What is your motivation to solo dive?

[rx7diver]

Hi, one more reason to dive solo is that if you plan your gas following strictly the rules of your training agency, you need to bring more gas if you dive with a buddy ; Because whatever the "what if scenario' you must bring extra gas to assist him ... Diving solo means a simpler gas logistic.

Well, you carry your buddy's back-up gas. But, conversely, your buddy carries your back-up gas. So, a solo diver needs to carry his/her own back-up gas.

However, a solo diver will not need to be concerned with having a dive buddy diving a different cylinder than he/she dives, or having a different SAC rate than he/she has, when planning dives.

rx7diver

 

[Twiny]

Well, you carry your buddy's back-up gas. But, conversely, your buddy carries your back-up gas. So, a solo diver needs to carry his/her own back-up gas.

However, a solo diver will not need to be concerned with having a dive buddy diving a different cylinder than he/she dives, or having a different SAC rate than he/she has, when planning dives.

rx7diver

Not the same. When diving with a buddy you "officially" have to plan for handling a gas loss while sharing air with an AOO buddy on top of it.
For instance while diving 2 tanks, you plan your gas with the possibility of "losing" 1 of your tank and the gas remaining in the last cylinder must be enough for you + your buddy.
If you dive solo, you do not need to consider an AOO diver which simplifies all calculations

 

[MB NZ]

Yes, I find it somewhat interesting that a 3L pony is often quoted as being insufficient redundancy (600L assuming 200 bar), but a 12L cylinder midpoint during a dive (let's say 100 bar) is considered just fine for two divers (600L per diver)! Of course, all redundant gas planning should be based on likely requirements.

 

[rx7diver]

Not the same. When diving with a buddy you "officially" have to plan for handling a gas loss while sharing air with an AOO buddy on top of it. ...

No, this is not how one plans a recreational buddy dive--so far as I was taught.

For recreational buddy diving, buddies plan to bring both divers to the surface on only one diver's remaining gas supply. That is, you plan for one diver losing access to his/her gas. Then both divers surface using the other diver's remaining gas. For recreational buddy diving, you don't plan for a gas loss beyond this.

rx7diver

 

[Twiny]

No, this is not how one plans a recreational buddy dive--so far as I was taught.

For recreational buddy diving, buddies plan to bring both divers to the surface on only one diver's remaining gas supply. That is, you plan for one diver losing access to his/her gas. Then both divers surface using the other diver's remaining gas. For recreational buddy diving, you don't plan for a gas loss beyond this.

rx7diver

The 50 bars rule is not a real gas planning, it is out of topic ; Solo divers just like tec divers have air redundancy and plan their gas accordingly. Difference is that when diving with a buddy, extra gas must be considered to be able to assist him.

 

[rx7diver]

The 50 bars rule is not a real gas planning, it is out of topic ; Solo divers just like tec divers have air redundancy and plan their gas accordingly. Difference is that when diving with a buddy, extra gas must be considered to be able to assist him.

@Twiny,

I don't know what this "50 bars rule" is you refer to. Deliberate gas planning for a recreational buddy dive is simple and straightforward and doesn't involve mysterious "rules." Repeating myself, simply plan things so that both divers can surface safely on one diver's remaining gas supply should one diver lose access to his/her gas supply. Simple. No need to complicate this.

Things are really simple if both divers are diving identical cylinders.

rx7diver

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Zero visibility makes it difficult to dive with a buddy.

Dive buddies make it difficult to dive with a buddy.

 

[Cthippo]

No, this is not how one plans a recreational buddy dive--so far as I was taught.

For recreational buddy diving, buddies plan to bring both divers to the surface on only one diver's remaining gas supply. That is, you plan for one diver losing access to his/her gas. Then both divers surface using the other diver's remaining gas. For recreational buddy diving, you don't plan for a gas loss beyond this.

rx7diver

I think this whole argument is kind of moot, or at least should be. In buddy diving you are assuming single tank for each diver and a need to maintain a reserve in case of emergency. That reserve comes out of your back gas supply and repeesents gas that you cannot use.

Conversely, with solo diving you should be carrying redundant air that you already don't plan to use.

The apples to apples comparison would be solo diving on single tank versus buddy diving on single tanks. It only becomes an issue if you are trying to squeeze every last psi out of a tank.

 

[rx7diver]

I think this whole argument ...

@Cthippo,

No argument here. To me this boils down to: When recreational buddy diving the way I was taught (and the way I do it) your buddy carries your back-up gas (emergency gas). When solo diving, you carry your own back-up gas (emergency gas)--if you choose to, however you choose to, your choice.

rx7diver

 

[Wibble]

The "must be back on the boat with 50bar or 500psi" convention is probably to ensure that novice or inexperienced divers don't push the limits and run out of gas. As we all know, there's various reasons this could happen:

• "You didn't tell me that I needed a reserve"
• "You didn't tell me that my gauge reads from 30 bar / 300psi"
• "You didn't listen to me when I told you I was low on gas"
• "I was distracted whilst following all the others"
• "What do you mean there's a surcharge for returning with an empty tank"
• etc...

At least with the 50 bar / 500 psi "rule" there's no excuses for people on the bottom to push things past that arbitrary limit.

OK, idiots aside.