Do You Consider Solo Diving to be Recreational or Technical?

[shoredivr]

Actually, The SDI solo diver program allows divers to train and be certified and dive solo using a H- or a Y-valve. I don't agree with it, but there you go.

Solo at 130' in 42F water (today's water temp here) with just my H-valve 95 and no slung 40 is not my choice of dive. The course I took had me use a slung 40 as a redundant tank.

 

[rx7diver]

Do you feel that solo diving is recreational diving or technical diving?

Hi Halemano,

To me, a diver is engaged in "technical diving" when he/she is either using a breathing gas other than air or recreational nitrox, or making a planned switch to a different breathing gas, or using stage bottles, or is using a rebreather.

This means that, to me, solo diving might or might not be technical diving, deep diving might or might not be technical diving, decompression diving might or might not be technical diving, diving in doubles might or might not be technical diving, running a reel might or might not be technical diving, etc.

BTW, I did my cavern and basic cave diving training in '88 which was before people began applying the term "technical diving" to all cave diving.

Hmmm, when did the term "technical diving" begin being applied by some to everything NOT single tank, NOT shallower than 130 fsw/ffw, or NOT no-decompression diving? Kind of sneaked up on us, didn't it?

Safe Diving,

Ronald

P.S. Oh, and to me "recreational nitrox" means NOAA Nitrox I (EAN32) or NOAA Nitrox II (EAN36).

 

[waterpirate]

IMHO the concept of solo diving is technical in nature, the action can be done anyway that the diver sees fit for thier own comfort level/redundancy.

I believe that the solo forum belongs in the technical diving section for a reality check by people who understand what others are trying to reason out for themselves. I do not think it is appropriate for the advanced section or lower for that very reason.

At the core of any tech program I have had exposure to is the simple concept of awakening the divers mind and making it clear that only you are responsible for the outcome of your planned dive. That means that once you accept the responsibility for your dives it does not matter a rats butt what the definition is, what the guidelines are, or what any agency thinks about what you are doing.

It matters to others and to the lawyers and your life insurance company. It matters to the Board as not condoneing or promoting anything that could be used by newer divers and be reckless or dangerous. If you do reckless or dangerous dives the board wants to be able to protect newer divers from exposure to your activities prior to them having enough experiance to willingly decide to conduct dives that way or not.

I just finished watching a u tube of some spearos on the hydro atlantic in a gear configuration I would not take past 60fsw. Would you put that video in the new diver section as a specialty?
YMMV
Eric

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Actually, The SDI solo diver program allows divers to train and be certified and dive solo using a H- or a Y-valve. I don't agree with it, but there you go.

This was true in my SDI solo course but at the same time the instructor required those not using doubles to carry a pony of at least 19 cu ft. There was no option to not have a competely redundant air supply. Having said that I got my Solo card specifically for situations such as diving from the Spree where a solo card would be required. I only had about 100 solo dives before getting the card though. Including depths to 130 +, cold (38 degree) water, wreck penetration, and some involving a little PLANNED deco. All of them save the first 10 or so were done in full tech gear with back ups of all essential items, profiles planned and adhered to, the necessary people made aware of the dive plan, and with full awareness of the site and the risks.

 

[DevonDiver]

I don't see the big fuss - solo diving (as a structured, training supported activity) isn't the first concept that permeated from the 'technical' arena into 'mainstream' recreational diving.

It happens, and is happening, with many things.

Nitrox was once 'highly technical'.

Trimix is technical.... but now we have 'recreational' trimix.

How many of us use BP/Wing for our diving? Laptop dive planning software? Canister lights?

Where did we get out 'reel skills' from?

Commonplace use of DSMBs?

I once read an article about how many progressions in the field of motor car design originated from the cutting edge advances that evolved through high-performance racing, F1 etc. The same is true for inventions that arose due research and invention in the space industry. Velcro? Superglue? Ceramic cookers?

Equipment, training and procedures inevitably trickle down into mainstream use. That's a good thing.

There's no need to be confused about whether solo diving is technical or recreational. It's just an evolution - an illustration of change and progression.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I just finished watching a u tube of some spearos on the hydro atlantic in a gear configuration I would not take past 60fsw. Would you put that video in the new diver section as a specialty?
YMMV
Eric

Do you have the link?

 

[shoredivr]

Actually, The SDI solo diver program allows divers to train and be certified and dive solo using a H- or a Y-valve. I don't agree with it, but there you go.

Hi Wookie:

Your post prompted me to go look in my SDI manual. I stand somewhat corrected, as the sum of the parts does not add up in the book.

Pg 33 says "For any solo diver without a buddy's gas supply to bail them out, any malfunction in the primary gas system requires access to a totally independent gas supply."

However they follow that with the following confusion on pg. 78. "Fitting a single cylinder with a(n) H or Y valve, carrying a pony bottle filled with a suitable backgas, using Dual Cylinders with an isolation valve manifold, carrying a Spare Air."* I recall in class the last item was met with chuckles, since a spare air doesn't really contain enough gas for diving here in cold, darkish water, and we moved on to talking about slung tanks.

Finally on page 80 "In SDI's opinion - and this is something you may wish to discuss with your instructor and other experienced divers because all input is valid - the best solution for the single tank diver is the use of a separate small volume pony bottle."

So while the standards do allow for H or Y valve single tank, the class I was in steered us away from this option due to the environmental cold and at times murky water up here. I'd add that even in warm clear water I'd rather sling or sidemount to solo much beyond 30 ft, I like redundancy.



*To this list I would add "sidemount configuration".

 

[Wookie]

I'm not arguing with you, I think that not using a redundant gas supply is stupid for solo divers, I'm just telling what the standards allow. For the record, I do not teach with a H- or Y- valve, or with a spare air. When a sport diver shows up on my vessel with a H- or Y-valve or spare air and a solo card, we let them dive solo.

 

[Darnold9999]

Just to add confusion to all of this my "Solo Diver" card says: "May dive independently(a team of one), use all SafeAir and O2 mixtures to 50m during decompression profiles limited to 30 minutes max deco-time using 3 cylinders and 3 gases. No hard overhead/penetration permitted."

Issued by ANDI 2006

Only do rec diving (above 130) and don't do deco diving so for me this just allows me to dive solo off boats that require a cert card to do it.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Just looked - my solo card has no restrictions at all on it.