Solo

[no excuses]

I just use the same gear as I doo with a buddy but add a 30' pony bottle. I also have my girlfriend in the boat and she knows that I will be down for right at an hour. Have a vhf in the boat so she can call for help if needed, not that it will matter to me at that point lol.

stan

 

[Water Monkey]

I spend a lot of my time in the water alone, both working and just hanging out. I wear the same gear for pretty much everything except I don’t wear a pony when I’m working.
Around here, as long as your paying close attention to your air consumption, you are more likely to get into trouble with the currents or with entanglement than anything else. We have a lot of very strong currents here and you have to plan your dives carefully, particularly if you are diving alone with no support boat. Regarding entanglement, I always carry two knives one on my leg and one on my BCD. I use to wear one on my arm but it kept getting hung up on everything. Now I have a small knife on my BCD. I found that the little Ramona knives work well for a BCD knife or you can mount them on a hose as well. A pair of shears for cutting steel fishing line stuffed in a pocket somewhere isn’t a bad idea ether. And I always have a signal sausage stuffed in a pocket as well.

 

[NAM001]

wow

great thread no flames.

i share the sentiment of you guys.

im not solo certed as yet... my lds is just got the curriculum materials from ssi,,,, i got a copy to view. it is a pretty good list of training topics.
i had problems getting into a dive site alone and had to wait till noon to get wet. fortunately the lds called in a buddy for me. had i posessed a solo cert i could dive alone at his site. the site was a scuba park i drove 200 miles to dive for 4 days.

something about the training you guys can give some input to.

ssi calls for redundant air system 19cu ft pony. manother thread i read was discussing this issue and said that (memory) in sdi single tank with h or y valve was good for redundant air supply. some i have talked to have said h is no good y is ok ( 2 dip tubes) others say neither is ok must have separate tank for ooa.

what have you guys experienced?

thanks

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

H or Y valves are only useful if you maintain some air inside the cylinder. If, say, you don't pay attention or your pressure gauge is faulty you might find yourself with two valves and nothing to pass through either one of them.

Everybody makes mistakes ... the key to safe solo diving is to make sure you can recover from yours ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[NAM001]

H or Y valves are only useful if you maintain some air inside the cylinder. If, say, you don't pay attention or your pressure gauge is faulty you might find yourself with two valves and nothing to pass through either one of them.

Everybody makes mistakes ... the key to safe solo diving is to make sure you can recover from yours ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

when i looked at the sdi curriculum some time ago a redundant air required a separate tank. the same tank with a hor y valve was not allowed because if it was ooa that was end of story the only way to not use a pony was if diving doubles with the isollation shut. they were also concerned that a single dip tube blockage was end of story. as it fed both h valve outputs.

i will have to find the curriculum again. just thought when i read that one tank was acceptable it was strange. perhaps the trainer is overriding the agency requirements.

i will find it and post it.

 

[NAM001]

when i looked at the sdi curriculum some time ago a redundant air required a separate tank. the same tank with a h or y valve was not allowed because if it was ooa that was end of story the only way to not use a pony was if diving doubles with the isollation shut. they were also concerned that a single dip tube blockage was end of story. as it fed both h valve outputs.

i will have to find the curriculum again. just thought when i read that one tank was acceptable it was strange. perhaps the trainer is overriding the agency requirements.

i will find it and post it.

found it SDI Solo Diver Certification
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this course is to train divers in the benefits, hazards and proper procedures for diving solo. Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in solo diving activities.

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.

EXECUTION AND STRUCTURE
A. Open water execution:
1. Two open water dives are required with complete briefs and debriefs;
2. All dives must include surface interval, max. no-deco time, etc., to be figured out and logged during the debriefing.
B. Course structure: SDI allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and
their skill level.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
A. Basic SDI open water scuba equipment (exception: "safe second" or "octopus" is not allowed as redundant air
source).
B. One of the following must be used as a redundant air source: pony bottle, twin cylinders with isolation valve,
independent doubles, Spare Air(TM).

REQUIRED SKILL PERFORMANCE
Skills are to be performed in the open water. In order to complete this course, the student must demonstrate
understanding of the techniques to properly execute a solo dive.
A. Swimming skills: Perform a surface swim of 200 meters in full scuba gear (gear configuration appropriate to local
diving conditions). Must be nonstop and performed in an open water environment.
B. Scuba skills:
1. Demonstrate adequate predive planning;
2. Determine limits based on personal gas consumption;
3. Perform exact dive and/or decompression profile.
C. Properly execute the planned dive within all predetermined limits:
1. Equipment configuration appropriate for solo diving:
a. streamlining equipment;
b. use and carry of redundant air supply.
2. Proper descent/ascent rates.
3. Proper safety stop procedures: monitoring of decompression status equipment (tables, computers, equipment).
D. Navigation skills:
1. Demonstrate proficiency of navigation with compass;
2. Demonstrate emergency change-over to a backup regulator or bailout scuba at a depth not exceeding 100 fsw /
30 msw;
3. Deploy surface marker and use of surface audible signaling device.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to complete this course, students must:
A. Satisfactorily complete the Solo Course written examination.
B. Complete all open water requirements safely and efficiently.
C. Demonstrate mature, sound judgement concerning dive planning and execution.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Upon successful completion of this course, graduates will be issued the SDI Solo Diver Specialty certification card.

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i agree with you , it only makes sence. who ever posted insisted they just completed the course and was able to use an h or y as redundant air with a reg on each valve. all that gets you is redundant regulators.