SDI Solo Course - A Review

[Doc Harry]

Okay, I did it. Took the SDI Solo Diver course. Here are a few thoughts about the course.

Why did I take the course? I already dive solo a lot, so I didn't need an introductory course for solo diving. I guess I took the course to make sure I wasn't missing something.

I was missing a few things, but not much. When I first started solo diving, I put a lot of thought into it. I liked the idea of soloing on doubles with an isolator manifold instead of carrying a pony/stage. I liked the idea of carrying two of everything: two masks, two 1st stage regs, two 2nd stage regs, two buoyancy devices, two cutting devices, two watches, two depth gauges, two compasses, two lights, etc.

I also thought a lot about my limits solo diving. How deep? How long? How cold? What environments?

I felt pretty comfortable solo diving. In fact, I felt better and SAFER solo diving than I did diving with an unknown INSTANT BUDDY. But dive charters either (a) wouldn't let me solo, period, or (b) would let me solo.....IF I HAD A SOLO DIVER CERTIFICATION.

Aha!

Initially I got around the "Solo Diving is Prohibited" by buddying-up with a couple and then "accidentally" getting separated underwater. (Of course, this was pre-briefed with my INSTANT BUDDIES.)

But then I finally decided to get the solo diver certification instead of deceiving the dive charters.

Enter the SDI Solo Diver course.

OVERALL:
From my perspective as an avid solo diver who took the Solo Diver course just to be "official," I feel that the course offered me very little. Except now I am "officially" a certified solo diver, which has value in and of itself.

THE GOOD:
There are two major good things that I have taken away from the course:

(1) You can take two of everything with you underwater EXCEPT two brains. A famous quote comes to mind: "A man has got to know his limitations."

(2) You get a waiver on an official piece of paper that you can give to dive charters to encourage them to let you dive solo. Worth its weight in gold. Basically the waiver even absolves the dive charter of any blame EVEN in the case of gross negligence.

THE BAD:
Almost everything in the course was something that I already pondered in great detail. I felt like I was reading a basic PADI Open Water book with a bent towards solo diving. One of my interests in solo diving is the discussion of redundant gas supplies. Doubles or stage? I would have expected a more in-depth look at that dilemma in the course. But, alas, more superficial coverage in the book.

THE UGLY:
One of my biggest questions about solo diving was entanglement. What to do? I dive in deep lakes in very poor viz and frequently find myself bumping into tree trunks with branches all around me. The SDI Solo Diver course basically recommends: Don't get entangled. Thanks pal, never would have thought of that myself. Let me write that down so I don't forget.

OVERALL:
Perhaps I had unealistic expectations about a solo diving course. Certainly my expectations were high. But I still recommend the course to get the "official" certification. If you're already an avid solo diver then that's all you'll likely get out of the course.

Maybe we need SOLO 1 and SOLO 2 courses, or INTRO TO SOLO, APPRENTICE SOLO and FULL SOLO courses.

bletso here has some good solo diving articles that are better than the SDI book.

Have fun out there. For God's sake, don't get entangled.

 

[Jim Ernst]

Wow....

I pretty much expected exactly what you got out of the course.

Except for the Cert.... Sounds like it was a waste of time and money.

By the way what did they charge for the ... EHMMM Class

 

[MikeFerrara]

One more example of purchasing access rather than education.

 

[ClayJar]

It sounds like you were basically in the same position as I. I had been soloing for quite a while, and being an intelligent, thinking solo diver, I had previously pondered just about everything in the course. It was a nice little review to be sure I didn't have any glaring omissions, but it was more of an interview than a class for me.

If you're "new" to solo diving, the course can certainly help make sure you don't miss something. On the other hand, if you've been studying solo diving on ScubaBoard for a while and pondering all there is to it, the class is basically an official review, at the end of which you're granted access to those places that desire The Card.

(It's basically just like AOW classes. If you take them early enough, you might learn something new, but if you've already done everything in the class thrice over, for you it's just a deep dive access pass.)

 

[redacted]

One more example of purchasing access rather than education.

As in this case, that can be a good thing; if it is access, not education, that is sought.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I took the course also. Same reason...can't dive solo in quarries without pissing off the quarry lords unless you possess a solo certification.

Much of it is liability-shifting. Formally absolve them of any risk or liability, and other people are far more willing to let you do things they consider dangerous.

My course was slightly more useful than yours, but only slightly.

Entanglements, however, are pretty much an either/or thing. Either you get entangled or you don't.

If you don't you live, and if you do you don't.

Once you're wrapped up in a goooood entangling there simply isn't much a solo diver is going to be able to do. Gill nets are the boogieman under the bed.

Dive safe,

Doc

 

[Papa_Bear]

A certification is for the operator and not the diver! I also as a photographer dived for years Solo! When SDI came out with their program I was one of the first to become official in order to relieve the operators of their responsibility and it changed very little with me! I have said for many years C-Cards don't make divers, diving makes divers! If you learned something fine and if you didn't fine as well, you became less of a liability to insta-buddies and operators! You took personal responsibility and that is great!

 

[wedivebc]

Okay, I did it. Took the SDI Solo Diver course. Here are a few thoughts about the course.

Why did I take the course? I already dive solo a lot, so I didn't need an introductory course for solo diving. I guess I took the course to make sure I wasn't missing something.

I was missing a few things, but not much. When I first started solo diving, I put a lot of thought into it. I liked the idea of soloing on doubles with an isolator manifold instead of carrying a pony/stage. I liked the idea of carrying two of everything: two masks, two 1st stage regs, two 2nd stage regs, two buoyancy devices, two cutting devices, two watches, two depth gauges, two compasses, two lights, etc.

I also thought a lot about my limits solo diving. How deep? How long? How cold? What environments?

I felt pretty comfortable solo diving. In fact, I felt better and SAFER solo diving than I did diving with an unknown INSTANT BUDDY. But dive charters either (a) wouldn't let me solo, period, or (b) would let me solo.....IF I HAD A SOLO DIVER CERTIFICATION.

Aha!

Initially I got around the "Solo Diving is Prohibited" by buddying-up with a couple and then "accidentally" getting separated underwater. (Of course, this was pre-briefed with my INSTANT BUDDIES.)

But then I finally decided to get the solo diver certification instead of deceiving the dive charters.

Enter the SDI Solo Diver course.

OVERALL:
From my perspective as an avid solo diver who took the Solo Diver course just to be "official," I feel that the course offered me very little. Except now I am "officially" a certified solo diver, which has value in and of itself.

THE GOOD:
There are two major good things that I have taken away from the course:

(1) You can take two of everything with you underwater EXCEPT two brains. A famous quote comes to mind: "A man has got to know his limitations."

(2) You get a waiver on an official piece of paper that you can give to dive charters to encourage them to let you dive solo. Worth its weight in gold. Basically the waiver even absolves the dive charter of any blame EVEN in the case of gross negligence.

THE BAD:
Almost everything in the course was something that I already pondered in great detail. I felt like I was reading a basic PADI Open Water book with a bent towards solo diving. One of my interests in solo diving is the discussion of redundant gas supplies. Doubles or stage? I would have expected a more in-depth look at that dilemma in the course. But, alas, more superficial coverage in the book.

THE UGLY:
One of my biggest questions about solo diving was entanglement. What to do? I dive in deep lakes in very poor viz and frequently find myself bumping into tree trunks with branches all around me. The SDI Solo Diver course basically recommends: Don't get entangled. Thanks pal, never would have thought of that myself. Let me write that down so I don't forget.

OVERALL:
Perhaps I had unealistic expectations about a solo diving course. Certainly my expectations were high. But I still recommend the course to get the "official" certification. If you're already an avid solo diver then that's all you'll likely get out of the course.

Maybe we need SOLO 1 and SOLO 2 courses, or INTRO TO SOLO, APPRENTICE SOLO and FULL SOLO courses.

bletso here has some good solo diving articles that are better than the SDI book.

Have fun out there. For God's sake, don't get entangled.

I would blame the instructor not the training agency here. If you didn't feel you got your money's worth why not tell the instructor and see what he may offer to do about it.
When I teach this course we practice doffing and donning gear to solve entanglement problems. I also give the student several "opportunities" to practice that as well as mask replacement. We discuss gas management strategies as well as equipment options.
I am sorry to hear that the course was a waste of time for you. I have had quite expeienced students take my course and I have been challenged by finding new challenges for them but I usually do

 

[Darnold9999]

Would also blame the instructor. In the course I did my instructor entangled me and hovered nearby as I disentangled myself. A significant learning experience. Came away with the same view - don't get entangled, avoidance is easier than extraction. This was a very simple entanglement. A line wrapped around the first stage. Drift net or something like it would be pretty much fatal solo.

I see two reasons for taking the course. First it is a good thing to have someone else validate your opinion that you are capable of and ready to solo dive. Second it is an access card. The liability of a charter operator that allows solo diving without it is significant. The industry has made buddy diving the standard of care - allowing divers to violate this standard without certification is a lawsuit waiting to happen. With the card the liability shifts back to the diver.

 

[texdiveguy]

I am not going to waste my money to get some worthless card (at least for me) to just satisfy a 'few' scuba park and charter operators insurance companies. If a diver is brand new to solo and has little area support or mentorship avlb.,,then to shorten the learning curve this basic class may offer some good. But for us that have been solo diving safely and following proper protocols I don't see any real worth in the class.....on those rare ocassions you do find yourself in a situation were the 'Card' is a must...just hook-up with a buddy.