What solo cert do you have, has it ever been turned down?

[John C. Ratliff]

Signaling mirror, strobe setting on a torch. These are also signaling devices.

What, no whistle?

SeaRat

 

[RIHappyDiver]

What, no whistle?

SeaRat

I mistakenly thought someone had discussed audible devices so I was listing visual.
But, yes, I carry a whistle, a DSMB and a signal mirror. Then I always have a light on me. I probably don’t need the mirror, it’s a hold over from my backpacking days and it basically takes up no room.

Erik

 

[tr3a]

You wouldn't, unless you lack the experience and skills. Areas that cater to vacation divers tend to be more concerned with liability issues. I doubt there are any dive boats in California that care about solo certifications and very few actually care if you have a buddy.

 

[Subcooled]

They also require the following equipment (which I typically carry anyway except a mask).

> -backup mask
> -pony bottle
> -backup reg
> -2 cutting tools
> -2 lights
> -2 signaling devices

It is obvious that one needs to be able to breathe, to see and to be seen. Entanglements must be dealth with, too.
But...

Whoever sent you that list must have copied it from a recreational diving manual.
Redundant buoyancy is missing and it's critical.
(droppable weights would be one solution, drysuit another, double bladder yet another, etc.)

Breathing and buoyancy are those things that keep you alive.

 

[plaamook]

Why redundant buoyancy?
Has anyone ever had a bcd explode?
A leak...you just keep blowing it up, right?
It’s not something I tend to worry about but I may be missing something.

 

[Subcooled]

Why redundant buoyancy?
Has anyone ever had a bcd explode?

My friend had his drysuit neck seal fail and the 39F water entered his suit at 100ft depth inside a mine.
Without redundant buoyancy he might not have returned.

Another friend of mine also had a drysuit problem. The suit inflation valve seat failed and she had to be carried to the surface by her two buddies (=redundant buoyancy) because the situation was stressfull and she did not remember to fill her wing.

Yuri Lipski made a mistake. He did carry too much lead and his BCD was not capable of keeping him afloat. As he did not have redundant buoyancy, he embarked on a one-way journey to the very deep bottom. There's also a reaction video:

A leak...you just keep blowing it up, right?

It depends on the size of the leak, does it not?

It’s not something I tend to worry about but I may be missing something.

Just make sure that you do fill your BCD before each and every dive until the OPV's operate.
They are unlikely to fail during the dive then.

 

[tursiops]

Signaling mirror, strobe setting on a torch. These are also signaling devices.

A colored fin.

 

[tursiops]

For the record, neither the SDI nor the PADI solo/self-reliant course requires a back-up mask; PADI recommends it, only. Redundant buoyancy is not required, either. That is for training. SDI even allows a SpareAir as a redundant air source....

Once you actually go solo diving, what you need to carry is up to you. Redundancy of nearly everything is a best practice. A SpareAir as a redundant gas source would be stupid, very stupid.

 

[Subcooled]

Redundant buoyancy is not required, either.

That is either plain stupid, or redundant buoyancy is taken for granted, or the meaning of the words is ambigious.
Any diver must make sure he/she can return to the surface.
Anything else would be a suicide.

Note: with redundant buoyancy I do mean redundant means of achieving buoyancy (such as dropping weights), not redundant air bladders.

Once you actually go solo diving, what you need to carry is up to you. Redundancy of nearly everything is a best practice. A SpareAir as a redundant gas source would be stupid, very stupid.

 

[tursiops]

Note: with redundant buoyancy I do meant redundant means of achieving buoyancy (such as dropping weights), not redundant air bladders.

This would be the opposite of the usual definitions.