just going by what my students say about it ....
Solo cert on Bonaire?
- Thread starter morty343
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AdivingBel
Diver
Thanks very much, all! A couple follow up questions -
- Sounding like PADI's version is getting wider acceptance. If I still opt to do SDI, what is the likelihood the SDI instructor will "honor" my AOW given it was issued by PADI? (If I did SDI, I would most likely try to go through Cap'n Don's shop as it would be nearby and it looks like they do SDI courses there, and Dive Friends does not.)
- If instead I go through PADI, I would then choose Dive Friends. Two hearty endorsements for Jeffrey from experienced divers tells me I'd be fine going that route too. I'm considering staying at Den Laman or Sand Dollar, where there is a Dive Friends shop. Do the instructors for the Dive Friends store network stay put at their shops (Jeffery is at Dive Inn so I'm wondering if I would have to travel to him), or do they moonlight to their other shops?
- I've been considering buying and bringing a 13cf pony and mounting it to my primary for diving. Are 13s available to rent if I want to save on my luggage weight? (I've only seen mention of 40cf for rent.) And if they are, will I still need to bring my own mounting rigging.
Thanks again in advance
- Sounding like PADI's version is getting wider acceptance. If I still opt to do SDI, what is the likelihood the SDI instructor will "honor" my AOW given it was issued by PADI? (If I did SDI, I would most likely try to go through Cap'n Don's shop as it would be nearby and it looks like they do SDI courses there, and Dive Friends does not.)
- If instead I go through PADI, I would then choose Dive Friends. Two hearty endorsements for Jeffrey from experienced divers tells me I'd be fine going that route too. I'm considering staying at Den Laman or Sand Dollar, where there is a Dive Friends shop. Do the instructors for the Dive Friends store network stay put at their shops (Jeffery is at Dive Inn so I'm wondering if I would have to travel to him), or do they moonlight to their other shops?
- I've been considering buying and bringing a 13cf pony and mounting it to my primary for diving. Are 13s available to rent if I want to save on my luggage weight? (I've only seen mention of 40cf for rent.) And if they are, will I still need to bring my own mounting rigging.
Thanks again in advance
AdivingBel
Diver
I did my class with DF at the Dive Inn location. They have a classroom and an easy sand entry. I believe they only do classes at some of their locations, but that might be class specific. I've rented a 13 & 19 from DF fully rigged with button gauge & regulator. I usually get whatever pony they have on hand that's not already slated for a class. If you know you're going to rent one it might not be a bad idea to let them know in advance though I didn't get the feeling that there were any real guarantees (but they came up with one each time I wanted it). YMMV.
My understanding is that Jeffrey is the primary instructor for the Self Reliant course for Dive Friends and as @AdivingBel said, they do the course from the Dive Inn location, which is a nice spot for it. Doesn't hurt to ask if they could come to you and do it from the Den Laman/Sand Dollar location, if you don't have transportation. As for your other question, the SDI instructor should honor your PADI AOW cert. You may want to check with them to verify. I am not even familiar with the SDI prerequisites for taking the course. I am aware of PADI requirements.
Well I ended up getting a studio at Den Laman in Sept but Jeffrey from Dive Friends was not available for the Self-Reliant course during my stay. Another DF instructor was available and it does sound like they will be able to teach the course at the Den Laman shop, so I guess it's nice not to have to drive to another location.
I was a little surprised when they told me there are no associated eLearning materials or other information I need to go over prior to the course. Not even a checklist of recommended additional equipment. Can anyone offer some ideas of what might be helpful to bring? Or any online resources? I plan to bring my DSMB/spool and a spare mask. And I can buy an extra foldable knife if anyone thinks this would be good. What do people recommend for holding the pony reg 2nd stage? I have something like what's pictured below that I can hang on a D-ring but I am wondering if there are arguments for having a regulator necklace as a preferred option. I use a Scubapro Air 2 as my safety 2nd so if solo OOA I'm not concerned about accidentally "grabbing" an octo when reaching for the pony reg, and it seems like having a pony 2nd stage on a necklace might be distracting to have right under my chin.
I was a little surprised when they told me there are no associated eLearning materials or other information I need to go over prior to the course. Not even a checklist of recommended additional equipment. Can anyone offer some ideas of what might be helpful to bring? Or any online resources? I plan to bring my DSMB/spool and a spare mask. And I can buy an extra foldable knife if anyone thinks this would be good. What do people recommend for holding the pony reg 2nd stage? I have something like what's pictured below that I can hang on a D-ring but I am wondering if there are arguments for having a regulator necklace as a preferred option. I use a Scubapro Air 2 as my safety 2nd so if solo OOA I'm not concerned about accidentally "grabbing" an octo when reaching for the pony reg, and it seems like having a pony 2nd stage on a necklace might be distracting to have right under my chin.
The instructor manual for Self-Reliant lists the required student equipment, which is the usual equipment plus a DSMB with at least 100 ft of line, and:
Hanging the second stage for the pony bottle from a necklace is definitely preferred, and you won't notice it under your chin. If configured well, you can get it in your mouth with NO hands....nice.
There is no PADI manual. Some instructor use the SDI Solo Manual as a resource.
One definite part of the class is gas management. Get used to calculating gas usage and doing dive planning based on your usage numbers. If your computer tells you average depth that will be a big help.
It is a good class, and somewhat intense.
Hanging the second stage for the pony bottle from a necklace is definitely preferred, and you won't notice it under your chin. If configured well, you can get it in your mouth with NO hands....nice.
There is no PADI manual. Some instructor use the SDI Solo Manual as a resource.
One definite part of the class is gas management. Get used to calculating gas usage and doing dive planning based on your usage numbers. If your computer tells you average depth that will be a big help.
It is a good class, and somewhat intense.
Thanks tursiops, I forgot to mention I do plan to bring my backup computer to my Atom 3 (that does run the same algorithm). When they recommend backup surface signalling, does that imply two whistles and another safety sausage in addition to my DSMB?
And for carrying the pony, intuitively it seems like my preference would be mounting it to my primary (vs. slinging it). My BC is a Scubapro Equator and its tank cam buckle is on the right side, so I guess this means the pony would have to attach to the primary behind my left shoulder. Can I expect this to work properly with bringing the pony 2nd stage around from the right to the necklace, and with the pony tank valve's hand-wheel oriented properly away from the primary tank etc.?
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