Discussion of How to get/keep people diving

[Leadking]

When my fellow airline travelers asked what I did and I told them I was in the diving business usually responded with " I tried that once" or "I'd like to try that" I always asked them to tell me their story. The themes were always the same.

The most common themes as to why divers drop out/don't start seem to be;

1. a resort course or a quick local course upon which the participant states "I was terrified the whole time. Thought I was going to die. I never want to do that again!"

2. I don't have a partner.

3. I have to be at an apartment pool every Wednesday night for the next 6 weeks. My schedule won't allow that.

All are treatable.

The damage done by resort courses and not ensuring novice divers are comfortable is incalculable.

That one terrifying experience is told many times to their family, friends and acquaintances, poisoning the pool of interested individuals.
Understanding that we are in the entertainment/social club business is important as well as developing modular classes allowing for flexibility in training.

Another of my hot-button issues is stores that try to make all potential divers fit THEIR image of what a diver should be. I have long advised store owners to interview potential customers as to what the customer expects to do with their new skills and to ensure that they deliver the customers "dream". Remember who the customer is and satisfy their dream. They pay you and you go get you own dream. Don't confuse whose dream you are trying to fulfill.

 

[Scott L]

I would like to see dive boats do exploratory dives on virgin sites. Most dive sites have more traffic than Grand Central Station. Dropping down on a virgin site would be extremely interesting to me.

A sport fishing yacht owner with a diving commpressor in SE Florida who regularily visits the Bahamas is on every diver's short list to know down here...

 

[Lee Taylor]

for people in the business its money
for divers its the social aspect

 

[Rick Inman]

I'm not sure that the extreme attrition isn't healthy and normal - IOW, nothing to fix about the high drop-out rate.

There are many people who want to dive, and many LESS who want to keep diving.

Since I don't have a financial interest in the diving industry, and since I'm not a fan of crowded dive sites, I am perfectly okay with the high drop-out rate. Plus, it fills CraigsList with lots of deals on (slightly) used gear .

 

[bleeb]

I totally agree. Case in point, you take a two year break with your diving to rear a child and your ScubaPro lifetime parts warrantee is out the window. Short sighted?

Not to get to far off topic, but I'd heard from a couple of different LDS's that if you paid for the parts for one year, they'd consider you caught up, and covered in future years. Haven't tested this myself and don't know if it's only a regional thing or a recent change, but it would be a smart move on SP's part.

 

[DennisS]

I would like to see dive boats do exploratory dives on virgin sites. Most dive sites have more traffic than Grand Central Station. Dropping down on a virgin site would be extremely interesting to me.

A sport fishing yacht owner with a diving commpressor in SE Florida who regularily visits the Bahamas is on every diver's short list to know down here...

When I first started diving in S Florida almost 40 years ago, there was always that feeling that I might be the first person diving this spot. It was about exploration. I'm still about exploration, I'm still waiting to stumble on that ballast pile.

I don't know if I would still have that interest if I was diving off of charter boats doing the same sites that everyone else does.

I know I wouldn't be still diving if all I had was local quarries, once I've seen what's down there, I'd lose interest.

There are a lot of people that see diving as an end to itself. If I didn't take pictures, hunt and explore I probably wouldn't dive. Going into some inland lake just to dive for divings sake would have no appeal to me once the novelty wore off. I think a lot of people quit after the novelty wears off, kind of like sky diving.

 

[Scott L]

When I first started diving in S Florida almost 40 years ago, there was always that feeling that I might be the first person diving this spot. It was about exploration. I'm still about exploration, I'm still waiting to stumble on that ballast pile.

I don't know if I would still have that interest if I was diving off of charter boats doing the same sites that everyone else does.

I know I wouldn't be still diving if all I had was local quarries, once I've seen what's down there, I'd lose interest.

There are a lot of people that see diving as an end to itself. If I didn't take pictures, hunt and explore I probably wouldn't dive. Going into some inland lake just to dive for divings sake would have no appeal to me once the novelty wore off. I think a lot of people quit after the novelty wears off, kind of like sky diving.

I totally agree with all your comments. We have arguably the best diving in the nation one mile offshore. Regardless, if it was not for the challenge of hunting I probaly would not be a diver. A matter of fact, I have had several multiple year stretches without having dived at all. Hats off to quarry and lake divers. I will never be amoung them. I am quite fortunate to have grown up here and be dialed in with a few 6 pack charters and private boats who know many, many dives that main street charters do not visit. They are generally at the outter limts of recreational diving....Like you I am getting close to adding photography to the mix to make it diving even more challenging....

 

[mathauck0814]

I would like to see dive boats do exploratory dives on virgin sites. Most dive sites have more traffic than Grand Central Station. Dropping down on a virgin site would be extremely interesting to me.

If you're ever in Sydney, the mid-city Pro-Dive office does this. It's a really great time and usually only experienced divers show for the trips.

 

[gcbryan]

If you're ever in Sydney, the mid-city Pro-Dive office does this. It's a really great time and usually only experienced divers show for the trips.

Deep Sea Charter out of Anacortes Washington used to do that as well. I'm sure it's available more often than you would think if you simply inquire.

Boat captains will take you to the same places if you don't say anything as it's easier to them. If you can pre-screen the divers on the boat a bit it's very likely that you can get more interesting dives.

 

[netmage]

When my fellow airline travelers asked what I did and I told them I was in the diving business usually responded with " I tried that once" or "I'd like to try that" I always asked them to tell me their story. The themes were always the same.

The most common themes as to why divers drop out/don't start seem to be;

1. a resort course or a quick local course upon which the participant states "I was terrified the whole time. Thought I was going to die. I never want to do that again!"

2. I don't have a partner.

3. I have to be at an apartment pool every Wednesday night for the next 6 weeks. My schedule won't allow that.

All are treatable.

The damage done by resort courses and not ensuring novice divers are comfortable is incalculable.

That one terrifying experience is told many times to their family, friends and acquaintances, poisoning the pool of interested individuals.
Understanding that we are in the entertainment/social club business is important as well as developing modular classes allowing for flexibility in training.

Another of my hot-button issues is stores that try to make all potential divers fit THEIR image of what a diver should be. I have long advised store owners to interview potential customers as to what the customer expects to do with their new skills and to ensure that they deliver the customers "dream". Remember who the customer is and satisfy their dream. They pay you and you go get you own dream. Don't confuse whose dream you are trying to fulfill.

The entire industry is built upon the pyramid scheme of the OW class and selling initial gear.... Until the industry recognizes and adapts to go out of their way and make opportunities to get people out doing local diving more, the attrition will remain...

Sustain the interest of diving as a lifestyle vs. a once a year hobby...