SDI Solo Diver course

[sheeper]

the SDI solo course is probably the next cert i do. I'm looking to do rescue diver before that. As an old PSD, i find that it's time to "refresh" those rescue skills and unlearn some bad habits!
I know solo diver is really geared to making the diver more self-sufficient/reliant. Although i have have near 1,200 dives (though only the most recent 200 or so are in my current log), i value the opportunity to work with SDI instrctor/trainers.

 

[beaverdivers]

The solo course is all about learning the art of self sufficiency.

 

[Doppler]

Hi Steve,
I understand you are knowledgeable on the SDI Solo course. I am trying to find out what the diver is expected to know. The skills requirement is pretty straightforward, but it is not clear how one would know what knowledge is required, and in what detail.
Cheers,
Peter.

Hi Peter:

The student manual covers the course requirements in some detail... the real crux of the course (IMO) is to leave the diver with a better understanding of:

Gas consumption and simple gas management procedures
The selection, configuration and deployment of dive gear
Introduction and use of redundant gas source, DSMB and spool, spare mask et al
Risk management (recognition, assessment, avoidance, mitigation)
Some little tricks like how to complete a safety stop at 6 metres without depth gauge and bottom timer
Self-rescue from entanglement and so on

 

[Peter Southwood]

Hi Peter:

The student manual covers the course requirements in some detail... the real crux of the course (IMO) is to leave the diver with a better understanding of:

Gas consumption and simple gas management procedures
The selection, configuration and deployment of dive gear
Introduction and use of redundant gas source, DSMB and spool, spare mask et al
Risk management (recognition, assessment, avoidance, mitigation)
Some little tricks like how to complete a safety stop at 6 metres without depth gauge and bottom timer
Self-rescue from entanglement and so on

Thanks Steve,
I would go to the nearest SDI instructor and ask to take a look at a manual, but 1000+km is a bit far
I don't think the course would be much use to me as I am Trimix and commercial certified, and have been divng solo since the 80's and have survived so far (roughly a thousand solo dives). I suspect that I am a bit beyond the standard level for most of the items in your list, in some cases by a serious margin, as I train commercial diving supervisors, whose job basically is risk management of diving operations, but I would still like to know what is considered the minimum requirement for each of these items for recreational divers.
Cheers,
Peter

 

[markmud]

Hello SDI instructor,

I will be getting an SDI Solo Cert. However, I don't know when. I have 93 logged dives, but I have other dives, usually solo, that were not logged. Usually, these non-logged dives were the third dive of the day in under 40 fsw for less than 30 minutes. Nobody else wanted to dive again, so I went down and "blew bubbles."

I have logged a wide variety of recreational diving, including warm water, cold water, alpine wall diving, springs, wrecks, and shore diving.

If my wife certifies with a letter, would this suffice? I wish to get the SOLO cert before my next dive trip, but if I can't log the additional 7 dives before then, it won't happen until this summer. Work, weather, and obligations won't allow me to do much diving until April. Should such a letter be notarized?

Thanks,

markm

 

[jy]

Hi, After reading these, I have a query regarding SOLO Diver safety although he/she is well trained in self sufficient / confidence.

From the course, does it mention surface backup or recover requirement for any solo diver? Or a certified solo diver just gear up and jump into water without any surfacing backup and recover. Or just drive himself / herself to shore and gear up then dive.

Or SOLO diver although can dive solo, but he/she should / must under supervisor within surface support?


thanks

 

[Peter Southwood]

Hi, After reading these, I have a query regarding SOLO Diver safety although he/she is well trained in self sufficient / confidence.

From the course, does it mention surface backup or recover requirement for any solo diver? Or a certified solo diver just gear up and jump into water without any surfacing backup and recover. Or just drive himself / herself to shore and gear up then dive.

Or SOLO diver although can dive solo, but he/she should / must under supervisor within surface support?


thanks

An interesting question, I do either, as the situation dictates. I dont know what the training policy recommends, but to me half the point of solo diving is the freedom of not needing to organise other people for a low risk dive. Unless you have communications of some kind with the surface there is not a lot they can do anyway. Supervisors are usually only required for professional diving, and the other half of the point of solo diving is that the diver is responsible for his own safety (or hers, whatever...) The training, as I understand it, is to give you the knowledge and skills to make a realistic estimate of the risk and take reasonable prcautions. The rest is up to you.
Cheers,
Peter

 

[drrich2]

From studying the SDI Solo course manual, it's my understanding that a 'surface support team' is not required, or even pushed as a part of the course.

Solo means solo.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't let someone know where you're diving, when & when you should be back, although that's up to you whether to do or not.

Richard.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The entire point of the course is to allow one to dive solo and does not consider a surface support team necessary. It is advisable to notify someone of your plans. Having surface support was not noted in the solo class I took.

I just need a couple more student certs to get my ok to teach it.

And just as an aside, everything that is covered in the solo class should be part of every OW class in my opinion. I would also highly recommend the SDI Solo course manual as one of the first books any new diver should add to their library.

Right after SCUBA: A Practical Guide for the New Diver by yours truly and available from me followed by Steve Lewis's The Six Skills. These three books will serve any new diver well.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jy]

thanks everyone for answering.