PADI Self Reliant vs SDI Solo

[rx7diver]

This matters not to me how you surface swim.

Um, okay.

What works well one place or with one type of scuba rig may or may not work well for another.

Yes. I've actually never seen a rec gear wearing diver doing a *long* surface swim on his/her back--even though I seem to read this often on SB. I've wondered whether choice of gear plays a part. For example, it's conceivable (to me) that if a diver is wearing a very big and heavy single back tank (e.g., a PST 104 or a PST HP 130) and a heavy steel backplate (both of which conceivably would tend to push a prone surface swimmer lower into the water and/or be more uncomfortable, weight-wise, on the diver's back), then that diver might find surface swimming on his/her back much more "efficient" than swimming prone.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[halocline]

So halocline. You are judging suitability and standards for solo and you have never taken the course? :shocked2:

Never once did I judge the 'suitability and standards' for this course. But of course people interpret comments on an internet board the way they want.

 

[NAM001]

I believe you are right. if they were the same they would use the same name to maintain continuity among the agency's. When ever I hear self reliant I flashback to health insurance. 2 companies cover 80% of costs. one company advertised 80% of billed expences and the other says 80% of recoverable expences. the key is the word recoverable. they both appear to be the same because of 80% and one is much cheaper than the other but policiy coverages are clearly different. I have been to sites where diving solo requires a SOLO card. They viewed (whether because of INS or their own perspective) self reliant as being less reliant on a buddy as opposed to non reliant on a buddy. because of that I would go to a solo course and not a self reliant course.

I really do not think it is just a nomenclature thing. PADI condemned solo diving for so long that it is hardly credible that they would now be teaching it.

It would be like the GOP supporing gay marriage.

 

[uncfnp]

Never once did I judge the 'suitability and standards' for this course. But of course people interpret comments on an internet board the way they want.

True. It's easy enough to misunderstand in person with the benefit of body language and voice inflection. Absent these clues, misunderstandings are almost a given. I was under the impression that you were questioning my ability to solo based on the simple fact that I disliked the surface swim. And admitted to it.

 

[NAM001]

A few points.

A nation that lives in a courtroom has no care for voice or body language.
Intent is determined based on punctuation and word usage.
In sports like ours laws do not make tue rules the Insurance companies make them, Whats legal is not always covered.

the 2 terms solo diver and self reliant diver.... which one says I can take care of my self and dive alone and which says i can take care of my self .

The self reliant name is a bad name. legally is says you have not given up buddy diving. It says to me one has the skills to make up for unskilled buddies.
The name solo diver says i can dive alone. It is no wonder that ins companies will say coverage exists for divers with SOLO cards with no mention of self reliant.

OPINION::::::: With a SOLO card You are in good hands. With a self reliant card you are in quicksand telling the cat to go get help.

 

[BFRedrocks]

There are a few courses were PADI doesn't actually provide a manual. Sidemount didn't get a manual for a long time, PSD was missing one. It takes a long time for them to write out manuals, as they usually do a nice job of them even if the content is lacking in some cases.

If PADI has a manual, you are required to have it in your possession but the instructor can use any other resource they seem fit. We just can't fail a student if don't complete the other agencies knowledge reviews or quiz or the like.

PADI gets a bad rap since most people assume that PADI instructors can't add anything to a course. It's simply untrue. I can add whatever I want to the course but I can't withhold certification if you meet all of PADIs standards.

I have never had an issue were a student was able to pass the PADI standards but not mine. Remember PADI requires mastery of all skills at the level the student is getting certified at. So if the instructor is worth is stuff he enforces that.

FWIW, I took both the SDI Solo Diver course and PADI Self-reliant course this past weekend (PADI SR to get to Master level), and I found they were fairly similar in content. The real big difference I found between SDI and PADI is in how they calculate SAC rate, but that's a whole other discussion. As for a manual, we used the SDI manual and associated chapter quizzes, PLUS the PADI instructor manual and associated knowledge reviews. In my opinion, the SDI manual provided much more specific solo diver information, but that's probably because the PADI instructor manual wasn't really a "final" student book like they have for their other courses. I did find it interesting though that the SDI manual focused a lot on why solo diving should be accepted, whereas the PADI instructor manual focused a lot on why they (PADI) fully support the buddy system but recognize there are times when people may choose to dive alone. :blinking:

 

[Pyramid65]

I'm in the SDI Solo course now....turns out the PADI course is useless for me anyway...I don't need to be a better buddy I want to dive alone

 

[ffdiver]

So over 100 comments in this thread and you still don't believe that the PADI course is a solo course?

 

[Pyramid65]

Doesn't matter if there were 1,000 posts, the PADI course is not accepted as a SOLO certification where I would dive hence I would not be able to dive there Solo so it's useless FOR ME as I stated above....lets not forget that PADI does not promote Solo diving, their philosophy behind the Self Reliant course is to make you a better buddy, they will not use the word SOLO...I'm not in any way saying PADI instructors are bad ( I've seen first hand PADI instructors that gave the bare minimun and PADI instructors that packed a ton of stuff in a course, I'm sure you can find that with any agency) it wouldn't matter if I had the best PADI instructor out there, it's the card with the words "SDI SOLO DIVER" that's going to get me in the water

 

[george_austin]

On the Spree? Either one. I happen to teach solo, but my good friends at PADI training tell me that Self Reliant was meant to be a solo diving card. After Drew's letter, they just couldn't call it solo.

---------- Post added May 27th, 2015 at 01:58 PM ----------



I had 10 on the last trip. They all brought their own ponies. They all had cards. Of course, that's the diver I cater to. A resort in Bonaire isn't looking for that customer. I would guess they don't blend much 10/50 or have a lot of sorb in inventory, either.

yeah, a Solo Diver Card until some family tries to sue PADI because little Johhny got hurt diving solo - then PADI lawyers say " golly, we only meant Self Reliant and who can argue with divers being self reliant"?

Ah, PADI . . . LOLZ - aren't you training self reliance in freaking day one of Basic Scuba Diver?

---------- Post added September 2nd, 2015 at 11:37 AM ----------

Cool! I wasn't aware that NAUI OW class covered redundant gas sources....it certainly didn't when I took it.

Why do you need a redundant gas source when you're diving within your personal limits? You don't require a redundant gas source when you're diving with a buddy who plows thru 2000 psi of air at 20fsw in 15 minutes.