IANTD self-sufficient diver course

[Dive-aholic]

There's a big difference between teaching a course as a solo activity and it being sanctioned as a solo course. I teach all my cave and technical courses as a self sufficient activity. At that level a diver should not be dependent on someone else to get him/her out of a situation. In the self-sufficient diver course I teach self-sufficiency. There's a lot to it, more than I care to post here. When I teach a solo diver course, I require my students to complete my SS course. I don't feel 2 dives is enough to issue a solo card, even at the recreational level. I also issue a solo card, though because not all operations will accept a SS card for solo diving. Frank is the exception, not the rule. And Frank's explanation of the lack of a technical solo class is spot on. It's lawyers and insurance companies. That's also why IANTD named their course SS. They weren't allowed to name it the 4 letter word.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Set schedule or whenever someone signs up? Not enough funds this year for a big trip unless book sales and classes do better than expected but maybe enough for a SS and ow sidemount course this summer for me.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Jim, all my classes are scheduled on demand.

 

[jago]

There's a big difference between teaching a course as a solo activity and it being sanctioned as a solo course.

This is a solo course.
Commission Nationale de PS - Les brevets de plongeurs souterrains

• ZONE 1: Area under ceiling lit by daylight. This area falls within the scope of the Code of Sport and is therefore subject to any specific patent. It is the common practice of "diving in caves"on the coast basins or other sources inland.
• ZONE 2: Cave Diving in a trap known, limited to 40 m depth, soak time at 1:30 and limited duration of relief is limited to 30 min. This is the classic area of teaching diving underground to the air.
• AREA 3: Everything else.

• On 1 level "cave diver": Can dive in Zone 2, accompanied by a Guide to cave diving.
• The second level "Autonomous Cave Diver": Can go in Zone 3, alone or accompanied by similar level diver.
• The third level "Cave Diving Guide": May accompany cave divers in Zone 2.

 

[Dive-aholic]

That doesn't make it a solo diving course. The standards merely state that at the second level the diver can dive alone or with a buddy. Are there standards in that course that teach self sufficiency?

 

[jago]

The PSA is trained as a solo diver (for example, his tanks will be isolated, without any manifold and without any long-hose). You can find more informations here : Commission Nationale de PS - Le brevet de Plongeur Souterrain Autonome

If you can not understand the google translation, tell me.

 

[Wookie]

I'm very happy that a European agency offers a solo cave course. In the USA, it is not offered. I hope that a reputable cave instructor in the USA would teach a cave student to be self sufficient, but I'd be very surprised to see a solo cave card issued here by any agency. As my wife was asked by her cave instructor, "would you feel comfortable diving alone in a cave?" the answer is yes, but that doesn't mean anyone is going to condone solo tech diving officially in the United States. Is it done? Of course. Who is the widow gonna sue, the instructor who didn't issue a solo cave card?

 

[annasea]

Has anyone taken the IANTD self-sufficient diver course since this thread was originally posted? I'm seriously considering it and would be interested in feedback from those who have taken it. TIA.