Diving is expensive

[KOMPRESSOR]

Diving can be an absorbing hobby. If you want to go "all the way", consider skipping every other hobby you've got and consentrate on diving for 3-4 years. Then you can consider the more advanced forms of diving. You simply need to get into as many kind of situations as possible for experience. It helps to study, but it's even more useful to be in a situation and handle it there and then. And you need buddies!! Tech diving is not something you do with random buddies...

Expensive? Hah... Did you ever try shooting handguns on a serious level? Racing cars? Model airplanes, let alone flying real ones??! Scuba diving expensive? No way!

 

[dkatchalov]

You can try selling your organs to pay for diving.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

Expensive? Hah... Did you ever try shooting handguns on a serious level? Racing cars? Model airplanes, let alone flying real ones??! Scuba diving expensive? No way!

Actually yes (do you need qualifying details like the countries i have competed in and awards i have won? for shooting both pistols and long guns, and racing) ... and i still disagree, but you also feel that the best diving is in Norway (just teasing).

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Expensive? Hah... Did you ever try shooting handguns on a serious level? Racing cars? Model airplanes, let alone flying real ones??! Scuba diving expensive? No way!

Actually yes (do you need qualifying details like the countries i have competed in and awards i have won? for shooting both pistols and long guns, and racing) ... and i still disagree, but you also feel that the best diving is in Norway (just teasing).

That's not feelings. That's knowledge!

 

[fweber]

Expensive?

First of all, 2k-3k is just a drop in the bucket when considering technical diving. I would wager that the average technical diver has between 10k-20k in gear, or more, when they add it all up. And, could very easily could spend another 2k-3k on instruction over their first year or tow. If you're looking at dives that will require helium and rich deco mixes, you could easily be spending a couple hundred per dive in gas alone, plus instruction, charters, gear maintenance and servicing, etc. Just an out of thin air number, but, I would say that if you don't have 10k or so per year in disposable income to devote to technical diving, you might want to consider staying within recreational limits. You could do a lot of recreational diving, and get a couple nice tropical trips per year for that amount.

Having gone down the road you are considering, I can tell you that my primary buddy and I seriously considered the CCR before Deco route. If you want support for that route visit Rebreatherworld. They'll answer alot of questions you don't know you need to ask.

Ultimately, we chose the more traditional OC route. Steve Lewis(Doppler on TDS) is a good one to talk to about the pros/cons. Or he can put in touch with individuals who will do so without prejudice one way or the other.

 

[Rick Inman]

MOD note: Moved to Basic Scuba per OP request.

 

[RonzoTheGreat]

Thanks again for that insight. I'm getting up there in gear cost for a "newer diver" a bit over 10k, the 2-3k was just for the whole doubles initial cost for gear and training ... but thank you

 

[editmojo]

It's hard to put a price on your passion. I'm new to diving but have been a sailor for 35+ years so I understand expensive hobbies. It's all about balance. How much pleasure do you get from diving? What's it worth to you?

I don't have the fanciest boat in the marina because I still like to eat and want to stay married. My recomendation would be: Get what you need, not what you want. Look for deals and get creative.

Diving is my new passion but I only own a mask, snorkel and fins. I rent what I need specific to the dive requirements. Your needs are more advanced and probably not for rent at the LDS but maintain the balance and let your conscience (or your wife) be your guide.

joe

 

[diver 85]

Add to that a house on Roatan & a 29' offshore fishing/dive boat & it's REALLY expensive......

 

[Carribeandiver]

I used to sail; had a sailboat, even. A hurricane came along, sunk my uninsured boat and I am no longer a sailor.
But now I have taken up diving, bought around $15,000 worth of gear over the past year and a half and spent another $15000 or so on trips to find warm water and pretty coral.
Still, I am not what the boat costs and I dont have to spend 3 to 4 hours before every dive and after every dive to polish the chrome, varnish the deck or scrub and clean this and that. Just throw my stuff in a rinse barrel and hang it up to dry.
Nah, diving aint expensive, it's the gas fills that are killing me.