solo diver course

[Fish-R-Man]

Well, thanks guys...

I would think with 1500 dives, I have the experience to go solo if I want to but I am not so conceited to thing I know everything. Personally, I feel safer going alone than with some of the rent a buddies I get stuck with. I just thought is would be wiser to ask how others experiences with the class was before I took it. I wasn't really looking for an opinion on whether I was qualified or not.......I can handle that part on my own.

In my post, I was not refering to you personally or anyone else for that matter. Just in general. I am sure that someone that has the amount of experience that you have should have no issues diving solo. For me, its more about the whole idea of this particular cert that gives me some concern. My wife has close to 300 logged dives now. She is very comfortable in most situations. She also has way more logged dives than are required to take the solo course. In no way does she have the mind set to dive solo. She needs/likes the idea of having me or someone else close by in case of an issue. I have been her buddy on all but a couple of her logged dives. She has never had any kind of issues like OOA or entanglement or even so much as a badly leaking mask. I am sure that there are any number of people that have similar diving histories that may decide to take this course and attempt to dive solo. Is a course like this able to convert a diver like my wife to someone who is capable of resolving any issues they may encounter in a two day period? I just don't see how that can be.

 

[Fish-R-Man]

I looked into the TDI course requirements and decided to post them:

STUDENT PREREQUISITES
A. Minimum age: 21 years.
B. Minimum certification of Advanced Diver or equivalent.
C. Minimum of 100 logged dives.
D. Review and complete Medical History form and Liability Release form.
E. Review and complete Solo Diver Release form.

EXECUTION AND STRUCTURE
A. Open water execution:
1. Two open water dives are required with complete briefs and debriefs;
2. All dives must include surface interval, max. no-deco time, etc., to be figured out and logged during the debriefing.
B. Course structure: SDI allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and
their skill level.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
A. Basic SDI open water scuba equipment (exception: "safe second" or "octopus" is not allowed as redundant air
source).
B. One of the following must be used as a redundant air source: pony bottle, twin cylinders with isolation valve,
independent doubles, Spare Air(TM).

REQUIRED SKILL PERFORMANCE
Skills are to be performed in the open water. In order to complete this course, the student must demonstrate
understanding of the techniques to properly execute a solo dive.
A. Swimming skills: Perform a surface swim of 200 meters in full scuba gear (gear configuration appropriate to local
diving conditions). Must be nonstop and performed in an open water environment.
B. Scuba skills:
1. Demonstrate adequate predive planning;
2. Determine limits based on personal gas consumption;
3. Perform exact dive and/or decompression profile.
C. Properly execute the planned dive within all predetermined limits:
1. Equipment configuration appropriate for solo diving:
a. streamlining equipment;
b. use and carry of redundant air supply.
2. Proper descent/ascent rates.
3. Proper safety stop procedures: monitoring of decompression status equipment (tables, computers, equipment).
D. Navigation skills:
1. Demonstrate proficiency of navigation with compass;
2. Demonstrate emergency change-over to a backup regulator or bailout scuba at a depth not exceeding 100 fsw /
30 msw;
3. Deploy surface marker and use of surface audible signaling device.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to complete this course, students must:
A. Satisfactorily complete the Solo Course written examination.
B. Complete all open water requirements safely and efficiently.
C. Demonstrate mature, sound judgement concerning dive planning and execution.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Upon successful completion of this course, graduates will be issued the SDI Solo Diver Specialty certification card.

This courses required skill requirements look a lot like AOW other than the redundent air source and the SMB deployment. I just took a Cavern/ Intro to cave class this spring and we covered way more skills that IMHO would be more useful for a solo diver. Skills like lost mask, valve drills on doubles, no vis, BC issues etc.

I do feel that if you find the right instructor that exceeds these requirements, you could come away from this class with a different insight into how you are diving when solo. If you end up in a class that is just covering the bases, it looks to me like a lot of effort to learn how to switch to a pony!

 

[Steve SDI/TDI HQ]

I am sure that there are any number of people that have similar diving histories that may decide to take this course and attempt to dive solo. Is a course like this able to convert a diver like my wife to someone who is capable of resolving any issues they may encounter in a two day period? I just don't see how that can be.

Then she would fail.

Paying the course fees does not guarantee certification. If a candidate is incapable of performing the skills required by the instructor, they would not earn a pass.

 

[FritzCat66]

I did the SDI Solo curriculum and consider it currently my highest level of certification, probably as far as I'll ever need to go since I'm not interested in saving any other divers, leading any other divers, teaching any other divers, team diving, nor technical diving (except maybe rebreathers way on down the road).

To the OP's original question: Yes, I took it, and yes it was worth it and I would recommend it if you're interested. However, I did not treat the course so much as learning new things, but as the opportunity to demonstrate to my instructor that I had focussed on, and learned, the techniques as well as the psychology to dive solo - and I really think it's the psychology that's most important, a level of confidence in your own skills and your own gear, the presence of mind to not panic but to think through a bad underwater situation. I would highly recommend you consider approaching the SDI Solo coursework and in-water requirements the same way: not as learning something completely new, but rather as demonstrating the appropriate skills you have already mastered.

It's not really a practical certification in the sense that nobody is ever likely to ask to see your Solo cert card. Solo diving is a personal choice and nobody's likely to stop you from doing it just because you don't have this certification. Nobody has ever asked me for it, and I really don't care if they ever do; it's mostly just for myself and my own satisfaction. I recommend taking a similar attitude towards the cert, but like with everything else solo, it's up to your own integrity.

I'm thankful SDI has the guts to offer this program, and I'm proud to call myself an SDI-certified solo diver.

 

[Jax]

I did the SDI Solo curriculum and consider it currently my highest level of certification, probably as far as I'll ever need to go since I'm not interested in saving any other divers, leading any other divers, teaching any other divers, team diving, nor technical diving (except maybe rebreathers way on down the road).

To the OP's original question: Yes, I took it, and yes it was worth it and I would recommend it if you're interested. However, I did not treat the course so much as learning new things, but as the opportunity to demonstrate to my instructor that I had focussed on, and learned, the techniques as well as the psychology to dive solo - and I really think it's the psychology that's most important, a level of confidence in your own skills and your own gear, the presence of mind to not panic but to think through a bad underwater situation. I would highly recommend you consider approaching the SDI Solo coursework and in-water requirements the same way: not as learning something completely new, but rather as demonstrating the appropriate skills you have already mastered.

It's not really a practical certification in the sense that nobody is ever likely to ask to see your Solo cert card. Solo diving is a personal choice and nobody's likely to stop you from doing it just because you don't have this certification. Nobody has ever asked me for it, and I really don't care if they ever do; it's mostly just for myself and my own satisfaction. I recommend taking a similar attitude towards the cert, but like with everything else solo, it's up to your own integrity.

I'm thankful SDI has the guts to offer this program, and I'm proud to call myself an SDI-certified solo diver.

Ditto. And I had the ultimate certification test when a low pressure hose blew on me. Even as I had my hand on my pony, I was going through all the alternatives. Just taking the course put me into psychology to dive solo, although I will dive most often with my hubby buddy. As Fritz said, it was for myself and my satisfaction.

 

[mksmith713]

I almost always dive solo and I have no specialized training.
Common sense, redundancy in equipment and meticulously maintaining your equipment is what's necessary.
My wife goes with me periodically but for the most part I'm on my own.
The beauty of diving solo, at least for me, is that I don't have to hassle anyone else with my photography.
I might find a subject and decide to shoot 50-100 photos of the same thing using different settings or angles or whatever.
How many isnta buddies are going to want to wait for me to shoot those photos?
ZERO, that's how many.
When I get on a dive boat, they always put me with a group.
I drop down, start shooting photos and the next thing you know, I'm alone.

My youngest daughter is doing her OW cert in August and I will be introducing her to UW photography as soon as she's mastered bouyancy to the point where it's second nature.
Then I won't have to dive solo as often.