How much for TDI Solo Cert?

[CptTightPants21]

Yes, the first solo dive is a real head trip for most folks. Then it gets easier!

When you find instructors, ask them exactly how they manage the class. The SDI standards allow lots of variation, which can be both good and bad.

I actually don't care for that last dive being a solo dive. In my mind, you should already be mentally prepared to do Solo if you are taking the solo course and I know that I will be comfortable being solo in the water. The instructor that I will probably take the class with (although some of the posters here got me thinking) said first dive will be SAC, some drills, lift bag etc. 2nd dive will be completely self sufficient, planned dive, where he will start messing with you underwater. I think that the underwater hazing/accident scenarios should definitely be apart of any solo course and certification dives.

 

[Doppler]

I actually don't care for that last dive being a solo dive. In my mind, you should already be mentally prepared to do Solo if you are taking the solo course and I know that I will be comfortable being solo in the water. The instructor that I will probably take the class with (although some of the posters here got me thinking) said first dive will be SAC, some drills, lift bag etc. 2nd dive will be completely self sufficient, planned dive, where he will start messing with you underwater. I think that the underwater hazing/accident scenarios should definitely be apart of any solo course and certification dives.

Since you have your head poking up above the parapet, do you mind answering a couple of questions concerning the course some have outlined above...

Let's say this is a scenario suggested by a couple of others... not you, but I would like to to consider and answer as best you can... two dives with one being without an instructor being in the water?

What happens if you screw up the SAC calculations, cannot deploy a lift bag without getting dragged to the surface -- because you have not had much practice or have been shown a bum way to do it -- and have issues switching regs and or feathering the valve on your bailout/buddy bottle? Is the second dive then done with the instructor in tow... and is that it? End of program. What if it takes a candidate several attempts to get the skills -- and there are several more than mentioned here -- what then? How about a situation in which the bailout bottle needs to be fine tuned to orient correctly... takes a few attempts... what then?

Sorry guys, but those instructors who do this in a couple of days... including classroom and field work... must be getting a very different calibre of student... most of mine arrive with a willingness to learn but without the required fluency to pass.

Finally, what about your scenario... Dive one = SAC, some drills, lift bag, etc. Dive two: getting messed with. Fair enough. How many dives total?

thanks

#Confused

 

[CptTightPants21]

Since you have your head poking up above the parapet, do you mind answering a couple of questions concerning the course some have outlined above...

Let's say this is a scenario suggested by a couple of others... not you, but I would like to to consider and answer as best you can... two dives with one being without an instructor being in the water?

What happens if you screw up the SAC calculations, cannot deploy a lift bag without getting dragged to the surface -- because you have not had much practice or have been shown a bum way to do it -- and have issues switching regs and or feathering the valve on your bailout/buddy bottle? Is the second dive then done with the instructor in tow... and is that it? End of program. What if it takes a candidate several attempts to get the skills -- and there are several more than mentioned here -- what then? How about a situation in which the bailout bottle needs to be fine tuned to orient correctly... takes a few attempts... what then?

Sorry guys, but those instructors who do this in a couple of days... including classroom and field work... must be getting a very different calibre of student... most of mine arrive with a willingness to learn but without the required fluency to pass.

Finally, what about your scenario... Dive one = SAC, some drills, lift bag, etc. Dive two: getting messed with. Fair enough. How many dives total?

thanks

#Confused

My course would only be the 2 dives, although if something was really wonky this instructor would require a 3rd. As with all courses the card is given at the discretion of the instructor, an instructor does not need to give out a card out at the end, even if his course is only two dives, if he does not feel the student is ready. I know your course is over several days, but how many dives are you doing?

I think part of what is lost in translation is that your course covers the full introduction of solo diving with people that don't have a lot of experience with lift bags and pony bottles, where as this instructor expects his students to already know how to shoot a lift bag, deploy a pony bottle, have good fining techniques. I feel like your class is more of an advanced certification that gets you the solo cert and a lot of other solo certifications are like a nitrox course in that you have the skills and experience, but need to pass the exam and "check the box" with a checkout dive.

Question...if someone has passed intro to tech would you feel as strongly about your solo cert course or would you be fine with it being 2 dives like I have described?

I agree that those problems you pointed out are something that can be addressed, but are also at the discretion of the actual diver. A solo card is the learners permit for diving alone and to make you aware of the things you need to consider when diving alone. Anyone who passes this solo course and does a 100ft solo Ocean dive without (a lot of) previous experience of doing that dive with a buddy (implying lift bag, SAC rate, etc) is an idiot.

Most of my buddies are full tech certified, I dive with a pony, I have experience shooting up between 12-24 lift bags (my best was +/- 2ft, my worst +/- 5ft). I do out of air, mask clearing, lift bag, reel work, on most of my dives.

I really just want this certification so that I can dive Dutch Springs and maybe the occasional Caribbean charter alone. I do a lot of navigation and exploration at dutch, trying the figure out all of the best ways to find things underwater and that style of diving is not for everyone.

 

[Doppler]

My course would only be the 2 dives, although if something was really wonky this instructor would require a 3rd. As with all courses the card is given at the discretion of the instructor, an instructor does not need to give out a card out at the end, even if his course is only two dives, if he does not feel the student is ready. I know your course is over several days, but how many dives are you doing?

I think part of what is lost in translation is that your course covers the full introduction of solo diving with people that don't have a lot of experience with lift bags and pony bottles, where as this instructor expects his students to already know how to shoot a lift bag, deploy a pony bottle, have good fining techniques. I feel like your class is more of an advanced certification that gets you the solo cert and a lot of other solo certifications are like a nitrox course in that you have the skills and experience, but need to pass the exam and "check the box" with a checkout dive.

Question...if someone has passed intro to tech would you feel as strongly about your solo cert course or would you be fine with it being 2 dives like I have described?

I agree that those problems you pointed out are something that can be addressed, but are also at the discretion of the actual diver. A solo card is the learners permit for diving alone and to make you aware of the things you need to consider when diving alone. Anyone who passes this solo course and does a 100ft solo Ocean dive without (a lot of) previous experience of doing that dive with a buddy (implying lift bag, SAC rate, etc) is an idiot.

Most of my buddies are full tech certified, I dive with a pony, I have experience shooting up between 12-24 lift bags (my best was +/- 2ft, my worst +/- 5ft). I do out of air, mask clearing, lift bag, reel work, on most of my dives.

I really just want this certification so that I can dive Dutch Springs and maybe the occasional Caribbean charter alone. I do a lot of navigation and exploration at dutch, trying the figure out all of the best ways to find things underwater and that style of diving is not for everyone.

Fair enough... good answers that I will file away for reference.

You asked how many dives on a multi-day program... see below

Course Duration/Limits

• Six to Eight Hours Classroom Session
• Gear workshop, gear modification, gear alternatives
• Field work (dryland skills with reel, lines, buddy bottle deployment etc.)
• A Minimum of Five (5) Open Water Dives and/or a total bottom time of 180 minutes
• Maximum depth 25 metres/80 feet
• Nitrox to be used on all dives

If someone had passed intro to tech, I would ask them who they had completed it with and how long it had been. If it had been a two-day course, they would probably get little credit towards their solo cert, but I would nevertheless give them an opportunity to demonstrate the skills required to pass that class. If those skills were good and their gear configuration was good, then I'd reassess. I doubt anyone would get away with just two dives though... unless they were extraordinarily long dives...

Even though candidates for solo are expected to have 100 logged dives as a minimum, most of us can use directed coaching to improve skills... For example, experience tells me that many divers who "have good buoyancy control" have a poor concept of what buoyancy control actually is.

Anyhow, all the best.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I did the SDI Solo class with my TDI cave instructor in 2003. It cost $400 back then. The instructor was OFF THE CHAIN GREAT which made the class priceless!

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I took the SDI Solo course with my TDI AN/DP Instructor.

In my opinion it would be difficult for an Instructor to offer a substantive Solo course in less than 4 days.

I don't see how they could offer such a course for less than $400, unless they didn't value their time....OR they were giving you a "Bro-deal".

In my experience....I thought my skills were better than they actually were (don't we all?).

I was humbled during just about all of my dive classes.
Oh...the "joy" of being trained.