Al Hornsby Resigns

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No, but if I stay in the industry... this is likely to occur. Given I could do it financially, I just have to decide that's a direction I want to take.

It wouldn't be so hard to have a computer, BCD or anything else made with my name on it... Dive Rite, Zeagle and IST already use the same computer model as an example. I was just discussing this product line thing with a rep today... Order 100 of this or that from the true manufacturer of the product and they'll put whatever name on it you want.

I'm looking hard at possibly debuting a line in 2011... so stay tuned... I give a lot of props to guys who have taken this approach... such as Mike at Down 130... one of the nicest wetsuits on the market... as China, Taiwan and others lag due to low orders from the big boys, now may be a good time to jump in... I'm thinking hard about it.

Good luck.

Please keep us posted on how all that works out.

:)
 
No, but if I stay in the industry... this is likely to occur. Given I could do it financially, I just have to decide that's a direction I want to take.

It wouldn't be so hard to have a computer, BCD or anything else made with my name on it... Dive Rite, Zeagle and IST already use the same computer model as an example. I was just discussing this product line thing with a rep today... Order 100 of this or that from the true manufacturer of the product and they'll put whatever name on it you want.

I'm looking hard at possibly debuting a line in 2011... so stay tuned... I give a lot of props to guys who have taken this approach... such as Mike at Down 130... one of the nicest wetsuits on the market... as China, Taiwan and others lag due to low orders from the big boys, now may be a good time to jump in... I'm thinking hard about it.

Completely possible. But that product liability insurance is going to be tough until your retail volume gets up to a couple of million a year. And, the opportunity costs associated with buying everything in quantities of 100 or more are going to allow you to set a retail store record for the lowest number of inventory turns in a decade.

Oh, you could always try going without the insurance. Several have tried that.

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com
 
OTW,

Please allow me to explain the significance of SEI for both you and I.

You want customers for your shop and possibly for your future product line. Now, by calling SEI a fringe agency, and minimizing SEI's impact on diving, you've done a pretty decent job of possibly alienating every SEI diver or instructor who reads this thread. In fact, I have lots of personal respect for the SEI program and I educate my instructor candidates about the quality of diver that they should expect when looking at a potential student's or customer's C-card. GUE and SEI certs top my list. Basically, yes, people, be surprised if they suck rather than expect SEI divers to suck.

Personally, I have a lot of respect for JimLap, Walter, and Dan Marelli who post to SB and other boards. They are SEI instructors. Dan represented Y Scuba at the RSTC meetings. Guess what position he holds in SEI? Jim and Walter are quite active as participants and you can't participate as much as they do without learning a lot as well. I'm also a YMCA lifeguard instructor with deep personal ties to the Y Scuba and SEI program. My PDIC instructor trainer was also a YMCA instructor at one time. Which means I have some negative feelings about you, your store and your future product line because you've insulted my friends and my kindred spirit agency.

Now, instructors whom I've certified and friends of mine in the industry are probably not going to want to support your store or product line because I'm unhappy. Note: If you are one of my guys, be advised, I am unhappy with the SEI comment!

OTW, at first, I was thinking about working with you and seeing if you needed any freediving, trimix, wreck penetration, or cave instruction added to your business as these posts developed. Now, I'm like, dude, insulting Y Scuba or SEI is like ragging on MOM! What's next? L.A. County?

Okay, so we've got the SEI guys, their guys, me, my guys, and our friends thinking, "What's with OTW? Isn't he a dive shop owner? Doesn't he want people to shop at his store? Well, he doesn't want SEI guys for sure!" This hurts your vendors because you'll sell less of their products our group. This hurts your agency because our students will be discouraged from going to your store where you can seduce them into training with your brand. And, it hurts you, me, and all of us because we can't all network together positively. Whoever wins this argument wins a Pyrrhic victory.

C-card brand recognition by dive centers is why the dive industry is so immature and ghetto. This is exactly why dive retailers should be retailers, sales people and business people. A business person would say, "Oh! SEI was formerly Y Scuba? Good program. Is there some way I can help you? I have a dive center."



Where did SEI come from... UDT announced they were taking over the YMCA... at least that's what I've read everywhere. So is UDT now SEI? If so, could you please pick a name and stick with it? Regardless... neither is significant anywhere in the country or the world. They are at best fringe agencies. YMCA went away because it's program was archaic and no one wanted to do it... it was outdated. This is why all the YMCA's in Maryland are now and always have been (in my 14 years in diving) run by dive shops - be them SSI, PADI or NAUI.
 
By the way, I'm all for getting on the DEMA BOD. First, I was laughing about the posts suggesting it, then I starting thinking ... hmmm. Maybe I could make a difference?
 
I'd join just so I could vote for ya Trace. It would be worth the 150 bucks to see some real change take place and get rid of the old boys and the status quo. Think if that happened we could get Tom Ingram to resign. It is not good for DEMA to have someone so prone to temper tantrums in a position of authority.
 
Ask any of what was orinally the NASDS dive shops about the Z90 line they got into. Low quiality, high profit and a whole lot of headaches. I think I'll leave the product manufacturing to those who know the industry better than me. It takes more than all my efforts to keep my business running on a day to day basis.

My final thoughts on this industry and where we lack, and I think I can say this from a LDS , manufacturer or independant instructor prospective. We need to get people involved in the recreation, excited about exploring a wreck, seeing the colorful reefs, taking pictures, spearing that fish or bagging that lobster, camping at the local dive spots, retrieving scallops and oysters and the list goes on.
Who ever can figure out how to get the excitement back into the recreation will certainly be winner!
 
What do we lack?

A Tony Hawk.

A Tim Tebow

A Tiger Woods

A Jessica Alba

We need youth and we need them now. These heroes attract the youth and we need to include them ASAP.
 
What do we lack?

A Tony Hawk.

A Tim Tebow

A Tiger Woods

A Jessica Alba

We need youth and we need them now. These heroes attract the youth and we need to include them ASAP.


Tiger's full cave.

The analogy does break down a bit. Scuba is not (supposed to be) a competitive sport.

Who are the current heroes in say backpacking?

Tobin
 
NetDoc:

As pointed out earlier in several threads; when you attend a DEMA show or many consumer shows you see the 40+ crowd and not a lot of 20-30 yr.olds. Last DEMA I was talking with a store owner in his early 40's; He commented: "God, I'm the youngest one here."

I learned to dive when I was 23. The instructors were my age. The dive store owners and boat
Captains were also young and enthusiastic. We do need youth, and we do need them now.

Good thoughts, thanks.
 

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