Updated list of agencies offering Solo certification

[knotical]

SDI
PDIC
ANDI
IDA
And now PADI (PADI calls it Self-Reliant, but it walks and quacks like solo.)

Any others?

 

[Dive-aholic]

IANTD has had a Self-Sufficient Diver course for years.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

But what operators will recognize these solo certs? Self reliant diver would not seem to count. Solo is solo. Self reliant diver is what should come out of every open water class. I'd say that is a course to teach divers a new way to open their wallets. Otherwise have the balls to call it a solo course.

 

[FishDiver]

I'd say that is a course to teach divers a new way to open their wallets.

Must...not...reply...

 

[redacted]

Must...not...reply...

Well, of course, that too. Did you think they offered these courses just because they wanted to make friends?

 

[Dive-aholic]

But what operators will recognize these solo certs? Self reliant diver would not seem to count. Solo is solo. Self reliant diver is what should come out of every open water class. I'd say that is a course to teach divers a new way to open their wallets. Otherwise have the balls to call it a solo course.

Jim, that would be nice. However, what I was told by IANTD is that their insurance lawyers wouldn't allow them to call their course a Solo Diver course. I don't know how SDI got that one by the lawyers. I will say the IANTD course is much more comprehensive than the SDI course, by standards. When I teach the Solo Diver course, I teach a minimum 2 day, 4 dive course and require a lot more than SDI standards dictate. I usually submit the Self-Sufficient Diver card registration, but because some operators won't recognize that, I also submit the SDI Solo Diver card registration.

 

[ccxx]

I'd love to 'officially' solo dive because as a photographer, I try to get off the boat first before the rest of the crowd scares away everything within 10 miles. I used to work on a dive boat and occasionally got to solo dive with my cameras but only at sites I've dived on numerous times and in good weather/water. Fortunately, I've had dive buddies who understand and stay behind me or far enough away to let me take my photos.....I've never had an 'incident' underwater in 22 years of diving and I feel confident enough with myself to know safety comes first.

 

[scubadada]

I don't find a description of the PADI course on their website, did I miss it?

 

[knotical]

I don't find a description of the PADI course on their website, did I miss it?

I don't see it on the public part of their website either. It's a so-called standardized distinctive specialty, and they often don't advertise those much. But it was announced in their quarterly bulletin to instructors (2nd quarter 2011), and the standardized outline is available in the instructor log-in portion of the site.

Here's how they described the course:

This course is for experienced divers (those with 100+ logged dives) who are interested in learning the dive techniques and equipment requirements for becoming a more self-reliant or independent diver. Though the course reinforces the value and purpose of diving with a buddy, it provides training in self-reliance through technique and equipment redundancy to support experienced divers when diving without a partner. Dive leaders, photographers, videographers, tec divers and any experienced diver who dives without a designated buddy close at hand can benefit from this course.

I've conducted the course – once; so if you have specific questions, I might be able to help.

 

[Akimbo]

Jim, that would be nice. However, what I was told by IANTD is that their insurance lawyers wouldn't allow them to call their course a Solo Diver course. I don't know how SDI got that one by the lawyers...

I understand that the genesis of the SDI Solo course was written by Bret Gilliam. He was a founder of TDI and active expert witness for diving related litigation. You can be sure the decision wasn’t taken recklessly from the liability perspective.

I am seeing more and more dive boat charter release forms that basically have you state little more than you are competent/safe/certified/etcetera and you are on your own once you get off the boat. The less they know the better from a liability standpoint and they really don’t want to know about medical history since it is not their responsibility or expertise to make related judgments. Your listing a solo card on your release is one step closer to letting them off the liability-hook as related to “industry standards.”

I have spoken to several skippers in California and the vast majority have no heartburn with a solo card. In fact, most don’t have a problem without a card if you ask in advance and appear capable. Understandably, they don’t like being confronted with the request in front of the whole charter knowing nothing more than what is on your release form and they have your credit card payment. In most cases the skippers that are too tightly wound on the subject don’t cater to the clientele that a solo diver is compatible with anyway. Just find another boat.

I recently got a solo card, mostly for travel.