How happy are you with today's level of Diver Education?

[Thalassamania]

Dive shops and stand alone facilities like compressor stations (even mobile compressor stations at dive sites) predated certification agencies, so I don't think that their existence (or even health) depends on the certification segment of the industry. One of the fallacies is that agencies are the sole way to create divers and then divers create demand. That was not the original paradigm and I doubt if it is the future paradigm.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The shop I now use has 6 instructors from 3 or 4 different agencies. The shop is officially a NAUI shop but there is very little educational materials from any agency there. Those are the responsibility of the instructors. In fact individual instructors get the same or even better prices on them than the shop could get. Another item he does not have to carry. Allows him to have more gear and shelf space is taken up by that instead of a lot of things that are little more than dust collectors at other places. THis shop relies on certifications to stay open yes. The individual instructors ask their students to buy their gear here and as fair as the owner is with people he gets a bunch of repeat business. Between this, the commercial divers he now has coming in, and his on line presence he is doing ok. Enough that Zeagle asked him to become a dealer even though there was a much older dealer not far away. I ordered a new Zeagle Express from him. I sure as hell don't need another bc but he is very good to me and I will use the gear he sells (even though it is not required) whenever possible to promote his shop. I don;t get a sales commission but the perks I get, ( pool time, use of pool gear, and keyman or pricing whenever possible) make it worthwhile for me to promote and use his shop.

 

[Web Monkey]

Of course they are. Now try to follow this: that is because here are a lot of divers coming through that will use them. Take the divers away, and there is no need for the compressors.

Breathable compressed gas is used for all sorts of non-SCUBA activities.

Terry

 

[Thalassamania]

Of course they are. Now try to follow this: that is because here are a lot of divers coming through that will use them. Take the divers away, and there is no need for the compressors.

I traveled all through Central America with a small Puris compressor, it was never any problem, we had air where ever we wanted it, we even took it by mule up the side of several volcanos and down into the calderas to dive in the lakes there.

 

[lobstah]

how does UTD get away with teaching Tech 1 and Tech 2 in only 1/2 of one day combined?

Huh? UTD Standars:
T1 - 3 day class
T2 - 3 day class
added up = 6 days

In case you would rather compare apples to apples:
UTD Rec 1 = 10 hours of lectures 6 hours of pool, 8 ocean dives

 

[DCBC]

Dive shops and stand alone facilities like compressor stations (even mobile compressor stations at dive sites) predated certification agencies, so I don't think that their existence (or even health) depends on the certification segment of the industry. One of the fallacies is that agencies are the sole way to create divers and then divers create demand. That was not the original paradigm and I doubt if it is the future paradigm.

You're correct Thal, but there were far fewer dive shops before the "diving industry" was more fully developed. This was reflected in the number of manufacturers making equipment. Today there are 5 or 6 times more equipment manufacturers than when we were first certified.

I bought my first regulator from a guy who sold Healthways regs on the side and had a compressor in his garage. At the time their were 2 dive shops within a 30 mile radius of Toronto. Now there's at least 4 times that many. Most diver certifications are through the LDS. It's not coincidence that this is the case. New diver's feed equipment sales.

There were compressors and dive shops before certification agencies. If the certification agencies collapsed, so would many manufacturers. Dive shops would still be around, as would compressors, but there would be a lot fewer of them.

 

[Web Monkey]

What do you suppose the consequence would be for a captain who took an uncertified diver out who died? Who would risk their livelihood like that? The bigger question for me is whether I would trust my safety with an operator whose only priority is your method of payment.

All the boat captain has to do is find the dive site, be there when I surface and be able to find shore.

Terry

 

[boulderjohn]

I traveled all through Central America with a small Puris compressor, it was never any problem, we had air where ever we wanted it, we even took it by mule up the side of several volcanos and down into the calderas to dive in the lakes there.

Well, that sounds great. Personally, I am hoping for a different vacation experience, and I am guessing there might be others out there like me.

 

[boulderjohn]

Deleted post

 

[Thalassamania]

Well, that sounds great. Personally, I am hoping for a different vacation experience, and I am guessing there might be others out there like me.

That wasn't a vacation, that was work.

The point is, however, it is fairly easy to not be dependent on an LDS for air fills.