Day 1

[IceDiverInCA]

Several rebreather mfg's are showing their latest toy,

Can you talk a bit more about this?

thanks.

 

[Nay]

My hubby is also there, working at the Ocean Technology Systems booth if you want to say hi. (David Gallo, dgallo on scubaboard)
He said it was a little slower than anticipated yesterday but they're selling a good number of their new full face masks which is good.

:17: I can honestly say this is the only possible time I can think of when I'd rather be in Texas than CA. (No offense meant to anyone!!!!) Oh well, I'll go next year.

 

[Doc]

Can you talk a bit more about this?
QUOTE]

I would imagine you wanted to hear more about the various specific items, the newest and the latest. In that I didn't go- I went a few years back and that'll hold me till 2005, I'll tell you something that others might not get into...

Manufacturers and designers of SCUBA gear have as their roll-out goal an appearance at DEMA. There may or may not be a better bang for their promotional buck- but you would be amazed at 'who' shows up there with 'what'.

Some would be Dive Equipment Barons arrive at their very costly booth with blueprints and prospectus- nothing more but for an easel to display a sketch of their not-yet-prototyped design.

Some show up with bizarre yet artistically elegant non-working models of their product. Recall DEMA Miami 1997 {approx ?} where an un-named white fiberglass shelled rebreather manufacturer had a literal igloo-colored cone-shaped pile of them on display. Mighty impressive- but empty. No guts in sight, no prospects.

In Miami last, there were some real odd ball concepts... One was a monofinned contrivance that you pumped along like a mermaid using a shortened kayak paddle thing to manuever. He had videos of people using it.

Then there was the fellow that had a shiny black leg/fin shaped thingie, a fiberglass one piece model of a human leg from the hip to ankle to fin tip. All shiny black, one piece and looking like s BORG implant from Stra Treck NexGen. He was looking for development money or an outright offer to buy.

Additionaly- there are any number of people attending as well as selling that have no interest in your local dive shop, you, or any other diver you have ever met. They sell to, and are looking for the diver that does construction underwater at depths for long times in zero visibility... as well as military applications.

There could be half a dozen manufacturers that you've never seen before (even of rebreathers), and most likely you will never see for sale, either. This is a tough business with a whole lot of shake-out.

 

[SubMariner]

It was great to meet NetDoc, Natasha, Tech Admin & Curt Bowen. Tres kewl, eh?!

However, even though I have only attended two other DEMAs, I have to agree with Michael Schlink that this year's offering seemed to be a shadow of its former self. Not only were several of the major players missing, but the attendees were also MIA. Alas, this was also confirmed by several booth operators, who, like us, were asking "where IS everybody"?

Usually it takes us at least two days to go satisfy our scuba-lust. Sadly, by the end of day one we were so unfufiled that we changed our flight to leave earlier, rather than later, today.

Buzz through the grapevine said there was some sort of falling out between the major players & the DEMA organizers, but since I can't confirm or deny this info, I can only hope that things improve so that the next DEMA will be more up to snuff. I really don't want to see it go the way of Underwater Canada! :sad:

Th-th-th-th-that's all, folks!

 

[Doc]

Buzz through the grapevine said there was some sort of falling out between the major players & the DEMA organizers, but since I can't confirm or deny this info, I can only hope that things improve so that the next DEMA will be more up to snuff. QUOTE]

DEMA is PADI is DEMA is PADI.

Don't get me wrong... I love both organizations dearly. PADI needed the DEMA show moved on the yearly calendar due to international scheduling conflicts. Thus, against the better wishes of the nuts & bolts portion of the industry (as well as the majority of LDS attendees), DEMA moved the dates. Everybody likes certainty and predictability and no one really like change.

When you change the scheduled month for a show, seemingly set in stone , it's going to cause a cascade of apples off of the cart. Add to that the growing uncertainty as to the future of diving as a viable industry, and there you have it.

Shows are money makers, or should/could be. If one or the other faction's interests are better served by causing friction or loss of exhibitors by predicting gloom and doom, maybe they will set up their own show. At this economic state of the industry I would predict that to be a negative outcome.

Because of the competition for the diminishing discretionary dollar of vacationing and recreating families and individuals, we are faced with much the same dilema that they ski industry suffered in the 80's. At least they finally figured out that they better allow snowboarding in to their prevuiously closed society (how many ski areas banned snowboars and look at USSA, the National Governing Body of the sport who resisted snowboarders?). They finally figured out it was better to band together.

Similarities in the dive world? Look at our ignorant resistance to "devils gas" (nitrox), rebreathers, "killer certs" (cave, deep, and solo... eeek!). The industry had better wake up.

The resorts are dying, too. Why? Some might believe it is a resistance to international travel as an effect of terrorism. Is it the airlines? In a way, I think it's both.

The resorts have been keeping their prices down and offering distress sale rates to make up for the increases from the airline industry. Robbing Peter to pay Paul. Why else do some resorts on Roatan feel the need to support their ponderous sizes by selling an $850 week for $500? It's endemic to the industry.

Times are hard, in Chicago alone we have lost 25 LDS since 2000. In my neck of the woods (Lake County, an affluent suburban area North of the city by 25 miles) we just lost another important store in the Tech community.

How to make a million in the dive industry? You take $2 million.....

 

[BigJetDriver]

DEMA DAY 3

Headed in to the show for Day 3, and looking forward to meeting more SB'ers.

I have met the Staff, of course. I met the Maximum Boss, Net Doc, the charming and pleasant Natasha, and He Who Must Not Be Named.

I have also met Gkndivebum, a very pleasant chap, and the lovely Shas, from Steam Machines.

I ran into Rigdiver, who was my student on the Inspiration in the Cayman Islands, and Cavediver. I found out that he (Rigdiver) has known Cavediver for years.

This just confirms what a friend of mine who owns a scuba shop says: "The world is just too small these days to even get away with misdemeanor crime!" :11:

Wish y'all could be here. It's a great show!

Cheers!

P.S.--I have to ask Natasha today: "But, what about Moose and Squirrel???"