HOG Equipment service class report

[divad]

You know, I'm really sorry this thread has gone the way it has. I posted the original account to describe the class; how long it took and what we did.

The class sounds very nice.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

The class sounds very nice.

Yes it does, that's why I'm signed up to take it at BTS.

 

[tzetzo]

...then the answer is pretty easy. Just get one. There seem to be many certifications that are deemed acceptable, are not prohibitive in terms of cost and would probably serve you very well in your diving career.

Based on my knowledge, no other companies allow divers to service their own regs unless they fall in the category of trained technicians and employed as such. It may not be the giant stride that satisfies everybody but it is much better than the status quo...

RTee, I completely agree with you that a technical certification will probably serve me very well in my diving career.
However, I still fail to see how that same certification will serve me in my regulator servicing career.

 

[Peter Guy]

Bubble -- As you well know, there is (almost) nothing one learns in the path to a Technical Diving Cert that has any (significant) relevance to servicing regulators.

Point taken.

But YOUR POINT is irrelevant to the discussion and to the HOG business plan.

From my POV, the ONLY relevance to having a Technical Cert is that it shows some, probably significant, actual interest in diving and HOG has made the business decision that someone should have that level of actual interest before being allowed to service their own regs.

Will this policy deny many (including, evidently, people like you) the ability to take this class? Yes.

Is there another pathway for you to get "trained" to service your HOG regs? I don't know -- why not write to HOG and ask?

I certainly can imagine the HOG people opting to include in their training scheme people who can show their "interest level" through their certification from another manufacture/distributor. (Actually, I know HOG does this because my local service tech was signed off by HOG and I'm not even sure he dives!)

So, Bubble, my advice to you (and worth every penny you are paying for it! ) is that you end your tirades against HOGS discriminatory policies and just admit that HOG is stupid not to do it your way. And then write to HOG and ask them what other pathways to regular maintenance it might offer to someone of your skillset and desire.

 

[RTee]

RTee, I completely agree with you that a technical certification will probably serve me very well in my diving career.
However, I still fail to see how that same certification will serve me in my regulator servicing career.

tzetzo... I also agree but that is what the company has decided and it is their prerogative. You are free to agree or disagree with it. Last time I looked, this was much more and better overall, than what any other reg manufacturer out there is allowing divers to do.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

- deleted -

 

[divad]

Last time I looked, this was much more and better overall, than what any other reg manufacturer out there is allowing divers to do.

Zeagle and DiveRite are allowing divers to buy parts AND download free manuals. This is "much more and better overall" for me. Taking a class, or not, is up to me.

 

[mdb]

All our parts schematics, manuals, and service instructions are on our website, with the appropriate disclaimers.

 

[halocline]

Zeagle and DiveRite are allowing divers to buy parts AND download free manuals. This is "much more and better overall" for me. Taking a class, or not, is up to me.

I'm not sure what the status of those two companies' policies are these days, but it's difficult to disagree with the fact that even though the HOG policy of restricting the class (and subsequent parts availability, presumably) to technical divers is not perfect, it's a HUGE improvement over the predominant 'dive shop only' policy set by the giants SP, aqualung, etc. Personally I think that should be applauded.

 

[leabre]

Personally I think that should be applauded.

Seriously, applaud with your praise for the policy, not rotten tomatos!