My SDI Solo class is 5 dives and I require a pool session to evaluate the student and go over some of the skills we will do in open water. I also require a slung redundant air supply suitable for the depths we are in.
Spare airs ARE NOT PERMITTED!
I will accept a 19 cu ft bottle if the depths and SAC numbers work but recommend a 30 or 40.
Sidemount and backmount doubles are also permitted as long as you prove in the pool you can do the required valve drills.
Classroom is usually 6-8 hours and we cover gas management, emergency deco, self-rescue and first aid, and how to prepare your family in the event you don't come back from a dive and may not be recovered.
We also cover why a mirror is essential for underwater use.
Drills include those required plus any others I can think of to suit the conditions.
Here in my local area vis can go to hell quickly in some places to no mask and blacked out mask drills are added.
Use of lines and reels for navigation in low vis and shooting a DSMB without a mask from depth and using a knotted line for your ascent if you somehow forgot or lost your backup mask when your primary broke and is gone.
If any instructor is just teaching to the standard and not adding or adjusting for local conditions or the type of diving you plan to do solo, you're not getting your money's worth.
My solo class is going up to $400 this season to reflect the content and time we put in.
Half of a purchase is cost, and the other half is what you get in return. That seems to include a lot of stuff not "required" for solo, but a fantastic learning opportunity.
well maybe I should modify my position on the benefits of a solo course. That sounds like a lot for $400. I doubt most people would be comfortable practicing all those skills, on their own with no buddy or instructor to watch over them.
I am curious is a back mounted pony bottle allowed for the certification you teach? I can think of several reasons why a slung configuration is safer and has unique advantages, however a photographer in 30 ft of water might choose a back mounted configuration . Primarily for convenience.
Not every course is like that. That's why it's important to look at more than just the title.
My pony is slung in a Sidemount-style configuration, and wouldn't get in the way of any skills, photography, etc. It's basically tucked under my armpit, and inline with my body.
However, a properly slung bottle is not in the way shooting photos. I do it in sidemount with up to 2 stages.
Diving single tank, you don't see my slung 40 from the front. It's up nice and tight sidemount style.
I can often show where a slung bottle is actually more convenient than back mounted. Especially when you are gearing up by yourself and have to lift everything on your own. Then do the gear check, test all the regs in the water, manipulate the valves, etc.
That sounds very similar to my setup. And yes, a slung-pony is VERY convenient. No hoses going over your shoulder, you can hand it off, easier BCD setup, easier access.
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?
Standard setup is: Scuba-tank (any size), first-stage, 1x second stage, and SPG. Ditch the octo & inflator hose on the pony-regs, and install port-plugs of the appropriate size. If it's slung in the front or side, a shorter HP hose for the SPG (9-inch) is very nice-to-have. For dry-suit, you might keep the inflator-hose, but use a shorter one (primary = BCD, pony = dry-suit).
Extra hoses and regulators (octo) are an entanglement hazard, unnecessary complexity, and (tiny) potential failure point. Everything you would do with an octo, is now replaced by your regs on the pony-bottle. Your redundancy or air-share is 2x tanks, and 2x independent regulator-sets.
