You hit all the major points right on the head. I dive and retired as a30 yr firefighter. Training and practice in conjunction with remaining calm in a chaotic environment is the key. Risk is a part of our daily lives. Knowing what to do is the difference. Lastly a famous fire captain said you can do everything right and still die. Be safe and live a good life. I enjoy watching your videos.
Just found this. I went through some these same issues in my solo training. By far this class one of my favorites. Great job with your video - your humility is remarkable. Kudos to you for taking time and effort to better yourself and to help other divers. You break things down in common sense format, methodical.
I have been a PADi certified diver for almost 20 years now and I understand that solo driving diving freaks people out but if you know what you are doing and you understand that you are always in danger when diving And don't get cocky or too relaxed it can be done safely.
I like the idea that you took the course even though you thought you had enough knowledge and was able to learn some new things. Even though you try to think things through and feel like you have enough common sense that nothing is going to happen. It shows just asking someone with experience they can show you things you never think about. Thanks for the eye opening video.
Thanks mate, you can never know enough. In fact I've just enrolled to do the Rescue Diver course too. Looking forward to what I learn on that course too!
My buddy left me stuck on a doorway when diving a wreck in Barbados took me about 5 minutes to untangle and he never even missed me! So you are 100% correct ..manage your own risk and never expect “rescue”
Buddies are an unknown usefulullness,, unless you have a regular one. It is almost better to go alone if all you have is someone you are paired off with at the dive shop.
Tips for your new fancy dive rig. Your jump line: measure it, you should know how much line you can deploy while still leaving 10 or so wraps on the reel. Mark that length on the reel, a nice bright paint pen works well. Put a longer lanyard on it and never disconnect until you are about to inflate the SMB. Pont bottle and SMB: use the bands on your pony bottle to stash your SMB, it's easier than digging through pockets. Linger HP hose or angle connector to keep everything close to the bottle, reduce dangly bits. Primary reg and hose: Get a LONG one and have it coming up under your arm (just like your instructor), excess can be secured along your rig with the cheapest possible cable ties you can find (look funny at them and they snap, use two so you retain the broken one), when solo it is less likely to get tangled and when in pairs the panicked diver ALWAYS grabs your reg from your mouth, this will give you some separation. Occy/buddy reg: Clip it in an easy to reach and visible spot, YOU'RE the one who is going to need to find it. BCD: maybe consider a technical rig when finances permit. Gear in general: bright colours ARE GOOD! Stay away from reds, yellows, greens and blues are best for vis at depth. Emergency stuff. Short on air: hang a deco bottle (NITROX is good in this case if you have to ascend rapidly to get the bottle) off your platform 10m is usually a OK depth, but depending on depth of dive you may want it closer to the bottom. You're already familiar with your consumption from the pony bottle. Inside wrecks, never unclip a jumpline or reel if you are not secured to, or have not secured the next reel. Making the reels feel unique and always using them in ste same order can help understand which way you are going, in deeper or toward the exit? Have fun, and thanks for reminding me of my tech diving days. Deco stops above the Coolooli off Long Reef were dull as hell but the wreck was fascinating.
Hi mate, appreciate all you tips. Will definitely be tweaking the configuration and upgrading bits and pieces as time goes by, with the BCD probably being next as you mentioned too.
Hi I found your channel, while searching for ‘servicing & maintenance of 2-stroke outboards’ and have subsequently also enjoyed your other videos on a range of topics that are not solely engine related. As a scuba instructor, I was particularly keen to view your own adventure, into this world of scuba diving and more importantly, what you got out of your solo diving training. It is very refreshing to see someone openly admit to their own limitations/experiences and also not to act with an air of ‘I’m all knowledgeable’. Firstly, I would like to add, that quite early on in my own diving environment, I found out that, we all are at some level or another solo diving. We are not tethered side-by-side and always constantly watching each other!. 😳 This became even more evident when I began teaching. Here in the UK, we (as recreational scuba professionals) are bound by various H&S regulations and recommended practices. One of these recommendations (whilst in open water) is to have a safety diver present, whose main task is to rescue me, if I should run into trouble. In reality, all this has done is to increase the number of individuals that I myself have to look after! Ha Ha Ha! 🙄 So, to add my own two pennies worth, I think that at some stage all divers should have some form of solo training, to enable a better outcome, if a self rescue is required. Next, I would like to point out (and I’m being pedantic here, sorry!) that the different agencies that supply the various ‘solo’ courses, do not all support the concept of solo diving. PADI’s ‘Self Reliant Diver Course’ for example, doesn’t advocate solo diving, but if in the event of separation and subsequent emergency, then an individual will be more equipped - physically and mentally - to deal with it. A good example, where this may come into play, is a photography duo. I’ve seen buddy pairs separated by huge distances, simply because they’ve each been solely concentrating on their own perfect shot. That being said, I’m also aware that in some locations, individuals holding the SSI (Independent) and PADI (Self Reliant) certs have been refused permission to solo dive, because the certification doesn’t state the word ‘Solo’, whereas those holding the SDI cert have. Keep the videos coming...
Thanks Mike, I agree that even if you never go solo diving, courses like this do make you a better diver and more caparable of looking after yourself and your buddy. To that end I'm also enrolled in the PADI rescue diver course starting next week. I'm really looking forward to that one too! :)
This brought back so many memories of my BSAC diving courses back in the early 1070's in the UK. Yes, I'm sure the equipment we used is in the museum now but many of the techniques were similar. I also enjoy watching your progress on Renko. Very interesting, very informative and very helpful. I think I need to find an old steel boat with a Detroit 2-stroke diesel and get to work! Thanks for all the videos and best of luck with the outstanding work on Renko.
Best video ever... hahaha.. love the boating ones, but you know I love scuba even more. Totally agree, entanglement is the real fear factor for me as well. I think your points about the buddy system are bang on.. in reality, buddies are not always "good" and often swim off, disappear, lost due to poor vis, etc. I personally feel that you should prepare for every dive with the mindset and training of a solo diver.
Thanks Dayne, we'll have to get the dive team back together one day! Lets be honest, boats are all about getting you to a good dive site. ;) And yes, I agree that all dives should be done with the mindset of a solo diver, other than keeping a good eye on your buddy if you have one.
I like your solo dive break down. I've been diving for most my life commercially and recreational. And really you should treat each dive as a solo dive always. Plan your dive dive your plan! That's what I teach my kids.
@@DangarMarine : I've got bad news for you, and that checklist. If you go unconscious, you'll more than likely spit-out your regulator. Choose an FFM! *_:D_*
I'm a solo tech driver, I am self taught and only have a advanced certification plus drysuit. no certification replaces or teaches confidence and the ability to perform under pressure!
Great Video, it is so refreshing to see somebody showing a video like this where mistakes are made, even pointing them out and showing how you got around the issue. So many of these videos are made by 'Experts' and discuss the issues with what if scenarios rather than explaining that this happened and if it can happen to me... Using a DIN first stage means that you cannot mistake the valve for the A-Clamp release. On my Extended Range course there were four trainees, all open water / advanced instructors except for me. The skill test was to swim 50m (last 10-20M no air) along a line with a blacked out mask, get to a stage and turn air on, and breathe on it for three minutes. I was the only one who did not release the A-clamp, because I was the only one to notice it was an A-clamp - lesson learned ensure you are familiar with ALL the equipment even if you do not plan to use it..
Thanks mate, as you say. Doing the training is one thing, practicing until things become muscle memory is the very important next step before the day comes when you rely on your backup equipment under stress in a real-world situation.
Your discussion of solo diving risk assessment reminds me of the idea of personal minimums in aviation. Often legal limits are much more generous than the training and experience of an individual. I am a VFR (basically means nice weather) only pilot. The legal minimum for someone without instrument training go all the way down to 1 mile of visibility. I have essentially no experience flying with visibility that isn't perfect, so those are the only conditions I'll fly in. In aviation we often talk about get-there-itis, which is basically stretching or downright ignoring your personal minimums because you feel you need to get to wherever you're going. A common symptom of get-there-itis is death. The point there is that your risk assessment is only as good as your willpower to stick to it. Thanks for the videos Stu. I came for the restoration/technical stuff, but am happy to stay for diving and fishing adventures too. Keep up the good work.
Thanks mate, glad you liked it. You are dead right that sticking to your assessment is a very important part of the process. It is one thing to know you shouldn't do something, it's another thing to miss an opportunity and actually stay at home.
Love your channel man. You hit on many topics I have interest in. Weirdly, haven't seen you come up in my feed lately even though I'm subscribed. Well on you Sir.
Thanks mate, glad you are enjoying the vids. If RUclips decides that a video isn't that popular it won't show it to subscribers. Clicking the notification bell can help but checking the channel page will show you all new vids.
@@DangarMarine Yea absolutely, I did my open water course in Mozambique in 26 degree (celcius) water and 25m vis. It was so awesome. I then did my advanced course in Port Alfred on South Africas eastern cape coast and the temp was 16 degrees and 2 meter vis. I also miss warm and clear diving.
@@DangarMarine had to look for it...i was thinking of wex skiles and i not only got the location wrong it was in 2010!....wikipedia has a good article on skiles
My diving days go back to the old two hose, tank mounted regulators. I haven’t dived in several years, but watching you on the surface in your dive, I could taste the salt water! Solo diving is extremely risky, but you did a good job of evaluating that risk for your needs. Good skills to have in any case.
This video is a very productive and grown up approach to dealing with the topic safety and risk analysis and the people that base their sense of self-worth on crying wolf. Thanks for that @Dangar Marine and all the information! Hope a certain boat builder in Tulsa watches as well.
I've been a PADI licensed diver for 31 years. 80% of my dives have been in the Florida Keys in semi shallow water solo. I'm a firm believer in redundant planning. Spare air can, shears on my arm, knife on my BC. I shoot with Nikon in an Ikelite housing, so I'm a bit bulky. In over 700 dives, the worst thing I've faced is getting wedged inbetween brain coral. Kept calm, removed my bc, used my spare air freed myself reoriented and surfaced. One other issue I've had are curious Bullshark I didn't see until they bumped to say hello. Cheers buddy love your content.
Stu, I've really enjoyed listening to your risk assessment. I've done my open water course back in 2002 in Cairns. Followed by a couple of days spent on a boat diving in the Great Barrier Reef. I have to say that it was the best experience of my life.
Hi from Italy. Thank you for publishing this video because it’s very useful to me (planning to go solo from the shore in the next months, setting my gear now, testing trim in pools and so on), I think that you’re totally right about the risks being underwater solo (passing out). If I can give a suggestion, keep the pony bottle open during the dive, quicker access in case of need. And never take off your mask during a swim, overall with a camera on it :-) Oh I forgot: when I solo dive, instead of a SMB I have a small SEAC boa always with me attached to a reel with 2 kg of lead to remain stable and I have stuff on it, like my camera gear so I can put on it entering and exiting the dive avoiding damage. I also put my Apple Watch Ultra on it so I have an emergency phone if needed and it tracks my GPS position.
A wise choice taking the solo diving course, and this video makes a really good reminder for people to maintain a 'safety first' mindset and to get good training before going out on their own. I'm not a diver, but I do have experience with breathing apparatus from being a firefighter and we use some of the same kind of equipment. A few of the things I thought about while watching this video were; 1) It's a good idea to identify your own weaknesses and train yourself to overcome them, and do it over and over again until you are proficient at overcoming them in the field. For example, you indicated three areas of concern that I think you may want to practice overcoming. a) Your eyesight is weak (I understand that, mine is too). So, it may be a good idea to have an extra bright light with you because more light helps weak eyes see small things like gauges and reading a slate better and seeing small things like fishing line or netting. This would also be helpful if the sky goes dark like during a sudden storm. Also, it might be a good idea to bring some cyalume light sticks with you as a backup emergency light source. Also, you might look at using a maker on your slate that writes thicker lines so you can see what you wrote better in poor visibility conditions. b) Your broken thumb is another weakness. You may want to focus some training practice on using those snap clips proficiently and with your eyes closed, and also training a lot on using the knife and the sheers especially with that thumb to cut things like thick rope and wire and net so you get really good at it. When you have an injured hand, using the sheers can be really painful on tough material so its good to push yourself and try different techniques for cutting to overcome that weak thumb. c) You said your greatest fear is becoming entangled so that's an area you should train heavily on escaping from until you are good at it and confident that you can deal with it quickly without panicking or using too much air. Practicing it over and over again will give you confidence that you won't become trapped if you get snagged. Something like having a buddy throw a net over you in shallow water and watch ( or film you) while you cut yourself free; and hooking your gear strap or regulator line on a stationary object and then freeing yourself from it would be good drills to do. 2) If you don't have one, I would also consider bringing a small mirror so you can check yourself for equipment problems and also to see any snags that catch on the gear on your back. 3) You might also consider a second very small and completely self-contained backup air supply just in case everything else fails. Something like this: seadragonlife.com/spare-air-refillable-review/
Great video! One of your most thoughtful pieces. Fun to see you talking through risk management and safety considerations. (I’ll refrain from sarcastic comments.). Looking forward to seeing you use the lessons in the future.
Glad you took the solo class. It looks like the taught a lot of good techniques. I've done a lot of solo diving in my life and enjoy the solitude. I consider every dive as a solo dive since I'm usually watching over a less experienced dive buddy.
Good on you for taking that rating, makes you a better n safer diver. I started using a pony bottle back in early 2000, and everyone thought I was either a sissy or an overkill freak... Started diving in early 70's, no bcd, no gauge etc, you had to be switched n about your safety and environment lol. years later now Padi and SSI instructor, running own dive school and marine business, recreational diving is too easy for people and it is a good move to see people like you taking the extra steps to further your knowledge, well done buddy
Thanks William, I really enjoyed taking the course. In fact I enjoyed it so much I’ve just enrolled for John’s Rescue Diver course in three weeks time. :)
@@DangarMarine excellent decision mate. U will need a few items to add in your kit afterwards, all for the better. Keep in touch if you need any info cheers
1:43 in: Calculating your SAC rate is best to do in the water on the surface. Not while dry out of the water. The reason for this is that you do not breath the same way as you do sitting in a chair as you do with your face in the water on a regulator. In the water, your breaths are much deeper and slower than normal, but still higher in volume than when resting above water regardless of standing or sitting. Additionally, body movement directly impacts your SAC rate.
I completely, 100% disagree with the entire existence of a "solo diver" course by all those other agencies. ALL divers should be trained from day one to be self-reliant, sufficient, and be able to dive solo, without the need for extra tanks or needless equipment. NAUI does this. The fact that other agencies have created an entire course to teach basic skills (and then falsely proclaim extra gear is also "needed") just highlights the lack of training they all provide at the basic level, that they SHOULD be providing.
13:22 in: Remove the "case" from the SPG and leave it off. The only thing those covers are good for is trapping salt and causing needless corrosion. If you really want to protect and prolong the life of your gear, get rid of "hose protectors" and "gauge covers".
16:00 in: It's easy to tell by your finning, trim positioning, and the amount of air in your BC, that you have too much weight on. You're overweighted.
18:18: in: Helpful tip. If you deploy the SMB from deeper, something like 20m or so, it will be easier as you'll only need a little puff of air. By the time it reaches the surface, it will be completely full. This is a skill taught in the basic open water course that students should practice on each dive of the course.
I was on that ship. Back in 2000. For Rimpac ex. Aussie hospitality was awesome. 2 CDN on that ship . and 2 Aussie on the CDN ship Protector... We sent them back loaded with beer and peanut butter. Lol good times...
Great vid Stu. Solo or buddies, your best friend is reserve/redundancy. Be it pony or stage bottle, spare mask, plenty of cutting devices etc. I always carried all three even when diving twins. I agree with not turning on the pony until using. used to leave it "charged" to read pressure on surface then turn back off. That way its less easy to undo. When deploying DSMB on a wreck it helps to loop a lanyard around a solid piece of wreck, this gives a hands free to get plenty of air in. Get yourself a wristband mounted slate; they're so much easier! I also have a piece of rope with a big caribena on either end to clip my kit to the boat with on return to the boat, great in a current or to allow you to climb the ladder without the weight of gear. Enjoy!
Thanks Darren. I do like the idea of bit of rope with big caribena. Perfect for the end of the dive as you say but I can imagine it having so many other uses too.
Thanks Jeff, I really enjoying taking the course, hoping to do some more this summer. It was great to be learning again after so many years of coasting along on the original two courses.
another corner turned, it will not be long before your adventures start happening, its been a thrill to be taken along with you on your journey and learning from your experience's,
I am glad to see that you have done a risk assessment, as long as you or anybody really does this should not matter. We all do some sort of risk assessment in our day to day lives and many have no idea that they are doing that.
That was enthralling; finding out more about scuba diving, seeing those big ol' fish with the wreck that they were hanging out on, and side researching the HMAS Adelaide (II). Wow that is quite a deep dive from what I can work out. A great comeback to the nay sayers as well. life is dangerous but its a whole lot safer if you are aware of the risks that surround you and actively mitigate against them.
When I was working on a marine job 38 years ago off HK we used serface demand we made a filter off activated charcoal and Tampax cramed in a 12 inch pipe capped both ends. Piped to a 200 CFM Ingersol Rand compressor worked well. We had a Clucas recompression chamber air frieghted out from England job lasted 2 years in East Lama channel laying water pipe across 4 miles of sea bed
I don’t SKUBA dive but I imagine that knowing these things as second nature rather than need to nervously think would make the time down more enjoyable. I ride a motorcycle and before I did the training and practice, the ride was less comfortable and less enjoyable. Nice vid again mate, thanks.
I just wanted to mention in a civilized, adult manner that here in the states our "indicator" and "windscreen" wiper are usually on the same side. Also, our indicator is called a turn signal and our windscreen is called a windshield. Joking of course. Always enjoy watching. Keep up the good work.
Hi Stu I solo dive more often than not but like you say only under conditions and or risk factors that you feel comfortable with For me it’s 10m or less good via low to no current and or there is a current start into it to finish at the boat and if all else fails drop the rig and head for the surface My PADI training back in the early ‘90s said that it is possible to black out from ten meters after dropping your gear but there is more air on the surface than underwater. My deepest dive to date is 54 metres on the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu when I was 14 years old I was an air pig then and even more so now Where I live in Adelaide I struggle to get deeper than 20 m these days but that doesn’t mean much because climate makes a huge difference when diving Congratulations on your coarse and your achievements with Renko thus far I never miss an episode!!!!! ( and I’m disappointed when a new one isn’t up when I’m expecting it to be) ha ha On the subject of diving and fishing can I suggest you have a look at another RUclips channel I follow here in Adelaide called EJC Adventures Then bloke who does it is a spear fisho and has a unusual methodology to his editing but everyone of his eps makes me hungry to get in or on the water Anyway this is Adelaide Dan signing off and I would like to remind everyone that these comments might have been sponsored by marine engine dot com
Great stuff as always ! In your equipment failure section , you mentioned before you want to try SMB with inflator hose , those can be used to ascend in case of BCD failure . They have the same purge valves as the bcd , so you can control your ascent easily, better than ditching weights and swimming up or ascending upside down which is an other option.. … the cheaper version of SMB s don’t have that feature, it’s well worth the extra few bucks … love your channel, keep up the great content always a pleasure
Until you listed the possible dangers and then prioritised them into would a buddy help I thought diving alone was not sensible. But by listing and discussing them it was evident that the risk / possibility / benefit / mitigating ( training and equipment) were all put in the melting pot and the choice was made with these in mind. I can now see that diving alone can be made far safer than first thought. As you worked down the list of dangers they were ticked off by equipment, exclusion, help from a buddy and is the risk within my own personal risk level. A well argued and discussed choice. Not just I’m going diving alone! Opened my eyes to the way it can be done.....with safety in mind.. Amacf Scotland
Your accurate on the little risk circle you made, we've been solo diving before it was a thing;) its not for everybody i will say but if you know your gear and are comfortable in your safety procedures then by all means " burn some bars " hello from the cold waters of Washington
I have put a marker at 5m from the SMB (shrink fit electric tape) so I can have a visual reference when in open water for the safety stops. Just a little extra help to be save. Enjoying your posts, Thanks.
Air fills was my weekend job in weymouth dorset ...quick fills for impatient divers we used cold water in tubs kept the losses down , we did all mixtures , it was great fun talking with all the other different types of divers , got lots of free fish for good full fills 👌
@@DangarMarine yeah really good conversations and pictures , some propper eye openers with what the nitrox divers got upto , most fished for local restaurants, got one the size of a dustbin lid once fed me for weeks , the dorset coast has lots of wrecks most of the good ones are nitrox territory to deep for me , free fish kept me fed all summer 😁
After 40+ years I am getting back into diving. I had two different certs from different companies, but nobody seems to have a record of me, so I will be starting from scratch.
Skydiving, another sport with Inherent risks, there are several emergency procedures that one must be able to perform instantly. Your course on solo scuba diving reminded me of when I was an Instructor/jumpmaster. Enjoyed your video!
Hey Stu. I did watch this 12mths ago and enjoyed watching it again with more purpose. As a photographer, I'm finding myself diving solo more often than you should. ( just so i don't feel like im going to piss people off taking my time capturing images) Reckon taking the course just for more insight and tips from a professional will be definitely be more beneficial in the end. Cheers R
Damn...equipment has sure changed (for the better) since I first got certified over 3.5 decades ago! Yes...muscle memory is a huge plus to have during a diver emergency event. My one immutable rule for solo diving was to NEVER go into a wreck or cave that I had not been in before without a buddy. Chicken's can make great pets...well some do...others don't have the temperament for it :)
Of course I’m here for the boat content, but I’m loving the diving videos! It’s a very personal journey. I’m in dive training now as well. TDI AN/DP course. As far as solo diving goes, as long as you are making a thoughtful risk assessment, and are honest with yourself about your limitations, I see zero problem with it. Achim Schlöffel has a great video on the topic. It’s all about practice and repetition. Drop a weighted line off renko, and practice skills below the boat. When you get it down, do it without a mask! Keep up the good work Stu!
Hi, this is a very nowlegable subject that i feel every one should at least know even if they dont dive or just can't. Would like to see how your fellow divers do this too.
Stu, just a thought. I have attached to my wings inflater a line cutter for clearing a parachute if you are a parachutist - really good for cutting mono line and fast..
@@DangarMarine Stu, also I am sure you will work out your own kit out over time, but I have a stainless split ring on the marker buoy webbing. when you want to clip quickly it saves pushing webbing into the pistol clip. Just a thought.
It might be worth thinking about keeping a cylinder of oxygen on the boat, in case someone has to come up to fast and starts showing signs of decompression sickness.
Yep all the crayfish divers in north Qld have a cylinder or two of oxygen in case of emergency A lot of them actually use it after a long days diving but they use hookah gear and can spend hours in the water at various depths so it’s a bit hard to keep track! And they are a long way from help if anything goes wrong Make sure it’s medical grade oxygen so no impurities unlike industrial grade
Have several deep dive solo.. but preparing and preparations is key! Like the rest of the dive world, you never just talk out loud about solo diving.. it like a no-no.. so thanks for making this video.. really good explained and a "defense?" for solo diving..
If you feel the hose of the pressure gauge on your pony bottle is too short, you could just remove that rubber molding. The brass body of the SPG is plenty strong and it would probably last longer since no water can sit in the boot between dives.
Stu< after you’ve saved your buddy’s life cause he ran out of air on a very deep dive, you’ll rethink solo scuba diving. Love your channel. Hope you can stay with us a while.
Stu, thanks for the introduction to what's involved in solo diving. The ink on my open water card is still wet but I am thinking that having a solo certification would make sense for me because there are not many other divers in my area. Here in Canada, it is not exactly ideal diving season but I will look into solo training next summer.
It is a good course to do. Bear in mind though they you need to have your Advanced Open Water and at least 100 logged dives before they will let you do the course.
On the pony bottle, I use a tie like inner tube and it holds the gauge to the side of the bottle, so an elbow straight out of the first stage hope that gives you some ideas. keep your gear tight and snug.
Because of the things your likely to do solo, might include scraping barnacles off your prop or the deepest your going is to looking for an anchor, solo gives you more flexibility. I prefer kayaking on my own and take necessary precautions PLB and GPS hand held with emergency button and go out when the weather and tides are favourable. If you go with others your suddenly on their timetable as well that might push you to go out when conditions aren't great. So when solo I'll stick to my schedule and comfort zone. Great for solitude relying on your own skills as well.
I have been looking into some distress beacons that can be taken diving, there are a few on the market which is interesting. You also touched on an interesting subject which is ways in which the person you are with can actually put you in greater danger.
Still find it funny the different diving habits - even in the same country. In Victoria we will deploy an DSMB on EVERY dive. We also usually do live drop/pickup with most dive boats - unless it is on a mooring. i.e. the skipper will drop us on a dive site and not anchor up. At the end of the dive, we deploy the DSMB and when we get to the surface the boat comes to us to pick us up! Also usually only do a single safety stop for 3 min a ~5 metres.....unless we have gone into deco time that is! In any case, informative, and I am thinking of doing a solo course as well. I have a pony already, all I really need is a second computer or alternatively a bottom timer/dive tables.
Really interesting , been looking forward to this part of your youtube boat building diving journey :) There's only myself and a mate so we have to go solo and been doing it years. Even if we do get a skipper we go in together and just seperate, much prefer it. Two computers, two reels both with smb ready to go, no faffing about clipping stuff together. Two torches. Only time i had a wobble was with 15 mins deco to do on a 40m dive and the smb parted from the reel at about 30m in pitch black. But, the spare was ready to go. Biggest risk i see for myself is getting narked which is why we leave the wrecks in the 40m range to the end of the season when the waters warmer and you've got yourself up to speed. Iv'e had far more traumatic dives with an inexperianced partner than iv'e ever had by myself..................he says touching wood!!!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it. Getting narced is definitely something to be aware of. I have been talking to guys that run a hyperbaric chamber about doing a video on nitrogen narcosis but unfortunately it is currently closed due to covid. Next year!
I've done a lot of 0 viz dives (not by choice, got to dive on some big bump on the fish finder, turns out to be a spring in the lake) My buddy and I ended up taking about a 3 1/2 meter rope with a snap hook at either end and snap it to our BC's. Can't lose your buddy if he's attached to ya. I used to have a lot of fun diving in the great lakes here in the US. The zebra mussels that invaded really cleared the water up! When they first invaded you could only see 10-15 ft and you can easily see 30 ft or more now.
Perhaps a can of Solo strapped to you BCD in case of shark attack so you can slam it down fast'? A dive buddy reduces your risk of shark attack by 50 percent, having a dive buddy that is fat, a slow swimmer or one that looks more like a seal will further improve your safety .
@@DangarMarine Having said that Stu, if you put on a few pounds it would reduce your risk of kidnapping whilst solo diving, fat people don't get kidnapped... its tough to weigh up all the most likely risks.
Hello Stu, Steve from America. I have predominately dove solo as an avid photographer. I did have an incident while diving a freshwater lake in Texas. When I arrived at the dive site solo there was another solo diver there who offered to dive with me and it probably saved my life. We set up our gear and set out for a shore dive planning to go about 100 feet deep. Note that I did not carry a pony tank at the time as I did not have one. After we reached about 40 feet deep, I noticed a roaring sound that sounded close yet also far away like a boat or something. I was in the lead and suddenly I hear banging on SCUBA TANK. I looked back and my dive buddy was frantically motioning to go up to the surface. I looked at my computer to check the depth and noticed half of my air was gone! We got back to the surface and to the shore where I found that the o-ring between the primary regulator and my tank had failed while underwater! The roar I heard at the time was my air escaping from my tank. Now I will never forget that sound! Luckily since we weren't very deep and my regulator was still supplying air to my secondary we made out just fine. Had we been deeper it could have been much worse. Good luck in the future!
It certainly goes to show how important the pony bottle is with solo diving. You also reminded me about how much they talk about equipment maintenance and inspections in the course. I really liked the bubble check we did at the start of each dive and it’s got me thinking about lowering the kit into the water and doing my own check then putting it on. Lots to think about!
At the end of the day, it’s all about risk management. If you’re happy then, so be it. The only thing I would add is this. During my time as a BSAC Instructor, I have been surprised that even on buddy dives, situations have arisen where qualified Open Water divers have panicked. Yes,, repetitive training minimises this risk but, it is still there.Good luck and, be safe.
Panic is definitely a big problem underwater. We talked a lot about it in the course and identifying the onset early enough to manage it before it before it gets out of control.
You hit all the major points right on the head. I dive and retired as a30 yr firefighter. Training and practice in conjunction with remaining calm in a chaotic environment is the key. Risk is a part of our daily lives. Knowing what to do is the difference. Lastly a famous fire captain said you can do everything right and still die. Be safe and live a good life. I enjoy watching your videos.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the vid. :)
I took the same course. Even if I never solo dive I gained more knowledge and training to save myself if I ever need too.
Definitely. I think it is a course all divers should do even if they always dive with a buddy. Having more skills is never a bad thing.
Just found this. I went through some these same issues in my solo training. By far this class one of my favorites. Great job with your video - your humility is remarkable. Kudos to you for taking time and effort to better yourself and to help other divers. You break things down in common sense format, methodical.
I have been a PADi certified diver for almost 20 years now and I understand that solo driving diving freaks people out but if you know what you are doing and you understand that you are always in danger when diving And don't get cocky or too relaxed it can be done safely.
Absolutely, staying vigilant is very important.
I like the idea that you took the course even though you thought you had enough knowledge and was able to learn some new things. Even though you try to think things through and feel like you have enough common sense that nothing is going to happen. It shows just asking someone with experience they can show you things you never think about. Thanks for the eye opening video.
Thanks mate, you can never know enough. In fact I've just enrolled to do the Rescue Diver course too. Looking forward to what I learn on that course too!
My buddy left me stuck on a doorway when diving a wreck in Barbados took me about 5 minutes to untangle and he never even missed me! So you are 100% correct ..manage your own risk and never expect “rescue”
I hope you've found a new buddy!
He is still on the wreck!
Buddies are an unknown usefulullness,, unless you have a regular one. It is almost better to go alone if all you have is someone you are paired off with at the dive shop.
No light communications?
Tips for your new fancy dive rig.
Your jump line: measure it, you should know how much line you can deploy while still leaving 10 or so wraps on the reel. Mark that length on the reel, a nice bright paint pen works well. Put a longer lanyard on it and never disconnect until you are about to inflate the SMB.
Pont bottle and SMB: use the bands on your pony bottle to stash your SMB, it's easier than digging through pockets. Linger HP hose or angle connector to keep everything close to the bottle, reduce dangly bits.
Primary reg and hose: Get a LONG one and have it coming up under your arm (just like your instructor), excess can be secured along your rig with the cheapest possible cable ties you can find (look funny at them and they snap, use two so you retain the broken one), when solo it is less likely to get tangled and when in pairs the panicked diver ALWAYS grabs your reg from your mouth, this will give you some separation.
Occy/buddy reg: Clip it in an easy to reach and visible spot, YOU'RE the one who is going to need to find it.
BCD: maybe consider a technical rig when finances permit.
Gear in general: bright colours ARE GOOD! Stay away from reds, yellows, greens and blues are best for vis at depth.
Emergency stuff.
Short on air: hang a deco bottle (NITROX is good in this case if you have to ascend rapidly to get the bottle) off your platform 10m is usually a OK depth, but depending on depth of dive you may want it closer to the bottom.
You're already familiar with your consumption from the pony bottle.
Inside wrecks, never unclip a jumpline or reel if you are not secured to, or have not secured the next reel. Making the reels feel unique and always using them in ste same order can help understand which way you are going, in deeper or toward the exit?
Have fun, and thanks for reminding me of my tech diving days. Deco stops above the Coolooli off Long Reef were dull as hell but the wreck was fascinating.
Hi mate, appreciate all you tips. Will definitely be tweaking the configuration and upgrading bits and pieces as time goes by, with the BCD probably being next as you mentioned too.
Hi
I found your channel, while searching for ‘servicing & maintenance of 2-stroke outboards’ and have subsequently also enjoyed your other videos on a range of topics that are not solely engine related.
As a scuba instructor, I was particularly keen to view your own adventure, into this world of scuba diving and more importantly, what you got out of your solo diving training.
It is very refreshing to see someone openly admit to their own limitations/experiences and also not to act with an air of ‘I’m all knowledgeable’.
Firstly, I would like to add, that quite early on in my own diving environment, I found out that, we all are at some level or another solo diving. We are not tethered side-by-side and always constantly watching each other!. 😳
This became even more evident when I began teaching. Here in the UK, we (as recreational scuba professionals) are bound by various H&S regulations and recommended practices. One of these recommendations (whilst in open water) is to have a safety diver present, whose main task is to rescue me, if I should run into trouble. In reality, all this has done is to increase the number of individuals that I myself have to look after! Ha Ha Ha! 🙄
So, to add my own two pennies worth, I think that at some stage all divers should have some form of solo training, to enable a better outcome, if a self rescue is required.
Next, I would like to point out (and I’m being pedantic here, sorry!) that the different agencies that supply the various ‘solo’ courses, do not all support the concept of solo diving. PADI’s ‘Self Reliant Diver Course’ for example, doesn’t advocate solo diving, but if in the event of separation and subsequent emergency, then an individual will be more equipped - physically and mentally - to deal with it. A good example, where this may come into play, is a photography duo. I’ve seen buddy pairs separated by huge distances, simply because they’ve each been solely concentrating on their own perfect shot.
That being said, I’m also aware that in some locations, individuals holding the SSI (Independent) and PADI (Self Reliant) certs have been refused permission to solo dive, because the certification doesn’t state the word ‘Solo’, whereas those holding the SDI cert have.
Keep the videos coming...
Thanks Mike, I agree that even if you never go solo diving, courses like this do make you a better diver and more caparable of looking after yourself and your buddy. To that end I'm also enrolled in the PADI rescue diver course starting next week. I'm really looking forward to that one too! :)
A good choice!
Enjoy!
This brought back so many memories of my BSAC diving courses back in the early 1070's in the UK. Yes, I'm sure the equipment we used is in the museum now but many of the techniques were similar.
I also enjoy watching your progress on Renko. Very interesting, very informative and very helpful. I think I need to find an old steel boat with a Detroit 2-stroke diesel and get to work!
Thanks for all the videos and best of luck with the outstanding work on Renko.
Best video ever... hahaha.. love the boating ones, but you know I love scuba even more. Totally agree, entanglement is the real fear factor for me as well. I think your points about the buddy system are bang on.. in reality, buddies are not always "good" and often swim off, disappear, lost due to poor vis, etc. I personally feel that you should prepare for every dive with the mindset and training of a solo diver.
Thanks Dayne, we'll have to get the dive team back together one day! Lets be honest, boats are all about getting you to a good dive site. ;) And yes, I agree that all dives should be done with the mindset of a solo diver, other than keeping a good eye on your buddy if you have one.
I like your solo dive break down. I've been diving for most my life commercially and recreational. And really you should treat each dive as a solo dive always. Plan your dive dive your plan! That's what I teach my kids.
It's certainly a great saying, lots of truth to it.
The biggest risk is complacency. I like your approach.
Dead right, thanks mate.
being a SCUBA diver in the past naturally think this is one of your best videos.
I think that this was a good, instructional video. As I've never scuba'd, I found it useful.
Thanks Keith, glad you liked it.
I dive alone in a river in Arkansas all the time.
Totally agree with your list and mindset.
Proper training and practice are key!
They sure are. Enjoy your diving. :)
@@DangarMarine :
I've got bad news for you, and that checklist. If you go unconscious, you'll more than likely spit-out your regulator. Choose an FFM! *_:D_*
I'm a solo tech driver, I am self taught and only have a advanced certification plus drysuit. no certification replaces or teaches confidence and the ability to perform under pressure!
Indeed, ability to remain calm at the time is very, very important, but I do also rate getting great information from experienced instructors.
Brilliant. Great that you took the earlier comments on board and took action. Great example for all your viewers.
Good for you!
Thanks 👍
Mike Nelson always dived alone and he's my hero.
I prefer Lloyd Bridges. ;)
Great Video, it is so refreshing to see somebody showing a video like this where mistakes are made, even pointing them out and showing how you got around the issue. So many of these videos are made by 'Experts' and discuss the issues with what if scenarios rather than explaining that this happened and if it can happen to me...
Using a DIN first stage means that you cannot mistake the valve for the A-Clamp release. On my Extended Range course there were four trainees, all open water / advanced instructors except for me. The skill test was to swim 50m (last 10-20M no air) along a line with a blacked out mask, get to a stage and turn air on, and breathe on it for three minutes. I was the only one who did not release the A-clamp, because I was the only one to notice it was an A-clamp - lesson learned ensure you are familiar with ALL the equipment even if you do not plan to use it..
Thanks mate, as you say. Doing the training is one thing, practicing until things become muscle memory is the very important next step before the day comes when you rely on your backup equipment under stress in a real-world situation.
Your discussion of solo diving risk assessment reminds me of the idea of personal minimums in aviation. Often legal limits are much more generous than the training and experience of an individual. I am a VFR (basically means nice weather) only pilot. The legal minimum for someone without instrument training go all the way down to 1 mile of visibility. I have essentially no experience flying with visibility that isn't perfect, so those are the only conditions I'll fly in. In aviation we often talk about get-there-itis, which is basically stretching or downright ignoring your personal minimums because you feel you need to get to wherever you're going. A common symptom of get-there-itis is death. The point there is that your risk assessment is only as good as your willpower to stick to it.
Thanks for the videos Stu. I came for the restoration/technical stuff, but am happy to stay for diving and fishing adventures too. Keep up the good work.
Thanks mate, glad you liked it. You are dead right that sticking to your assessment is a very important part of the process. It is one thing to know you shouldn't do something, it's another thing to miss an opportunity and actually stay at home.
Same day Same Ocean.
Love your channel man. You hit on many topics I have interest in. Weirdly, haven't seen you come up in my feed lately even though I'm subscribed. Well on you Sir.
Thanks mate, glad you are enjoying the vids. If RUclips decides that a video isn't that popular it won't show it to subscribers. Clicking the notification bell can help but checking the channel page will show you all new vids.
That was a great video, made me miss diving....need to do it again. Thanks Stu
It is great fun. Even though it was a training dive I had forgotten how much fun a clear-water pleasure dive can be.
@@DangarMarine Yea absolutely, I did my open water course in Mozambique in 26 degree (celcius) water and 25m vis. It was so awesome. I then did my advanced course in Port Alfred on South Africas eastern cape coast and the temp was 16 degrees and 2 meter vis. I also miss warm and clear diving.
Glad to see you taking care to learn...we lost one of the worlds most accomplished divers in open water off St Augustine last year...
I'm very sorry to hear that. Is there a report on the accident online anywhere?
@@DangarMarine had to look for it...i was thinking of wex skiles and i not only got the location wrong it was in 2010!....wikipedia has a good article on skiles
You logic (training & precautions) is sound ... so go for it !
I liked the way you made a distinction between theory and practice and the importance of creating muscle memory.
Thanks Steve.
Good to see you taking diving courses. The only thing I know about diving is breathe in and breathe out:)
That's a pretty important place to start. ;)
I think it's great that you did the course. Good to know you're taking your safety seriously.
Thanks James.
My diving days go back to the old two hose, tank mounted regulators. I haven’t dived in several years, but watching you on the surface in your dive, I could taste the salt water!
Solo diving is extremely risky, but you did a good job of evaluating that risk for your needs. Good skills to have in any case.
I do love the look of that oldschool dive gear!
Very good video, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing future dive videos.
Awesome, thank you!
@@DangarMarine Entertaining and educational keep up the very good works Stu.
This video is a very productive and grown up approach to dealing with the topic safety and risk analysis and the people that base their sense of self-worth on crying wolf. Thanks for that @Dangar Marine and all the information! Hope a certain boat builder in Tulsa watches as well.
Thanks Martin, glad you enjoyed it.
I've been a PADI licensed diver for 31 years. 80% of my dives have been in the Florida Keys in semi shallow water solo.
I'm a firm believer in redundant planning. Spare air can, shears on my arm, knife on my BC. I shoot with Nikon in an Ikelite housing, so I'm a bit bulky. In over 700 dives, the worst thing I've faced is getting wedged inbetween brain coral. Kept calm, removed my bc, used my spare air freed myself reoriented and surfaced.
One other issue I've had are curious Bullshark I didn't see until they bumped to say hello. Cheers buddy love your content.
You're dead right, redundancy is very important but keeping calm when dealing with a situation is the critical too.
Stu, I've really enjoyed listening to your risk assessment. I've done my open water course back in 2002 in Cairns. Followed by a couple of days spent on a boat diving in the Great Barrier Reef. I have to say that it was the best experience of my life.
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed the vid and really enjoyed your time on the Barrier Reef. I can't wait to get back up there myself sometime soon. :)
Hi from Italy. Thank you for publishing this video because it’s very useful to me (planning to go solo from the shore in the next months, setting my gear now, testing trim in pools and so on), I think that you’re totally right about the risks being underwater solo (passing out). If I can give a suggestion, keep the pony bottle open during the dive, quicker access in case of need. And never take off your mask during a swim, overall with a camera on it :-) Oh I forgot: when I solo dive, instead of a SMB I have a small SEAC boa always with me attached to a reel with 2 kg of lead to remain stable and I have stuff on it, like my camera gear so I can put on it entering and exiting the dive avoiding damage. I also put my Apple Watch Ultra on it so I have an emergency phone if needed and it tracks my GPS position.
good stuff mate..something ive never been keen to do but i admire those that do.
A wise choice taking the solo diving course, and this video makes a really good reminder for people to maintain a 'safety first' mindset and to get good training before going out on their own. I'm not a diver, but I do have experience with breathing apparatus from being a firefighter and we use some of the same kind of equipment. A few of the things I thought about while watching this video were;
1) It's a good idea to identify your own weaknesses and train yourself to overcome them, and do it over and over again until you are proficient at overcoming them in the field. For example, you indicated three areas of concern that I think you may want to practice overcoming.
a) Your eyesight is weak (I understand that, mine is too). So, it may be a good idea to have an extra bright light with you because more light helps weak eyes see small things like gauges and reading a slate better and seeing small things like fishing line or netting. This would also be helpful if the sky goes dark like during a sudden storm.
Also, it might be a good idea to bring some cyalume light sticks with you as a backup emergency light source.
Also, you might look at using a maker on your slate that writes thicker lines so you can see what you wrote better in poor visibility conditions.
b) Your broken thumb is another weakness. You may want to focus some training practice on using those snap clips proficiently and with your eyes closed, and also training a lot on using the knife and the sheers especially with that thumb to cut things like thick rope and wire and net so you get really good at it. When you have an injured hand, using the sheers can be really painful on tough material so its good to push yourself and try different techniques for cutting to overcome that weak thumb.
c) You said your greatest fear is becoming entangled so that's an area you should train heavily on escaping from until you are good at it and confident that you can deal with it quickly without panicking or using too much air. Practicing it over and over again will give you confidence that you won't become trapped if you get snagged. Something like having a buddy throw a net over you in shallow water and watch ( or film you) while you cut yourself free; and hooking your gear strap or regulator line on a stationary object and then freeing yourself from it would be good drills to do.
2) If you don't have one, I would also consider bringing a small mirror so you can check yourself for equipment problems and also to see any snags that catch on the gear on your back.
3) You might also consider a second very small and completely self-contained backup air supply just in case everything else fails. Something like this: seadragonlife.com/spare-air-refillable-review/
Great video! One of your most thoughtful pieces. Fun to see you talking through risk management and safety considerations. (I’ll refrain from sarcastic comments.). Looking forward to seeing you use the lessons in the future.
Thanks Jeff.
Glad you took the solo class. It looks like the taught a lot of good techniques. I've done a lot of solo diving in my life and enjoy the solitude. I consider every dive as a solo dive since I'm usually watching over a less experienced dive buddy.
I'm glad I took the class too, I really enjoyed it. It's motivated me to go on and do the rescue diver course next.
Good on you for taking that rating, makes you a better n safer diver. I started using a pony bottle back in early 2000, and everyone thought I was either a sissy or an overkill freak... Started diving in early 70's, no bcd, no gauge etc, you had to be switched n about your safety and environment lol. years later now Padi and SSI instructor, running own dive school and marine business, recreational diving is too easy for people and it is a good move to see people like you taking the extra steps to further your knowledge, well done buddy
Thanks William, I really enjoyed taking the course. In fact I enjoyed it so much I’ve just enrolled for John’s Rescue Diver course in three weeks time. :)
@@DangarMarine excellent decision mate. U will need a few items to add in your kit afterwards, all for the better. Keep in touch if you need any info cheers
1:43 in: Calculating your SAC rate is best to do in the water on the surface. Not while dry out of the water. The reason for this is that you do not breath the same way as you do sitting in a chair as you do with your face in the water on a regulator. In the water, your breaths are much deeper and slower than normal, but still higher in volume than when resting above water regardless of standing or sitting. Additionally, body movement directly impacts your SAC rate.
I completely, 100% disagree with the entire existence of a "solo diver" course by all those other agencies. ALL divers should be trained from day one to be self-reliant, sufficient, and be able to dive solo, without the need for extra tanks or needless equipment. NAUI does this. The fact that other agencies have created an entire course to teach basic skills (and then falsely proclaim extra gear is also "needed") just highlights the lack of training they all provide at the basic level, that they SHOULD be providing.
13:22 in: Remove the "case" from the SPG and leave it off. The only thing those covers are good for is trapping salt and causing needless corrosion. If you really want to protect and prolong the life of your gear, get rid of "hose protectors" and "gauge covers".
15:26 in: Why in the world are you kneeling on something? No... This is not how you train. Not on the 1st dive, not on the 1000th dive.
16:00 in: It's easy to tell by your finning, trim positioning, and the amount of air in your BC, that you have too much weight on. You're overweighted.
18:18: in: Helpful tip. If you deploy the SMB from deeper, something like 20m or so, it will be easier as you'll only need a little puff of air. By the time it reaches the surface, it will be completely full. This is a skill taught in the basic open water course that students should practice on each dive of the course.
I was on that ship. Back in 2000. For Rimpac ex.
Aussie hospitality was awesome. 2 CDN on that ship . and 2 Aussie on the CDN ship Protector... We sent them back loaded with beer and peanut butter. Lol good times...
Nice one!
Great vid Stu. Solo or buddies, your best friend is reserve/redundancy. Be it pony or stage bottle, spare mask, plenty of cutting devices etc. I always carried all three even when diving twins. I agree with not turning on the pony until using. used to leave it "charged" to read pressure on surface then turn back off. That way its less easy to undo. When deploying DSMB on a wreck it helps to loop a lanyard around a solid piece of wreck, this gives a hands free to get plenty of air in. Get yourself a wristband mounted slate; they're so much easier! I also have a piece of rope with a big caribena on either end to clip my kit to the boat with on return to the boat, great in a current or to allow you to climb the ladder without the weight of gear. Enjoy!
Thanks Darren. I do like the idea of bit of rope with big caribena. Perfect for the end of the dive as you say but I can imagine it having so many other uses too.
Stu that was smart taking the Solo course, you're right about muscle memory too, Keeping it safe Oh Yeah, Jeff in LA USA
Thanks Jeff, I really enjoying taking the course, hoping to do some more this summer. It was great to be learning again after so many years of coasting along on the original two courses.
Best vlog yet.👍👍👍 keep them coming.
Thank you! Will do!
another corner turned, it will not be long before your adventures start happening, its been a thrill to be taken along with you on your journey and learning from your experience's,
Thanks mate. Each week I feel we are getting more equipped and prepared for the adventures ahead!
I am glad to see that you have done a risk assessment, as long as you or anybody really does this should not matter. We all do some sort of risk assessment in our day to day lives and many have no idea that they are doing that.
That's very true, we don't always do a formal assessment on paper but we do weigh up the risks based on our experience.
That was enthralling; finding out more about scuba diving, seeing those big ol' fish with the wreck that they were hanging out on, and side researching the HMAS Adelaide (II). Wow that is quite a deep dive from what I can work out.
A great comeback to the nay sayers as well. life is dangerous but its a whole lot safer if you are aware of the risks that surround you and actively mitigate against them.
Thanks Phillip, glad you enjoyed it. :)
When I was working on a marine job 38 years ago off HK we used serface demand we made a filter off activated charcoal and Tampax cramed in a 12 inch pipe capped both ends. Piped to a 200 CFM Ingersol Rand compressor worked well. We had a Clucas recompression chamber air frieghted out from England job lasted 2 years in East Lama channel laying water pipe across 4 miles of sea bed
Some great improvisation there!
An excellent video Stu, even the tech side of diving, I found that really interesting. Good luck and be safe.👍⚓👌
Glad you enjoyed it
I don’t SKUBA dive but I imagine that knowing these things as second nature rather than need to nervously think would make the time down more enjoyable. I ride a motorcycle and before I did the training and practice, the ride was less comfortable and less enjoyable. Nice vid again mate, thanks.
Thanks mate. Motorcycle riding definitely has many parallels in training to minimise risk.
I just wanted to mention in a civilized, adult manner that here in the states our "indicator" and "windscreen" wiper are usually on the same side. Also, our indicator is called a turn signal and our windscreen is called a windshield. Joking of course. Always enjoy watching. Keep up the good work.
Ha! But you knew they were both on the same side straight away. ;)
Yeah, but you have the steering wheel on the wrong side LOL
Enjoyed this informative episode. After consideration I changed my risk question from should you solo dive to should you be prepared to solo dive.
Hi Stu
I solo dive more often than not but like you say only under conditions and or risk factors that you feel comfortable with
For me it’s 10m or less good via low to no current and or there is a current start into it to finish at the boat and if all else fails drop the rig and head for the surface
My PADI training back in the early ‘90s said that it is possible to black out from ten meters after dropping your gear but there is more air on the surface than underwater. My deepest dive to date is 54 metres on the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu when I was 14 years old I was an air pig then and even more so now
Where I live in Adelaide I struggle to get deeper than 20 m these days but that doesn’t mean much because climate makes a huge difference when diving
Congratulations on your coarse and your achievements with Renko thus far
I never miss an episode!!!!!
( and I’m disappointed when a new one isn’t up when I’m expecting it to be) ha ha
On the subject of diving and fishing can I suggest you have a look at another RUclips channel I follow here in Adelaide called EJC Adventures
Then bloke who does it is a spear fisho and has a unusual methodology to his editing but everyone of his eps makes me hungry to get in or on the water
Anyway this is Adelaide Dan signing off and I would like to remind everyone that these comments might have been sponsored by marine engine dot com
I agree, about 10 metres is my limit for a solo dive too.
Always good to educate yourself 👍🏾
Definitely. :)
Great stuff as always ! In your equipment failure section , you mentioned before you want to try SMB with inflator hose , those can be used to ascend in case of BCD failure . They have the same purge valves as the bcd , so you can control your ascent easily, better than ditching weights and swimming up or ascending upside down which is an other option.. … the cheaper version of SMB s don’t have that feature, it’s well worth the extra few bucks … love your channel, keep up the great content always a pleasure
Good tip!
Until you listed the possible dangers and then prioritised them into would a buddy help I thought diving alone was not sensible. But by listing and discussing them it was evident that the risk / possibility / benefit / mitigating ( training and equipment) were all put in the melting pot and the choice was made with these in mind. I can now see that diving alone can be made far safer than first thought. As you worked down the list of dangers they were ticked off by equipment, exclusion, help from a buddy and is the risk within my own personal risk level.
A well argued and discussed choice. Not just I’m going diving alone! Opened my eyes to the way it can be done.....with safety in mind.. Amacf Scotland
You definitely need to do the analysis to make an informed decision.
Your accurate on the little risk circle you made, we've been solo diving before it was a thing;) its not for everybody i will say but if you know your gear and are comfortable in your safety procedures then by all means " burn some bars " hello from the cold waters of Washington
Thanks mate.
Enjoyed the video. Good point about the buddies. I have unfortunately performed many solo dives with a buddy.
Stay safe.
Thanks mate, that is a great way of describing the bad budy syndrome.
Wow that was a fun video! Stu Zusso! Lol (Im sure i spelled that wrong) great footage of the wreck, really neat! Great educational video, Stu. 👍🏼🙂
Thanks Kris, glad you enjoyed it. :)
Thanks Stu - a change from the usual "boat" videos that I really enjoy - this video was really interesting
Thanks Matt, glad you liked it. :)
I have put a marker at 5m from the SMB (shrink fit electric tape) so I can have a visual reference when in open water for the safety stops. Just a little extra help to be save. Enjoying your posts, Thanks.
Nice idea. :)
I have a small loop/knot at 6m on mine...same purpose, less likely to move!
Air fills was my weekend job in weymouth dorset ...quick fills for impatient divers we used cold water in tubs kept the losses down , we did all mixtures , it was great fun talking with all the other different types of divers , got lots of free fish for good full fills 👌
I bet you had some interesting chats by the compressor. :) Free fish is a bonus!
@@DangarMarine yeah really good conversations and pictures , some propper eye openers with what the nitrox divers got upto , most fished for local restaurants, got one the size of a dustbin lid once fed me for weeks , the dorset coast has lots of wrecks most of the good ones are nitrox territory to deep for me , free fish kept me fed all summer 😁
Lol my current spear gun is the blue one in the display cabinet of "old scuba gear", way to make me feel old!
LOL. Goes to show how well it was made!
I got my PADI certification back in the seventies but I would retake this class cause I’ve slept since then.
After 40+ years I am getting back into diving. I had two different certs from different companies, but nobody seems to have a record of me, so I will be starting from scratch.
Skydiving, another sport with Inherent risks, there are several emergency procedures that one must be able to perform instantly. Your course on solo scuba diving reminded me of when I was an Instructor/jumpmaster. Enjoyed your video!
For sure, there are plenty of equivalents. All the new techniques they teach you when you go for your motorcycle license is another example.
Nine years down the road and she appears to be developing into a dandy artificial reef.
The last time I was this early Stu's boat was green....
Hey Stu.
I did watch this 12mths ago and enjoyed watching it again with more purpose.
As a photographer, I'm finding myself diving solo more often than you should. ( just so i don't feel like im going to piss people off taking my time capturing images)
Reckon taking the course just for more insight and tips from a professional will be definitely be more beneficial in the end.
Cheers R
Good video. Thank you.
Daffy was so sweet❤️
I've been on some long dives before where some breathing apparartus would have come in handy. Always got the thumbs up too lol. cheers.
LOL
@@lemullet6273 There is but the light levels are very low and the audio is quite muffled, as you'd expect lol.
@@lemullet6273 Very much so. I'd say I'd take a torch next time but my situation is more fleshlight than flashlight these days.
@@lemullet6273 Go home Ricko, I'm drunk.
@@victorbitter583 LOL
Great advice Stu you show that after good risk analysis you can live your life the way you want. Ingat kuya
Thanks mate.
Damn...equipment has sure changed (for the better) since I first got certified over 3.5 decades ago!
Yes...muscle memory is a huge plus to have during a diver emergency event.
My one immutable rule for solo diving was to NEVER go into a wreck or cave that I had not been in before without a buddy.
Chicken's can make great pets...well some do...others don't have the temperament for it :)
For sure, there is definitely a whole set of dives I would never do solo, but plenty I would do quite happily.
That looks so cool nice videography
Thanks Gabe, glad you liked it.
Turn the pony bottle on at the same time you turn the main cylinder on. It pressurizes the reg and makes it immediately available.
As long as you keep checking it's SPG regularly to make sure it isn't leaking air.
Of course I’m here for the boat content, but I’m loving the diving videos! It’s a very personal journey. I’m in dive training now as well. TDI AN/DP course.
As far as solo diving goes, as long as you are making a thoughtful risk assessment, and are honest with yourself about your limitations, I see zero problem with it. Achim Schlöffel has a great video on the topic. It’s all about practice and repetition. Drop a weighted line off renko, and practice skills below the boat. When you get it down, do it without a mask!
Keep up the good work Stu!
Good job!
Thank you! Cheers!
Hi, this is a very nowlegable subject that i feel every one should at least know even if they dont dive or just can't. Would like to see how your fellow divers do this too.
Stu, just a thought. I have attached to my wings inflater a line cutter for clearing a parachute if you are a parachutist - really good for cutting mono line and fast..
I was looking at those in the dive store, definitely an interesting option.
@@DangarMarine Stu, also I am sure you will work out your own kit out over time, but I have a stainless split ring on the marker buoy webbing. when you want to clip quickly it saves pushing webbing into the pistol clip. Just a thought.
@ 1:47 “Be careful not to choke on your aspirations.”
Hi Stu, I had not heard of this course and your discussing it with us was excellent. Thank you. Sad news regarding P Ewan.
Thanks mate. P Ewan??
Peter Ewan. Use to live in Mooney Mooney.
It might be worth thinking about keeping a cylinder of oxygen on the boat, in case someone has to come up to fast and starts showing signs of decompression sickness.
Or too many Cooper's the night before -wink!
Yep, I think that would be well worth keeping with the other first aid kit for sure.
Yep all the crayfish divers in north Qld have a cylinder or two of oxygen in case of emergency
A lot of them actually use it after a long days diving but they use hookah gear and can spend hours in the water at various depths so it’s a bit hard to keep track!
And they are a long way from help if anything goes wrong
Make sure it’s medical grade oxygen so no impurities unlike industrial grade
Actually, that’s mandatory in many destinations.
Totally agree with you about solo diving... I have though of this, I have trained for this...
Have several deep dive solo.. but preparing and preparations is key!
Like the rest of the dive world, you never just talk out loud about solo diving.. it like a no-no.. so thanks for making this video.. really good explained and a "defense?" for solo diving..
Very interesting video!
Glad you think so!
Excellent vlog mate, you do what you want, life is too short 👍
Thanks Martin.
Thanks mate...Cheers Kentucky
Thanks Steve. :)
If you feel the hose of the pressure gauge on your pony bottle is too short, you could just remove that rubber molding. The brass body of the SPG is plenty strong and it would probably last longer since no water can sit in the boot between dives.
I think you are probably right about the boot. I think I'll add a 90 degree elbow to the system to keep it flat.
Stu< after you’ve saved your buddy’s life cause he ran out of air on a very deep dive, you’ll rethink solo scuba diving. Love your channel. Hope you can stay with us a while.
Did you watch till the end? The bit about not doing "very deep dives" solo?
Stu, thanks for the introduction to what's involved in solo diving.
The ink on my open water card is still wet but I am thinking that having a solo certification would make sense for me because there are not many other divers in my area. Here in Canada, it is not exactly ideal diving season but I will look into solo training next summer.
It is a good course to do. Bear in mind though they you need to have your Advanced Open Water and at least 100 logged dives before they will let you do the course.
@@DangarMarine Thanks for the info, I will keep that in mind
On the pony bottle, I use a tie like inner tube and it holds the gauge to the side of the bottle, so an elbow straight out of the first stage hope that gives you some ideas. keep your gear tight and snug.
Yes, thinking a 90 degree elbow would be a good thing.
Awesome episode, I’m about to start the advance coarse & want to do this one now as a priority👍👍
Thanks mate, it is a great course to do.
Plan your dive. Dive your plan.
Because of the things your likely to do solo, might include scraping barnacles off your prop or the deepest your going is to looking for an anchor, solo gives you more flexibility.
I prefer kayaking on my own and take necessary precautions PLB and GPS hand held with emergency button and go out when the weather and tides are favourable. If you go with others your suddenly on their timetable as well that might push you to go out when conditions aren't great.
So when solo I'll stick to my schedule and comfort zone. Great for solitude relying on your own skills as well.
I have been looking into some distress beacons that can be taken diving, there are a few on the market which is interesting. You also touched on an interesting subject which is ways in which the person you are with can actually put you in greater danger.
Still find it funny the different diving habits - even in the same country. In Victoria we will deploy an DSMB on EVERY dive. We also usually do live drop/pickup with most dive boats - unless it is on a mooring. i.e. the skipper will drop us on a dive site and not anchor up. At the end of the dive, we deploy the DSMB and when we get to the surface the boat comes to us to pick us up! Also usually only do a single safety stop for 3 min a ~5 metres.....unless we have gone into deco time that is!
In any case, informative, and I am thinking of doing a solo course as well. I have a pony already, all I really need is a second computer or alternatively a bottom timer/dive tables.
Really interesting , been looking forward to this part of your youtube boat building diving journey :) There's only myself and a mate so we have to go solo and been doing it years. Even if we do get a skipper we go in together and just seperate, much prefer it.
Two computers, two reels both with smb ready to go, no faffing about clipping stuff together. Two torches. Only time i had a wobble was with 15 mins deco to do on a 40m dive and the smb parted from the reel at about 30m in pitch black. But, the spare was ready to go. Biggest risk i see for myself is getting narked which is why we leave the wrecks in the 40m range to the end of the season when the waters warmer and you've got yourself up to speed.
Iv'e had far more traumatic dives with an inexperianced partner than iv'e ever had by myself..................he says touching wood!!!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it. Getting narced is definitely something to be aware of. I have been talking to guys that run a hyperbaric chamber about doing a video on nitrogen narcosis but unfortunately it is currently closed due to covid. Next year!
Great video Stu 👍underwater camera is great
Thanks mate. Next time I'll set the camera to a wider angle though.
I've done a lot of 0 viz dives (not by choice, got to dive on some big bump on the fish finder, turns out to be a spring in the lake) My buddy and I ended up taking about a 3 1/2 meter rope with a snap hook at either end and snap it to our BC's. Can't lose your buddy if he's attached to ya. I used to have a lot of fun diving in the great lakes here in the US. The zebra mussels that invaded really cleared the water up! When they first invaded you could only see 10-15 ft and you can easily see 30 ft or more now.
Perhaps a can of Solo strapped to you BCD in case of shark attack so you can slam it down fast'? A dive buddy reduces your risk of shark attack by 50 percent, having a dive buddy that is fat, a slow swimmer or one that looks more like a seal will further improve your safety .
Can't argue with your statistics there Steve! :D
@@DangarMarine Having said that Stu, if you put on a few pounds it would reduce your risk of kidnapping whilst solo diving, fat people don't get kidnapped... its tough to weigh up all the most likely risks.
I did consider a flash sequin covered wetsuit once for special occasions but they I realised I would just look like a giant whiting.
@@DangarMarine Las Vegas Whiting
Very interesting dive course. Thanks for sharing all the ins and outs. Take Daffy on the boat with you next time so she won't get scared.
Thanks mate, glad you liked it. I think Daffy would be even more scared on the boat!
@@DangarMarine Must be the accent. I thought her name was Daffy. Get a chicken life vest. They sell em on Amazonia.
Bloody autocorrect! Daffy it is!
@@DangarMarine Lol.
Hello Stu,
Steve from America. I have predominately dove solo as an avid photographer.
I did have an incident while diving a freshwater lake in Texas. When I arrived at the dive site solo there was another solo diver there who offered to dive with me and it probably saved my life. We set up our gear and set out for a shore dive planning to go about 100 feet deep.
Note that I did not carry a pony tank at the time as I did not have one.
After we reached about 40 feet deep, I noticed a roaring sound that sounded close yet also far away like a boat or something. I was in the lead and suddenly I hear banging on SCUBA TANK.
I looked back and my dive buddy was frantically motioning to go up to the surface.
I looked at my computer to check the depth and noticed half of my air was gone!
We got back to the surface and to the shore where I found that the o-ring between the primary regulator and my tank had failed while underwater! The roar I heard at the time was my air escaping from my tank. Now I will never forget that sound!
Luckily since we weren't very deep and my regulator was still supplying air to my secondary we made out just fine. Had we been deeper it could have been much worse.
Good luck in the future!
It certainly goes to show how important the pony bottle is with solo diving. You also reminded me about how much they talk about equipment maintenance and inspections in the course. I really liked the bubble check we did at the start of each dive and it’s got me thinking about lowering the kit into the water and doing my own check then putting it on. Lots to think about!
At the end of the day, it’s all about risk management. If you’re happy then, so be it. The only thing I would add is this. During my time as a BSAC Instructor, I have been surprised that even on buddy dives, situations have arisen where qualified Open Water divers have panicked. Yes,, repetitive training minimises this risk but, it is still there.Good luck and, be safe.
Panic is definitely a big problem underwater. We talked a lot about it in the course and identifying the onset early enough to manage it before it before it gets out of control.
@@DangarMarine the Incident Pit, no doubt. Get control, before it gets you. Enjoy your diving Stu.