SDI specialty training for solo diver

[boulderjohn]

I did the SDI Solo course; my instructor is a private TDI Tech instructor. I went that way, as opposed to a PADI class from a local shop.

The course are nearly the same, and the requirements for instructor are nearly the same.

I am not an SDI solo instructor, but according to a website I just checked, here the requirements to be a SDI instructor:

• 21 years old
• OWSI or higher certification with a minimum of 1 year teaching experience and 50 certifications across a range of courses
• Solo Diver (Another site that advertises itself as official SDI/TDI does not include this requirement)

Here are the PADI instructor requirements:

• Be a Teaching status PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
• Have certified at least 25 divers
• Be a PADI Self-Reliant Diver or PADI TecRec Diver, or have a qualifying certification from another training organization
• Have logged at least 20 self-reliant dives (dives using redundant equipment and following techniques of self-reliance)

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

The course are nearly the same, and the requirements for instructor are nearly the same.

I am not an SDI solo instructor, but according to a website I just checked, here the requirements to be a SDI instructor:

• 21 years old
• OWSI or higher certification with a minimum of 1 year teaching experience and 50 certifications across a range of courses
• Solo Diver (Another site that advertises itself as official SDI/TDI does not include this requirement)

Here are the PADI instructor requirements:

• Be a Teaching status PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
• Have certified at least 25 divers
• Be a PADI Self-Reliant Diver or PADI TecRec Diver, or have a qualifying certification from another training organization
• Have logged at least 20 self-reliant dives (dives using redundant equipment and following techniques of self-reliance)

Chuckles ... my instructor, I could have had teach the PADI course, I chose the SDI stream. He is also, Rebreather Instuctor, Sidemount Instructor, Technical and Wreck Instructor. He also does regular old PADI OW and AOW, Rescue, and courses in that stream, or SDI. I think he has certified a couple of divers over the years.

 

[tursiops]

Chuckles ... my instructor, I could have had teach the PADI course, I chose the SDI stream. He is also, Rebreather Instuctor, Sidemount Instructor, Technical and Wreck Instructor. He also does regular old PADI OW and AOW, Rescue, and courses in that stream, or SDI. I think he has certified a couple of divers over the years.

When I was still teaching SDI, I would teach the PADI Self-Reliant course and provide both cards to the student, since the courses are almost identical with PADI having slightly more stuff in it than SDI.

 

[Island23]

Yup, with a tech SDI/TDI instructor, the SDI Solo Diver course teaches everything, with dives on: doubles, sidemount, ponies, carry/staging, manifolds, independent twins, ect. I had over one dozen practice dives, carried, every single pony 13-40 cft, 50s, 63s & 80s. I didn't do it, with just 1 cylinder option. You have to gas plan in-front of the SDI/TDI instructor/s & peers & literally write out & calculate the gas plan calculations. I gas planned over 80 times, through every row to 130 ft. It's full Solo Diver to the max from first to last page. SDI has higher requirements than SSI, 100 vs. 75 dives & SDI put me in the water way more, with every redundant system up to triples. You "will" become proficient in the systems & perform the surface swim in open water.

Ya'll worried, about 20 instructor qual dives? Hec, the practice training dives with SDI almost sums what the instructors qual for at PADI & SSI. Anyway, it's good exercise & fun. I haver Navy BUD/S Phase 4 training though, the max 1-2 hr treads & 14 mi run; so, my Solo matches my diving. Yours might be easier & match your diving; also, you might not get training in all systems, like I did. I have different in-water Navy SEAL redundancy than your avg. diver - my solo had to match my diving profiles & the entire book.

 

[Wibble]

To be a solo or self reliant diver you need to have the right attitude and skills. In some ways these can’t be taught on a 2 day course as they need months or more likely years of experience.

Have said before and will say again, these courses are more like workshops where you bring the experience and skills and are assessed by the instructor. You must demonstrate your ability to function alone; planning and executing the dive and solving a ton of challenges without further endangering yourself. Shutdowns, switching to redundant gas, kit failures, mask off or blindfolded, putting up a SMB, buoyancy failures…

This is pretty much a day in the life of a technical diver but may well be quite challenging for limited experience recreational divers.

Bottom line. Only you know if you’re ready.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

To be a solo or self reliant diver you need to have the right attitude and skills. In some ways these can’t be taught on a 2 day course as they need months or more likely years of experience.

A large part of the 1st day of my Solo course, which was on land; my instructor spent a lot of time getting into my headspace, to see if I had the mindset for solo diving. He has been known to go no further with students if they do not have the right mindset. Chuckling at your experience comments, as I went from OW newbie, to SDI Solo, in 11 months. I started my solo course, sitting at 177 dives.

 

[plaamook]

I watched a lone diver walk into the ocean the other day a true solo diver

View attachment 763375

Whoooooooo

View attachment 763376

oooooooooo

View attachment 763377

a true solo dive

You might need to help me out w that one. Too subtle for me.

 

[plaamook]

Re: pencils and slates
I use em to take notes on things that pop into my head. I do this while I’m hiking too.
No one else around, lots of time to think about things.

 

[suricatasuricata]

I did my Solo diving certification at TDS Bonaire and I greatly enjoyed it. I went in thinking it would be simply a card that would let me do more diving in Bonaire without having to ensure that I had a dive buddy. It was most definitely not that.

In many ways it was very reminiscent of my GUE F class. There was a lot of systematic planning in advance for a dive. Thinking about Minimum Gas (rule of thirds), doing Equipment checks etc.

My instructor made me feel far more confident about doing a solo dive at the end of it. Especially because during our checkout dives, he did things like rip my mask off a few times, or turn off the valve on my back gas or pull off one of my fin. These were in some sense unexpected as opposed to be being shown how to do it and asked to follow, we did that too but he added in these tricks. The fact that I was able to calmly solve those problems felt way better than if he had just handed me the card and sent me my merry way.

I don't care much about whether I am allowed to dive solo or not. I will respect local laws and regulations as they exist. I think it definitely added some more training on the path to self-reliance, especially when you have instabuddies.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

You might need to help me out w that one. Too subtle for me.

His explanation won’t be any less subtle, .

Erik