What gear changes when you go to solo diving

[navyhmc]

And one more thing: Do not mention solo diving to your OW/AOW/rescue instructor...they don't usually take kindly to divingthe dark side. They get pissed when a solo diver is in the same lake as they are for an OW checkout.

[scubadiver888]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

To a point, it's not the quantity of dives, it's the quality. It those dives wehre you have to do some complex problem solving that add to the mix.

10'-15' can get you in as much trouble as 60' nothing sucks like being at 5' below the surface, caught in fishing line and knowing that you are so close to the surface but it might as well be a mile away-panic and you're done. Stay with a buddy!!!!

Bigman241,

Case in point, I have only 50 logged dives. Every dive for me is a training dive. I always practise improving something (buoyancy, mask flooding, etc). I've gotten my gear hooked, had to remove it, unhook it, put it back on (insta-buddy just sat there watching me as I struggled). Probably 20 of my 50 dives have been with insta-buddies on cattle boats. I've seen some pretty stupid behaviour.

One of the guys I met told me about when he had a regulator failure. He admitted he took off for the surface. Didn't try switching to the octo. Didn't know where his buddy was and seek him out for help. Didn't stop to think about the fact he just abandoned his buddy. He has 200+ dives.

He would want to be a solo diver because it is cool and macho. I want to be a solo diver in case my buddy flakes out on me. I'll still buddy dive because I like meet new people.

[tonka97]

Consider yourself very lucky if you find a good and dependable buddy. The buddy system is WAY overrated for most divers. I find that divers who are comfortable solo diving make the best buddies due to their confidence and skills.

If you solo, make sure that your systems are redundant. I use a 30 cf pony with necklace regulator, and often practice switching to each of my 3 regulators at depth.

Make sure you can confidently perform ALL of your skills at depth, not just on the surface!

I love soloing!

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

it's not the quantity of dives, it's the quality.

It suprises me that training agencies have chosen "number of dives" instead of "hours spent diving" as their criteria, but even if that had, 50 hours spent at 20' in a warm water cove with 100' visibility and no current, etc. may not prepare a person for solo as well as 5 hours spent at 100' in 40 degree water with 5' vis in the open ocean. You learn to handle challenges by being challenged, and number of dives certainly doesn't account for that.

[bigman241]

I am the same i do not want to relay on another person to live. Now i would do anything to help someone. But i would perfer to be able to safe my self and have the tools to do it.

Originally Posted by scubadiver888

Bigman241,

Case in point, I have only 50 logged dives. Every dive for me is a training dive. I always practise improving something (buoyancy, mask flooding, etc). I've gotten my gear hooked, had to remove it, unhook it, put it back on (insta-buddy just sat there watching me as I struggled). Probably 20 of my 50 dives have been with insta-buddies on cattle boats. I've seen some pretty stupid behaviour.

One of the guys I met told me about when he had a regulator failure. He admitted he took off for the surface. Didn't try switching to the octo. Didn't know where his buddy was and seek him out for help. Didn't stop to think about the fact he just abandoned his buddy. He has 200+ dives.

He would want to be a solo diver because it is cool and macho. I want to be a solo diver in case my buddy flakes out on me. I'll still buddy dive because I like meet new people.

[emt]

My 23 year old & I started diving last night at 12:05 a.m. rotating as to which one stayed in the boat during the night following the others occasionally seen light while lobstering. We left the water at 6am this morning to come back home & sleep.
I guess the main changes we made was having a new underwater light....
I always have a snorkel for possible long surface swims, even when tank diving as last night.

[Grin]

For me solo diving compromised of two items that I don't listen to anyone else about, and figure it out for myself. Remember! when you go solo, what anyone else does, or thinks, dosn't matter. You have taken it upon yourself to figure out, and make sure, what is going to save you from yourself.
Mine are: redundant air supply (pony bottle), and the other item is: Realization at all times that I'm solo and need to proceed cautiously at times .
Those two items are not just items that get checked off as, "if I got them so I'm good for solo diving". As I will explain further:
The pony bottle needs configured specifically for you in a million ways. In my case I run the valve on, and have a big easily read gauge I can see before every dive for 100% confirmation. It's up to you, but many say they think running the valve off is better, and many say they need a gauge they can see at all times during the dive and on and on. There is just one thing for sure, there better be pressure in it when you need it! And there are many ways for there to unexpectedly not be pressure in it when you need it. This one topic(redundant air supply) can be discussed in a million directions: Size tank, kind of reg, setting of reg, exercising pony settup, practicing, location of pony, what type gauge and where located, valve on or off pre-emergency, verification predive and on and on. You got to take your pony really serious.
Item Number 2 for me: You also need to realize that when your down deep you are under the effects of Narcosis whether you think so or not, no matter what. So when solo, it is important to proceed slow and stop and think, and remind yourself Narcosis is at work, even if you don't think so. " Should I go in that wreck?" " Should I stick my arm up in that hole to grab that lobster?" Maybe slow down and shine your light around extra careful before doing something like either of those to be super sure you don't get tangled in fishing line or get bit by a huge Moray eel.

To make it short: Redundant air supply and mindset are the two things I think are what makes a safe solo diver. But those two things need to be tore down and adjusted for you personally. Many use 40 cf ponies for what I use a 13 for. Many run their pony valve off during thier dive vs on. Neither is right or wrong depending on everything.

Out of my last 100 dives, maybe two dives had another diver in the water. I'm 99% solo, for more than a few years now.

Get a pony, and start rigging it, and use it a little to see what you need to change. You'll prpobably change everything before you have a settup you are 100% happy with for yourself.

[bigman241]

THanks good info. I am thinking i will get my cert done. doring or right after get my gear. Spend a few dive working on my bounancey control. And getting to learn my gear Then get the pony setup. Should i use the same type of reg on the pony i use for diving. Or just a cheaper reg. Heck if buy my main reg by the same for my back up and the pony i end up with three 500 dollar regs.

Originally Posted by Grin

For me solo diving compromised of two items that I don't listen to anyone else about, and figure it out for myself. Remember! when you go solo, what anyone else does, or thinks, dosn't matter. You have taken it upon yourself to figure out, and make sure, what is going to save you from yourself.
Mine are: redundant air supply (pony bottle), and the other item is: Realization at all times that I'm solo and need to proceed cautiously at times .
Those two items are not just items that get checked off as, "if I got them so I'm good for solo diving". As I will explain further:
The pony bottle needs configured specifically for you in a million ways. In my case I run the valve on, and have a big easily read gauge I can see before every dive for 100% confirmation. It's up to you, but many say they think running the valve off is better, and many say they need a gauge they can see at all times during the dive and on and on. There is just one thing for sure, there better be pressure in it when you need it! And there are many ways for there to unexpectedly not be pressure in it when you need it. This one topic(redundant air supply) can be discussed in a million directions: Size tank, kind of reg, setting of reg, exercising pony settup, practicing, location of pony, what type gauge and where located, valve on or off pre-emergency, verification predive and on and on. You got to take your pony really serious.
Item Number 2 for me: You also need to realize that when your down deep you are under the effects of Narcosis whether you think so or not, no matter what. So when solo, it is important to proceed slow and stop and think, and remind yourself Narcosis is at work, even if you don't think so. " Should I go in that wreck?" " Should I stick my arm up in that hole to grab that lobster?" Maybe slow down and shine your light around extra careful before doing something like either of those to be super sure you don't get tangled in fishing line or get bit by a huge Moray eel.

To make it short: Redundant air supply and mindset are the two things I think are what makes a safe solo diver. But those two things need to be tore down and adjusted for you personally. Many use 40 cf ponies for what I use a 13 for. Many run their pony valve off during thier dive vs on. Neither is right or wrong depending on everything.

Out of my last 100 dives, maybe two dives had another diver in the water. I'm 99% solo, for more than a few years now.

Get a pony, and start rigging it, and use it a little to see what you need to change. You'll prpobably change everything before you have a settup you are 100% happy with for yourself.

[Jack Hammer]

You really need to find a Mentor to help you grow into the type of diving you want to do. Don't fool yourself into bevieving the hype that when sometimes you get an innatentive dive buddy that you are in essence "diving solo" because the two really can in reality be quite different, mentally and physically. Solo "diving" in name is actually quite easy to do - until you have a problem. Dealing with those problems effectively comes from having experience. When you are on your own, you are alone and have to deal with it alone. I've personally seen too many apparently insignificant events spiral uncontrollably into an almost all out cluster(derogatory deleted) to not take things like solo diving very seriously.

Jack

[Jack Hammer]

Originally Posted by bigman241

THanks good info. I am thinking i will get my cert done. doring or right after get my gear. Spend a few dive working on my bounancey control. And getting to learn my gear Then get the pony setup. Should i use the same type of reg on the pony i use for diving. Or just a cheaper reg. Heck if buy my main reg by the same for my back up and the pony i end up with three 500 dollar regs.

Bigman, you really should get together with someone experienced and talk in person with them. I'm not intending to flame or attack you in any way, the statement in your last post , to me, clearly implies that you really don't yet understand what is done and why for solo diving and what is needed and why it is needed. It is more involved than just getting some extra gear. Having all the right gear doesn't prepare you for how to use it when the time comes. The internet is not the place to learn solo skills, there is great info here, but without practical application you can get yourself in real trouble should a real world problem arise. When you start diving more you should be able to find a mentor/instructor to guide you.

Jack