Solo cert when already tech certified

[formernuke]

I'm thinking of a short trip later this year. Dives will be within recreational limits both depth and time wise.

The operator wants me to have a solo cert because I'll be on my CCR rather than OC. Now I'm not against taking classes and certs if it makes me a better diver or teaches new skills.

Seems to MD though that there is nothing new with a solo cert that I don't already know with AN/DP and CCR.

So hive mind, what are your thoughts? Is this guy just trying to sell me what for me is a worthless class?

 

[Robert H. Diver]

It’s probably more about liability for the dive op than selling you a course. Im assuming.

 

[Cheizz]

As @Robert H. Diver suggests, they seem to be just covering for themselves. If you'll be the only one on CCR and they don't know how to cope with that, they would want you to be solo certified on CCR. That way, you're just a diver they transport to and from dive sites rather than actually part of the diver group.

 

[VikingDives]

Find a local TDI tech instructor and talk to them. I don't see you getting much out of the class, per se, but solo's a 2-dive minimum, and you could easily spend the time reviewing skills with someone tech qualified.

I agree with the above that the operator is likely just concerned about liability.

Another option would be to crossover to SDI and then self-certify as a Solo instructor. I don't know what the charges are for crossover right now, but you don't have to physically attend the class. It's eLearning and Zoom sessions.

 

[Marie13]

Do the class. Will probably be easy peasy, but I bet the op wants it for insurance reasons. I’ve run into places that don’t care if you’re already tech/CCR trained. They need to see the solo card.

I did solo pretty soon before cavern/intro to cave. Instructor was tech and intro to cave certified at the time, but not yet a tech instructor (he is now). Because he knew classmate and I were going to be doing tech soon after, some of that creeped into the class. I did class SM on LP50s. Classmate was diving doubles. The instructor and DM were also diving SM.

 

[Marie13]

As @Robert H. Diver suggests, they seem to be just covering for themselves. If you'll be the only one on CCR and they don't know how to cope with that, they would want you to be solo certified on CCR. That way, you're just a diver they transport to and from dive sites rather than actually part of the diver group.

I don’t really know if you could do a solo class on CCR. That would be a question for instructor.

 

[Wookie]

I’d just sign you off.

There are no skills in the solo class you haven’t learned.

But I am no longer active.

 

[tomfcrist]

Agree with Wookie…solo is a BS cert for anyone beyond AN/DP. Certainly for a CCR diver with split bailouts.

 

[Wookie]

I don’t really know if you could do a solo class on CCR. That would be a question for instructor.

We started allowing solo rebreather on the Spree back in 2010 or so. AFAIK, we were the first commercial charter boat to do so, or at least we were with my insurance company.

We made the case that you could take OW with a rebreather. A rebreather diver is far more redundant than a OW diver. As long as the diver was diving rec limits, method of SCUBA didn't enter into it. It certainly isn't discussed in the standards.

I am/was not a rebreather instructor, so I didn't teach solo rebreather. But I accepted the solo card regardless of SCUBA method.

 

[Angelo Farina]

I'm thinking of a short trip later this year. Dives will be within recreational limits both depth and time wise.

The operator wants me to have a solo cert because I'll be on my CCR rather than OC. Now I'm not against taking classes and certs if it makes me a better diver or teaches new skills.

Seems to MD though that there is nothing new with a solo cert that I don't already know with AN/DP and CCR.

So hive mind, what are your thoughts? Is this guy just trying to sell me what for me is a worthless class?

I am certified for deco dives down to 50m and CC rebreathers, but not for solo.
Furthermore I am a 3-stars CMAS instructor.
If I had planned to solo dive, I would take the solo class.
I think that diving solo has nothing to do with deco or rebreathers.