructors can add additional dives in.

PADI Self Reliant Diver - Mandatory pool session, 4 dives, 3 critical skills dives, 1 experience dive, all dives involve students planning and conducting the dives.


I won't express an opinion on which one I feel better prepares divers...

 

[otterdive]

Great work AndyNZ! Your specialty should be a requirement for Rescue Diver, or at least for starting DM training.