Does SSI take gear inspections a little far?

[JPENDERGRAST]

I'm sure some feathers will be ruffled with this question in regards to safety, but I assure that it is nothing more than a face value question.

I'm currently going through my Advanced Open Water through an SSI shop where I live. The people at the shop are great, and I'm very glad to do business with thim. HOWEVER, they want to inspect virtually all the gear that I own (except exposure protection). My BC, reg set (no brainer there), computer, mask, and EVEN my fins! Is this common with SSI, or any other agencies?

I'm a strong advocate for everyone having a safe and fun dive (which is why I'm planning on doing my Rescue Diver immediately after this class), but I have a hard time beleiving that inspecting some of that stuff is anything more than another income source. The Reg set and computer I can understand, but the BC and other stuff? The BC works as long as it inflates AND dumps! The fins, and mask though.... That's just rediculous.

When I went through PADI OW class, none of that was mandatory, but I had my regulator checked regardless. I'm not putting down safe measures, It's just that I question the BC, fins, and mask stuff, and was wondering if anyone else had run across this. The Memphis area, for the most part, is void of a serious diving market, and the stores in the area are notorious (to the local diving community) for finding different ways to nickel and dime people.

 

[muddiver]

For the average vacation diver a full inspection by the instructor/shop staff is probably a good idea.

For someone with a few years of diving experience, or some one mechanically inclined it is probably over kill.

The SSI shop out here does a BC service that includes a bladder test and valve cleaning, but you can do all that yourself if you just sit down and think about the possible failure points to look at. A good annual inspection of all your gear (by you or a tech) is a good idea reguardless.

 

[redacted]

Are you being charged for that inspection service?

 

[DivingCRNA]

I have heard that the local SSI shop will not let you use their pool unless they put their SSI inspection thing on it. Regardless of when the gear was serviced by someone else.

I think it is too far, but it IS their pool....

 

[JPENDERGRAST]

Are you being charged for that inspection service?

I would assume so. I haven't taken my gear up there yet.

I have heard that the local SSI shop will not let you use their pool unless they put their SSI inspection thing on it. Regardless of when the gear was serviced by someone else.

I think it is too far, but it IS their pool....

That's true here as well. They will not let you in their pool without putting their name on your stuff.

 

[muddiver]

Demand a royalty fee for having to display their logo on your equipment.

 

[NCadiver]

BC should be inspected for leaks and the inflator and if you dive in the ocean salt deposit in the bladder.

[/QUOTE]
That's true here as well. They will not let you in their pool without putting their name on your stuff.[/QUOTE]

That insurance companies for you.

 

[BabyDuck]

um, no. not likely to be a ssi requirement, but a shop requirement.

and not all places of dive instruction / dive instructors spoon feed people like this.

personal opinion - totally an attempt to gouge $$. personal response - 'i guess you don't want my class money bad enough, because you're not 'inspecting' one piece of my gear.'

 

[rstofer]

I'm sure some feathers will be ruffled with this question in regards to safety, but I assure that it is nothing more than a face value question.

I'm currently going through my Advanced Open Water through an SSI shop where I live. The people at the shop are great, and I'm very glad to do business with thim. HOWEVER, they want to inspect virtually all the gear that I own (except exposure protection). My BC, reg set (no brainer there), computer, mask, and EVEN my fins! Is this common with SSI, or any other agencies?

I'm a strong advocate for everyone having a safe and fun dive (which is why I'm planning on doing my Rescue Diver immediately after this class), but I have a hard time beleiving that inspecting some of that stuff is anything more than another income source. The Reg set and computer I can understand, but the BC and other stuff? The BC works as long as it inflates AND dumps! The fins, and mask though.... That's just rediculous.

When I went through PADI OW class, none of that was mandatory, but I had my regulator checked regardless. I'm not putting down safe measures, It's just that I question the BC, fins, and mask stuff, and was wondering if anyone else had run across this. The Memphis area, for the most part, is void of a serious diving market, and the stores in the area are notorious (to the local diving community) for finding different ways to nickel and dime people.

If this is the first class you have taken with this shop, I'm not surprised. At a minimum, they would want to know that there is tempered glass in your mask, for example. They don't know what you have or where/when you got it. Could be junk from the old days. Could be brand new. Until they look at it, how can they tell?

Telling you up front that they want to inspect the gear just saves some possible conflict when you show up for class with hand-me-downs from your grandparents.

I doubt the inspection will be anything other than cursory. They didn't say THEY had to service it, did they?

Richard

 

[Lead_carrier]

......
I'm currently going through my Advanced Open Water through an SSI shop where I live. The people at the shop are great, and I'm very glad to do business with thim. HOWEVER, they want to inspect virtually all the gear that I own (except exposure protection). My BC, reg set (no brainer there), computer, mask, and EVEN my fins! Is this common with SSI, or any other agencies?

.........

I'm not putting down safe measures, It's just that I question the BC, fins, and mask stuff, and was wondering if anyone else had run across this. The Memphis area, for the most part, is void of a serious diving market, and the stores in the area are notorious (to the local diving community) for finding different ways to nickel and dime people.

To my knowledge this is not a SSI requirement. I teach SSI and while I always check out everyones gear, I do not require service unless it looks like crap or I find a problem. That is part of the class and I make the student assemble the gear and actually do the check. It isn't an equipment class and I don't charge for it. It is just a way to make them more aware of what they should be doing.

That being said there is another SSI shop in the area that has more ways to nickle and dime you than the IRS. If you don't buy your equipment from him. HE has to O2 clean it before Nitrox class. Buy any equipment for someone else, you're not a loyal buddy. He even charges a cancellation fee for dive trips the HE cancels.

So a short answer is it isn't an SSI requirement, could be a good thing for you, unless he tries to charge you for the inspection or starts screwing you with bogus rebuilds and stuff. If he starts demanding rebuilds, new hoses, his brand of "*****" then get the heck out. He's a con artist not a reputable dive shop.