Which course for Solo certification?

[Marie13]

In terms of the degree of faffing about with gear, I think tiny backmount doubles is the deal for redundancy with modest gas. I got Erick's gorgeous freedom plate and have it mostly configured. Yet I see little chance I will use it much as it would mean carrying a pony to have redundancy. My backmount 40s (or some 50s) are a much easier unit to manage on land and in the water. Though by manage I do mean things like removing and replacing in the water.

I dive sidemount with a bit more faff, but it gives me extra benefits.

The 50s are much easier on my knees.

 

[tursiops]

The main thing is that the solo diver's competent in the water and can resolve the myriad issues that face them alone.

Kit is a big part of that, but mostly skills and experience.

[I do draw the line at a Spare Air as a backup device (as is listed in the Solo Diver spec above). Small pony bottles are dubious enough -- as people don't tend to check them on every dive -- but a Spare Air has very little volume and certainly not enough to get from 20m AND do a safety stop]

Agreed. I do not allow the SpareAir if I'm teaching solo. Note that it is NOT allowed in the PADI version of the course.

 

[Wibble]

Spare Air is such a small volume (1.7, 3 or 6 cftrt) when even compared with a 3 litre (22cf) pony cylinder = >600 litres which is barely adequate for solo use.

I’d want one for getting out of a capsized yacht (AC75?) but would want substantially more for any dive, especially a solo dive. How can you test it without depleting its contents?

My life’s worth more than that.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

and teach DSMB deployment from depth without a mask

Thank you. I just found a new drill to try.

 

[Wibble]

Thank you. I just found a new drill to try.

How about using a blindfold to do an ascent. It's fun! Obviously you need someone to monitor you. The challenge is how to do a proper safety stop when you don't know your depth.

 

[Gandalf-the-Diver]

How about using a blindfold to do an ascent. It's fun! Obviously you need someone to monitor you. The challenge is how to do a proper safety stop when you don't know your depth.

... I think I will be tying knots in my spool line at SS depth.