OP
Basic Amateur diving service business questions
- Thread starter EireDiver606
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Damselfish
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In your initial post you present yourself pretty much as a fairly inexperienced diver. Even some of your following posts give little or no clue you had done anything like this before or had any idea about the issues you might run into.
Lots of people learn to dive and get the idea of making some money by doing this kind of stuff. They don't know what they don't know. The warnings they get here about all the potential issues are a good thing and don't hurt. The warnings they don't get could cause them a world of hurt. This is "Basic Scuba Discussions" - the warnings are certainly appropriate here - if not needed for you, then for other people who will read this thread even years from now. Even if this thread were moved to Commercial Diving - which might be appropriate even if you disagree - warnings don't hurt. So you might want to be a bit less defensive about that sort of thing. You may even find people will respond better to you.
Wookie
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FTR, I will happily move this to the commercial diving forum, but I don't see the OP being either defensive nor reluctant to accept advice. And I do find it valuable in the basic forum. How many golf ball divers, wannabe hull cleaners, or just enthusiastic new OW divers have we met over time, not knowing what they don't know, who either got in over their heads or were never heard from again after some well meaning experienced recreational diver told them what they don't know.
There are a lot of folks out there who 1) became a diver and 2) saw a way to make a little extra money doing what they like doing. Guiding them is way better than trashing them....
There are a lot of folks out there who 1) became a diver and 2) saw a way to make a little extra money doing what they like doing. Guiding them is way better than trashing them....
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Rred
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"I'd bet there are a lot of "last 'casual'" spots left" Not to discourage the OP, but when you are talking about "hundreds" of spots in a place the size of Washington state....Really, three or four hours each way for travel time on a one-hour job can kill the profit.(G) Everyone has to set geographic limits on the area they will cover. And even then?
You will see semi rigs and taxis every day, in every location, advertising "We need drivers!" all the time. Yes, you can make great money by signing up. But somehow, their existing drivers burn out and they churn through new ones all the time. It looks rosy up front--but there are always reasons for that lack of folks on the job.
Of course if it is just going to be a hobby, a little part-time informal income, everything changes. Except the liability concerns. Anyone who has worked in retail can tell you, there's plenty of crazy to go around.
You will see semi rigs and taxis every day, in every location, advertising "We need drivers!" all the time. Yes, you can make great money by signing up. But somehow, their existing drivers burn out and they churn through new ones all the time. It looks rosy up front--but there are always reasons for that lack of folks on the job.
Of course if it is just going to be a hobby, a little part-time informal income, everything changes. Except the liability concerns. Anyone who has worked in retail can tell you, there's plenty of crazy to go around.
The Chief Engineer always had a stash but that wouldn't be the case on small pleasure boats.
That was never a problem as long as we used them as a pull instead of a push saw. The pull stroke is easier for diver when there isn't anything to hold on to and is less likely to bend the blade. A lot of us carried blade holders similar to this in our kit. It sure saves a lot of sharpening!
OP
EireDiver606
Contributor
The big problem was it would often dull 2-5 knives to clear a prop of the boats offshore. The saw blades were plentiful and free for us and lasted much longer than even the best serrated cutting edge on a knife. However they do turn to rust when stored in a dive bag.
OP
EireDiver606
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When you guys are searching for a lost item, what is the best method of searching? Circle search? How long should the line be?
I think I will set my charges low initially at the start. 50€ for search using scuba, 20€ for prop untangling without scuba. Anything with scuba 50€ at least. Is this fair or am I selling myself a bit short?
I said to a yacht owner that I’d unfoul his propeller for him for 20€ and he said “maybe you could do a bit better than that”. I thought I was giving a very good rate and would have to argue with him.
Then when I walked down to the yacht with all my gear on, before I even did the job, he said “ and here you go” , as he hands me 50€ for 10 mins work. What a lad!
Is this normal where you guys are based?
I think I will set my charges low initially at the start. 50€ for search using scuba, 20€ for prop untangling without scuba. Anything with scuba 50€ at least. Is this fair or am I selling myself a bit short?
I said to a yacht owner that I’d unfoul his propeller for him for 20€ and he said “maybe you could do a bit better than that”. I thought I was giving a very good rate and would have to argue with him.
Then when I walked down to the yacht with all my gear on, before I even did the job, he said “ and here you go” , as he hands me 50€ for 10 mins work. What a lad!
Is this normal where you guys are based?
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