SDI solo diver certification

[BlueC5Kitten]

Easy, I dive and teach in an environment where spare air is not appropriate. If I were teaching in shallow tropical water I may feel differently but in my experience spare air is not adequate for our local waters. I do cover this option in my course. I cover all the reasons why it is a bad idea
I must consider the safety of my students above all. Just because the agency allows it does not mean I have to teach it. I follow the standards of training very carefully and I always refer to the training standards to ensure all aspects of the course are covered. There is no requirement that I teach it and I choose not to. A student who feels that strongly about using spare air is always welcome to find another instructor.

Ok, well that makes a bit of sense then...

A little off-topic here, but I have heard the same about Spare Air(TM) from my dive instructor...so weighing the option of a slung pony instead.

Does anyone know what the qualifications are for SDI Solo Diver training?

 

[wedivebc]

Does anyone know what the qualifications are for SDI Solo Diver training?

Not really sure what you are asking here

 

[String]

Im guessing the pre-requisites for joining the course.

Could be wrong though.

 

[PvtStash]

I believe it is 100 dives and gas redundancy (typically pony, I'm not sure a SA would qual (it wouldnt for me personally) but I'm not sure the regs Specify other than a separate gas source)

 

[String]

STUDENT PREREQUISITES
A. Minimum age: 21 years.
B. Minimum certification of Advanced Diver or equivalent.
C. Minimum of 100 logged dives.
D. Review and complete Medical History form and Liability Release form.
E. Review and complete Solo Diver Release form.

According to my friend google.

In fact, more of an outline here: Solo Scuba Diving

 

[fairybasslet]

I plan on taking this course for a number of reasons. First, as a photographer, I am basically diving solo some of the time. I have gotten separated from the group when diving with a DM or my buddy on many occasions. I want to be properly prepared for this contingency. Second, any thing that can help to make one more self-reliant is not a bad thing. I like enjoying a dive with my buddy and sharing subjects that we find. But sometimes...stuff happens. I really don't plan on going out diving alone. That is just not for me.

 

[texdiveguy]

So, can one pay a small fee and take a placement quiz/water skills review without having to pay the full course fee and go through the class....sorta like a college course? Just kidding in a way, but it is an idea...

 

[GDI]

So, can one pay a small fee and take a placement quiz/water skills review without having to pay the full course fee and go through the class....sorta like a college course? Just kidding in a way, but it is an idea...

That would be subject to the instructor but I would venture to say that your being in the water in itself would constitute a full course from the instructors point of view. This after following a complete equipment review of what you have and the knowledge/attitude you have towards Solo diving. One of the things the instructor would be looking for is consistency and he cannot see that in only one dive.

 

[JohnB47]

Regarding Spare Air and pony tanks... I wrote a little computer program to calculate the depth from which one could theoretically reach the surface breathing from a pony tank of a given size, assuming that (1) you are not in an overhead environment or on a decompression dive, (2) you ascend at 60 fpm until you reach 60 feet, then ascend at 30 fpm, (3) you plan to make a 3 minute safety stop at 15 feet, and (4) your SAC rate is 0.88 cfm (average). Your mileage may vary.

Here are the results:
1.8 cu. ft. -> does not even give enough for the safety stop! (Need 3.838 cu. ft.)
3 cu. ft. -> does not even give enough for the safety stop! (Need 3.838 cu. ft.)
6 cu. ft. -> 44 fsw
13 cu. ft. -> 154 fsw
19 cu. ft. -> 216 fsw
30 cu. ft. -> 301 fsw

This shows why SpareAir is not adequate. It just isn't enough air to surface safely from any depth where you would need it. Even 6 cu. ft. is pretty much useless, since most people can figure out how to swim to the surface from 44 feet without an air supply. Either 13 or 19 cu. ft. would be a good choice for a practical redundant air supply for recreational diving, if you are not in an overhead environment or a decompression dive. In those situations, you need to consider how much air you might need to get out of the overhead environment (Rule of Thirds, etc.), and how much you would need for stage decompression. The results tabulated above are NOT valid for those situations.

 

[muddiver]

I wonder if this course is worth taking if someone has already been technically trained so already has the concepts of redundancy, self-rescue,gas planning and so on ?
Without the standards being available its difficult to tell really.

The course is a very lite tech class. Some of the information in the manual is just wrong, like breathing down a cylinder at rest watching tv to find your baseline SAC.

If you have any tech training you would just be wasting your time. It covers a lot of topics that are good for regular scuba divers of all recreational levels, and shold get one thinking about things like redundant air systems, gas management planning, self rescue/self sufficientcy, etc.

I find the statement by the cavers in this thread that they are solo divers by default to be kind of hypocritical. Is it not a tenent of tech/cave/wreck diving to rely on a buddy and to have all the special equipment to provide assistance in the most efficient manner (i.e. 7' primary regulator hose, standardized gear setup, etc.). To solo dive is to be self suffecient which is a total change of mind set from having all the cool techie gadgets to do S-drills with. You don't plan your gas supply for an emergency staged ascent by two divers, you plan for one diver.


Oh, and who dredged this old thread up anyway?