"Solo Divers Forum" vs. "Forum for Advanced Solo Divers and Technical Solo Divers"

[rx7diver]

All,

Many (most?) threads in this Solo Divers forum invariably have me wondering whether we solo divers would be better served if there were two distinct solo divers forums.

A current thread (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/425031-equipment-solo-diving.html) provides a timely example. The OP there is asking about making an extremely shallow recreational solo dive in a benign setting. However, many people contributing to the thread are responding from a decidedly advanced- or technical diving perspective.

My question: Do you think there should be two different solo divers forums, like the title here suggests? Why or why not? If you think there should be two, what criteria/conditions would you assign to each, so a person will know in which of these forums to initiate his/her thread? (Could we even trust that responses to a post in a particular solo divers forum, would respect that forum's raison d'être?)

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[DevonDiver]

Personally, I'd resist any efforts to 'dumb down' solo diving. Shallow/benign conditions... or deep/technical conditions - the issue is that a diver is unsupported and needs to deal with any and all problems alone. THAT is the skill-set dealt with by solo training and it an equally applicably to any diving activity or level of complexity.

For me, it doesn't matter whether I am solo diving with my camera off a shallow beach, or solo diving with technical wreck penetration. The 'solo' aspect of those dives..and the specific concerns that brings... are the same.

Solo is a supplementary process - added to an existing capability. This forum deals with solo, as a supplement, not in the activities that it is supplemented to.

 

[waterpirate]

Solo diving has allways been a slippery slope. Prior to the agency's embraceing it it was a black art. Now that you can get a card and a patch that says you can do it, there seems to be a disconect. It is the same disconnect with the agency's embraceing tech. The disconect is that there is now a shortcut to time, via cards snd patches.

On these forums we see so so many questions asked by people who are new recipients of cards, and I find myself shakeing my head in disbelief as to how could someone with that cert level be asking that question?

I guess for me it falls under the category of " if you have to ask"? then maybe you are not squared away.

To the OP in that other thread, maybe it was a casual querry as to what other people are doing, but the dog pile ensued. Personally diving twin sidemount in a lake with 25 ffw is overkill anyway unless practiceing skills. In the context of solo diving with no overhead at less than 2ata wtf? It would be a good place to practice free diving.

I do not think that divideing the forum would serve any usefull purpose. If people are really asking these questions post training, IMHO wether they got the card or not they have failed. They have failed to achieve the mindset will guide them and protect them while pursuing solo, tech, or solo tech. Keeping the forum together will give these students exposure to both extremes of the mindset and will hopefully land them somewhere in the middle, and safe for their efforts.

Just idle thoughts and YMMV
Eric

 

[CamG]

Greetings Rx7 I think the forum is just fine the way it is.
It allows for good conversations with the varying applications of solo diving.
Sometimes breaking things up can be counter productive and more confusing.
Safe diving to all.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[Barracuda2]

I agree with CamG and DevonDiver. Solo is solo; to break it into two categories minimizes the "less" technical of the two. Each thread has its own distinct character and can be discussed on that level. My $.02.

 

[Bob DBF]

With only a handfull of threads started in July, for instance, splitting that into two forums seems counterproductive.


Bob
--------------------------------------------
The most important thing to plan when solo diving is to make sure that you are not diving with an idiot. Dsix36

 

[w ripley]

I personally think the question that started this thread is excellent and worthy of the discussion I've read so far.

IMO, SB tends to attract its new members more from the field of people who are relatively new to diving. And in that regard I think it is an excellent forum, with seasoned divers chiming in to help. On the other hand, I can understand why some seasoned divers tend to leave SB for this very reason. I certainly find it a PITA to scour the endless daily posts, but doing so is sorta like diamond prospecting in that you never know what little gem you are going to find, like this thread, if you get my drift.

I agree that having more seasoned divers helping those aspiring to be so is a good thing. I also agree that more seasoned divers need to be careful about encouraging untrained divers of diving too far beyond their limits. I don't have any issues with divers pushing their envelopes, so to speak, as that's how most of us got to where we are today, solo included. We all have asked "stupid" questions in our goal to learn - and some of us continue to do so, myself included - so I'm not put off by questions from people who just don't know "yet." I figure they wouldn't be asking if they were not interested.

When I talk about a multi-hour, solo dive that takes me several thousand feet back in a cave on a rebreather, for example, I don't expect a newly certified diver to rush out and do it. But I do hope that it shows divers with a more limited array of diving experiences that there is much more they can do with time, proper training, proper gear and developing the right attitude for safety.

Solo is now coming out of the shadows. While many of us have been doing it for years, and the general diving community is starting to embrace it, there are still many divers whom hold on to - and preach - the myth that it is inherently more dangerous than diving with a buddy. So keeping the forum open for everyone, seemingly stupid questions and all, should be encouraged, IMO. It's how we overcome those myths and help instill the need for more diving with proper training, whether from an instructor or a good diving mentor.

I could go either way, as to dividing the forums, but don't have any real issues with leaving it like it is.

 

[OldNSalty]

Is there an advanced DIR subforum and a resort DIR subforum? I don't really see the point in splitting Solo. It is specialized enough and has very little activity. Splitting would probably kill it.

 

[Searcaigh]

No such thing as a stupid question, if you don't know you ask, otherwise how will you know?

That aside one section of the forum is sufficient IMHO, if there were new threads being aded daily then perhaps a new section my be required, but until that happens .....

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Is there an advanced DIR subforum and a resort DIR subforum? I don't really see the point in splitting Solo. It is specialized enough and has very little activity. Splitting would probably kill it.

... actually there is, although they're not called that. But the "advanced DIR" subforum gets very little activity ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)