Training for Solo diving?

[dumpsterDiver]

I think that to dive solo, you must be pretty confident that any single equipment failure will not kill you. Lose a bc: no problem, lose a regulator: no problem, lose a mask, no problem, get totally tangled up and have to remove the scuba unit to cut yourself free: no problem. If you have enough skills and gear to accomodate almost any type of single failure without any help, then you are probably beginning to be able to solo dive. The other major aspect is mental; you have to feel comfortable getting in with no body around.

I guess I have never fully mastered the mental part of solo diving. If the dive is scary, I still like to have a competent buddy. I used to night dive off a beach, where big sharks were known to be relatively common. The dive would start with a 20 minute surface swim out a quarter mile to the reef. I always felt better with a buddy, even though I knew that he provided no real benefit with regard to safety.

The last thing that is required, is that you should have screwed-up enough underwater to really scare yourself and realize that you only got out of the situation by luck and or muscle. Having enough diving experience to have tested your personal limitations (and mental comfort level)is important also.

 

[Walter]

I think that to dive solo, you must be pretty confident that any single equipment failure will not kill you.

Close, I think all divers, even those who never dive solo should be able to safely handle the failure of any combination of two pieces of equipment failing at the same time. If you're diving solo, you'd better be competent enough to handle losing it all. I realize there are some situations (overhead) in which not having an air supply will kill anyone.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Well if I get tangled in a net and run out of air and a shark swims away with my calf...I think that my diving days may be over....

 

[ianr33]

Close, I think all divers, even those who never dive solo should be able to safely handle the failure of any combination of two pieces of equipment failing at the same time. If you're diving solo, you'd better be competent enough to handle losing it all. I realize there are some situations (overhead) in which not having an air supply will kill anyone.

That is unrealistic.

How many solo divers would survive the simultaneous failure of both first stages on independant doubles/sidemount/backgas+pony

Or simultaneous failure of wing and drysuit wearing double 130's.

If you plan on coping with 2 failures then you would need to take 3 of everything.Who dives with 2 spare masks?

Now if you meant the failure of ,say,a wing and a reg then I could agree with you.

 

[Nemrod]

Quote: "People who aren't good at learning on their own aren't good candidates to dive solo."

Amen, like I have said before, some personality types will never be acceptable for solo diiving.

Quote: "would you consider it solo diving if you were diving in an area where there were other divers around and visible (20meters vis) but were without a buddy, or is your take on it that solo diving means diving with no other divers around"

Absolutely not because they are your buddies and your just diving as a disorganized group of buddiess and therefore your diving rig should be set up to support diving with buddies and therefore not optimal for solo.

Quote: "Nemrod and I have drastically different views expressed in the boaters forum, but I think he's right on here! Ha ha "

Well, Matt, Captain does not like Boston Whalers but I still think kndly of him--lol. He has a rebuilt Chris Craft Sea Skiff I think it is, Tiger Bait. I like you too, even if your Bay Liner is a future dive site--lol.

N

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

Many people use a pony bottle of some sort. The thing about pony bottles is that they need to be big enough to allow a safe ascent for the dive you are doing even if you are highly stressed and unable to ascend immediatly. If you do not know how to figure this out then you should not be solo diving. That being said anything smaller than a 20cf bottle is not enough gas to do much more than provide a false sense of security.

~Jess

I use a 6cf pony, but only for solo dives that are less than 40 feet. With my consumption rate, I easily have the necessary air to ascend the 40 feet in 1.33 minutes. I don't plan on solo diving much deeper than 40 ft., so I don't truly feel the need for a larger pony bottle right now. And if my pony gives me problems, I have the option of ascending with whatever breath I last took, exhaling all the way to the surface (a last resort of course). Eventually, I'll probably purchase a 13cf or 20 cf for dives between 40 and 60 ft, but I don't EVER plan on solo diving deeper than 60 ft. These are the personal limitations I have set for myself and I will adhere to them absolutely.

 

[captain]

Quote: "People who aren't good at learning on their own aren't good candidates to dive solo."

Amen, like I have said before, some personality types will never be acceptable for solo diiving.

Quote: "would you consider it solo diving if you were diving in an area where there were other divers around and visible (20meters vis) but were without a buddy, or is your take on it that solo diving means diving with no other divers around"

Absolutely not because they are your buddies and your just diving as a disorganized group of buddiess and therefore your diving rig should be set up to support diving with buddies and therefore not optimal for solo.

Quote: "Nemrod and I have drastically different views expressed in the boaters forum, but I think he's right on here! Ha ha "

Well, Matt, Captain does not like Boston Whalers but I still think kndly of him--lol. He has a rebuilt Chris Craft Sea Skiff I think it is, Tiger Bait. I like you too, even if your Bay Liner is a future dive site--lol.

N

I think some on the boating forums refer to them as Bottom Liners, LOL.

 

[matt_unique]

I'm one with the universe, I'm not affected by your Earthly taunts.....:no
...............................................................................

NO....I'M....NOT....ONE....WITH THE UNIVERSE!!!!! ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! :light:

Say hello to my little friend! :bigun2:

Bayliners are for informed consumers who know how to handle a vessel and want some creature comforts for the ladies that join them. Those who own utility boats like Boston Whalers are lesser captains and don't ever want women aboard with them. :bigun2: When I happen to go out in steady Gale Force winds I always wonder where all the Whaler captains are....

Bring it on b*t*h!

--Matt

PS (I am joking by the way)

 

[captain]

I'm one with the universe, I'm not affected by your Earthly taunts.....:no
...............................................................................

NO....I'M....NOT....ONE....WITH THE UNIVERSE!!!!! ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! :light:

Say hello to my little friend! :bigun2:

Bayliners are for informed consumers who know how to handle a vessel and want some creature comforts for the ladies that join them. Those who own utility boats like Boston Whalers are lesser captains and don't ever want women aboard with them. :bigun2: When I happen to go out in steady Gale Force winds I always wonder where all the Whaler captains are....

Bring it on b*t*h!

--Matt

PS (I am joking by the way)

Ah yes, no women. My wife and I have been boating for 40 years but I don't let her near a dock or anchor line less I want to spend an hour untangling it. Docking with her help is a new adventure everytime.

 

[TomP]

Meanwhile back at the ranch, training has taken one heck of a beating....

And to a large degree that's not surprising given some agencies compromises in OW training, ridiculous specialties, and mercenary attitude - ala We'll never endorse Nitrox [until its profitable]. I'd also agree that training isn't a substitute for experience and that if your wondering if your ready to dive solo then you probably aren't. And yes, the ability to learn on your own is a good thing for a would be solo diver.

Now, if you were waiting for the but - your wait is over. You never really learn entirely on your own, your simply choosing how you learn and who you learn from. Scuba instructors in every discipline range from experienced, talented, thoughtful, and dedicated professionals to mindless automotons. If you can find the former then solo training might be a sensible choice. I'd expect that training to be preceeded by a free and good faith assessment of the candidates readiness to dive solo.