Solo Certification

[Wookie]

I have a first and second on my backgaa, and a first and second on my pony.

 

[Wibble]

Question for those that solo dive. I know you need a regulator on your pony bottle. Do you still use the main and backup second stage on your main bottle and then have a third second stage for your pony? Or do you take your regular backup second stage and move it to your pony bottle?

It's not what others take, it's what you need for your dive. Only you are responsible for making sure there's enough redundancy for whatever dive you do.

Personally I'll only dive solo with full redundancy. If on open circuit that means sidemount (or backmount doubles), so I've two full cylinders for the whole dive and I'll leave the minimum gas relatively high, e.g. more than enough for an exit to the surface and any decompression required.

If on a rebreather then it is never dived without "more than enough" bailout gas for the ascent and any decompression obligations.

Maybe a bit off topic, but solo decompression diving means that you have to assume one failure and that failure could be any of your gas sources including your decompression gas. All dive calculations are therefore based on the deco gas failing at the end of the maximum dive time, so there absolutely must be enough other gas to cover that need. With open circuit this would mean carrying two decompression gasses, one's redundant.


Sidemount is really well suited to solo diving. There's always a fully redundant second cylinder available and plenty of gas. Best of all you can get at everything as it's in front of you. For shallow diving you can use the smaller cylinders which are really easy to transport to the dive site -- e.g. climbing over rocks, etc.

Backmount doubles are good but very heavy. The valves aren't easy to manipulate and especially if you've a stiff or seized valve. They're just too big for a shallow dive.

 

[Marie13]

I dive SM exclusively. It’s balanced nicely and I always have more than enough gas. I have a lot of friends that solo and only a few dive with a pony. It’s either SM or doubles.

 

[CuzzA]

Question for those that solo dive. I know you need a regulator on your pony bottle. Do you still use the main and backup second stage on your main bottle and then have a third second stage for your pony? Or do you take your regular backup second stage and move it to your pony bottle?

Thanks
Brian rose

No need for a redundant second stage on your primary back gas. You can move it to a pony bottle, but you may need a longer hose for the pony regulator.

If you sometimes dive solo and sometimes dive with a buddy an Air2 octo inflator is a good solution to standardize your rig and not have to keep changing your setup.

Regulator failures (rare) are almost always caused by the first stage so an octo provides little utility for the solo diver. Second stage failures are most commonly from an old zip tie failing on the mouth piece or a loose hose connection unscrewing, separating the 2nd from the hose. Both are preventable with inspection and maintenance.

 

[Wibble]

If you sometimes dive solo and sometimes dive with a buddy an Air2 octo inflator is a good solution to standardize your rig and not have to keep changing your setup.

Ugh!

Your life is worth a proper regulator on a redundant gas supply.

 

[CuzzA]

Ugh!

Your life is worth a proper regulator on a redundant gas supply.

Proof our education system is failing people. Go back and read again, but this time go slow and try to comprehend what was written.

No need for a redundant second stage on your primary back gas. You can move it to a pony bottle, but you may need a longer hose for the pony regulator

Now, you quoted the Air2 portion of my post and trust me, for entertainment purposes, I appreciate the, "Yer gunna die!" commentary. Despite the fact tens of thousands of dives are conducted every year with this configuration and I've yet to hear a story of an Air2 killing a diver, ever. We do hear stories from time to time of divers dying because they mixed up regs on pony bottles.

That said, I have my doubts many here who post just to post are actually solo divers. My diving is almost exclusively solo. 7 solo dives yesterday.

How many solo dives have you done? What's your configuration for a solo dive? Have you ever used an Air2? Did it almost kill you? What configuration based on the poster's setup of a primary tank and pony bottle would you recommend he use for solo diving?

 

[SlugLife]

Is it worth traveling for a solo certification?

I've studied "Solo Diving : The Art of Underwater Self-Sufficiency" by Robert von Maier, and researched extensively online regarding equipment.

I'm not familiar with that book, but it sounds like you've done the work, and to be honest, I think you'd get a lot more using that money you'd spend on a solo-class, learning something else in the SCUBA world, or on more redundancy.

You can acquire all the knowledge you need to dive solo by reading books etc., but a good instructor will get you from where you are to where you want to be quicker than trying to do it all yourself.

Agreed with the above. An instructor will ease and speed up the process and answer questions, but by the time you've done the work, might not be much of a benefit.

if you find an SDI instructor who's willing to let you use a spare air, you should run away.

I consider 1.5cu and 3cu spare-airs dangerous. Spare Airs themselves are very hard to breathe. Their run-time is shockingly short. If anything, they're unnecessary bulk, and add a false sense of security. (source, I have some spare-airs I need to sell)

6cu pony is the bare minimum. 13cu is great for travel. 19cu is ultra-convenient, while able to handle most scenarios at rec-depths. 30cu or 40cu, if you don't mind carrying it around. 50cu and above, you might as well do Sidemount or independent-back-mount-doubles.

 

[Wibble]

Now, you quoted the Air2 portion of my post and trust me, for entertainment purposes, I appreciate the, "Yer gunna die!" commentary. Despite the fact tens of thousands of dives are conducted every year with this configuration and I've yet to hear a story of an Air2 killing a diver, ever. We do hear stories from time to time of divers dying because they mixed up regs on pony bottles.

That said, I have my doubts many here who post just to post are actually solo divers. My diving is almost exclusively solo. 7 solo dives yesterday.

How many solo dives have you done? What's your configuration for a solo dive? Have you ever used an Air2? Did it almost kill you? What configuration based on the poster's setup of a primary tank and pony bottle would you recommend he use for solo diving?

The AP AutoAir equivalent of the Air2 -- a regulator built into the BCD inflate -- is very frequently replaced and doesn't have a particularly great reputation. Call me a traditionalist, but I'd want a decent quality second regulator that I can trust. On the boat last week people were discussing how they've all ditched the AutoAir off their Inspirations.

Virtually every dive I do is solo even if I happen to be with other divers on the same wreck. Many hundreds in backmount, sidemount, rebreather, mostly with significant deco obligations.

 

[SlugLife]

Now, you quoted the Air2 portion of my post and trust me, for entertainment purposes, I appreciate the, "Yer gunna die!" commentary. Despite the fact tens of thousands of dives are conducted every year with this configuration and I've yet to hear a story of an Air2 killing a diver, ever.

TLDR: The guy was diving FFM, with something like an air-2, was completely new to the setup with almost zero training. When he ran out of air, instead of switching regs, he rocketed to the surface.

The real issue with Air2's (and similar devices) is:

• Understand they're introducing something that is more difficult to use; which may be increasingly difficult or challenging when narc'd or in an emergency.
• People need to PRACTICE with them. In particular ascending and descending, while breathing from it.
• (non-solo) If you're sharing air you might be dealing with a panicked diver, while also a piece of equipment that's a pain to use.

Obviously, if you become competent and practiced using an Air2, why not! Same with FFM, they have challenges and risks, but with training and practice, you can overcome that too.

 

[hedonist222]

If you sometimes dive solo and sometimes dive with a buddy an Air2 octo inflator is a good solution to standardize your rig and not have to keep changing your setup.

Did you mean :
Pony with 1st stage and one 2nd stage
Primary tank with 1st stage and one second stage and the air2 octo?