I was looking at taking the SDI Solo Diver course and wanted to get some opinions from people who have already taken it. Do you feel it was worth the time and money spent? What kinds of things were covered? And last but not least, how much did it cost?
SDI Solo Diver Course
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DevonDiver
N/A
There are a few course reports and debates about this, if you search the forums. 
Well I just took a SDI nitrox course tonight.....if the solo course is anything like the nitrox course was, save your money. How do you teach a nitrox diving course and don't even do anything with tables. I feel ripped off.
Check out the Solo Diver section of the forum:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/
I've seen prices as low as $125 and as high as $650 for the course.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/
I've seen prices as low as $125 and as high as $650 for the course.
PADI is moving away from tables as well.
It all does depend on the instructor. I have been wanting to take this course for a long time but with the right instructor. I have been trying to set something up with Steve Lewis for two years but schedules keep getting screwed up. Steve is a TDI Instructor Trainer. His course is said to be great. First time I asked him about it and gave him my qualifications he said I should not be taking it but teaching it. We don't offer a solo course though. I have a friend who took it from another instructor for SDI and he was not that impressed. Said the AOW I offer actually had more practical stuff that could be applied even though I put a heavy emphasis on buddy skills in all my classes. Look for an instructor that tries to instill a sense of self sufficiency in all of his students from OW on. Then adds more to that for the solo course. The class outline is a guide. It should go a good ways beyond what is in the book with specific exercises that would prep a diver for the challenges they would expect to encounter when diving alone. Including some harsh realities of outcomes should things go bad and the diver not be fully prepped.
My personal opinion about such things, irrespective of the course or the instructor, which I assume by SDI will both be adequate, is that solo diving isn't something you can ordinarily learn in the "compressed" format of most diving instruction.
Why I think this is as follows: Most diving courses... and I believe *all* diving courses from mainstream agencies like SDI are structured--for better or worse--like this:
1) you learn some theory, which is performanced based -- all good
2) you learn some skills, which is performacnce based -- all good
3) you get limited experience applying those new skills and knowledge in real-world diving circumstances -- in this case.... *not* so good.
The problem I see is that you don't really get much experience given to you under supervision during the course... In fact, you're expected, after most diving courses, to go out and build up a base of experience *after* the course is over. The debate about whether or not this is good/bad is irrelevant. This is how it works.
In this particular context, I believe that this is "putting the cart in front of the horse" because I believe solo diving is something you may want to embark upon *after* you have a base of experience to work from and not that you can expect to be made "ready" by taking a course.
The main alarm bell that I get is that someone who feels the *need* to take a course about solo diving may not, in fact, be ready to start with it yet. Having said that, if you *do* feel that you are a good enough diver and have the base of raw diving experience, then such a course will certainly give you the peace of mind of "double checking" that you had, in fact, thought of everything.
R..
Why I think this is as follows: Most diving courses... and I believe *all* diving courses from mainstream agencies like SDI are structured--for better or worse--like this:
1) you learn some theory, which is performanced based -- all good
2) you learn some skills, which is performacnce based -- all good
3) you get limited experience applying those new skills and knowledge in real-world diving circumstances -- in this case.... *not* so good.
The problem I see is that you don't really get much experience given to you under supervision during the course... In fact, you're expected, after most diving courses, to go out and build up a base of experience *after* the course is over. The debate about whether or not this is good/bad is irrelevant. This is how it works.
In this particular context, I believe that this is "putting the cart in front of the horse" because I believe solo diving is something you may want to embark upon *after* you have a base of experience to work from and not that you can expect to be made "ready" by taking a course.
The main alarm bell that I get is that someone who feels the *need* to take a course about solo diving may not, in fact, be ready to start with it yet. Having said that, if you *do* feel that you are a good enough diver and have the base of raw diving experience, then such a course will certainly give you the peace of mind of "double checking" that you had, in fact, thought of everything.
R..
divengolf
Contributor
As Jim says, it all depends on the instructor. I was fortunate as I had an excellent instructor in Key Largo some years ago. The course did not add much to my diving knowledge and skill inventory, but it did pull a number of pieces together for solo. The main reason I took it was to get a card that is recognized by most, but not all, dive ops.
Since getting the card, I've been allowed to dive solo with all liveaboards I've been on plus most dive ops. But I always carry a fully redundant air supply, i.e. pony bottle. I think this gives the dive ops a little more comfort in allowing me to dive solo.
I have never been asked to sign an additional waiver for solo, but SDI supplies one as part of the course material.
Since getting the card, I've been allowed to dive solo with all liveaboards I've been on plus most dive ops. But I always carry a fully redundant air supply, i.e. pony bottle. I think this gives the dive ops a little more comfort in allowing me to dive solo.
I have never been asked to sign an additional waiver for solo, but SDI supplies one as part of the course material.
R
redacted
Guest
So, you are a scuba instructor with over 1000 dives and you just took a nitrox course!!!!
:bs::bs:
You can get the solo diving knowledge from a number of books including the SDI manual. You need to bring your own attitude of self- sufficiency. If you need the card, then I guess you need the course. If you don't need the card then why bother with the course.
The manual has some debatable information on SAC rate/RMV. Otherwise it is really instructor driven. I got the short version on vacation which I don't think prepares anyone for real independent and self reliant diving, but I'm not your average hobby diver either. It helps you understand what it means to be self reliant and what real redundant systems are.
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