How to Engage Younger People in Diving?

[Efka76]

That's about what I ended up spending. I've heard it can be cheaper in some tropical destinations, but of course you have to get there first.

When you consider air tickets, accomodation costs, local certification becames much cheaper comparing to tropica destination certification.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I don't know if going back to the old way is the answer. Safety is not something to be taken lightly. I do like the idea of nonprofit diving clubs that run on volunteer labor and membership dues rather than shops selling courses and gear. Has the UK fared any better than the US in terms of attracting young divers?

I wasn’t really advocating going back to the old way, I was just doing a comparison with what the gear was then as opposed to what gear is considered mandatory now and it was a lot simpler then.
Back then a single hose reg set averaged $60-$70? and today a very basic unbalanced reg set (just a 1st stage and 1 second stage - no SPG) can be found for under $200 on sale perhaps?.
Maybe someone can chime in that was actually there and confirm that?
What was the standard union journeyman wage back then? And what is the standard union journey level wage now?
I think gear is actually a screaming deal now as opposed to then relative to wages, but it’s offset by ALL the extras needed now like BC, SPG, computer, safe second, etc. and possibly classes, although no one has come forward with what the pricing structure was then for instruction.

No, diving is not cheap. It also takes dedication with time and effort. It’s not something to just be added on to hiking, rock climbing, bicycling, ice climbing, golfing, or whatever else on a whim. Diving is a time and money intensive sport and always has been. You have to be obsessed and really want it, especially in local environments where conditions are often less than stellar. I gave up bicycling and many other things to participate in diving and to be able to do it enough to get halfway decent at it. There’s only so much time in a day and on weekends, and diving will take up all or most of that. I did side work for months to buy my first set of gear.
I was determined not to put anything on cards to do this. I dived local because it was cheap. I also hunt so that’s a major draw for me, and I’m willing to put up with a lot.

I’m not so sure people are willing to do all that just to dive. That’s why local diving has remained very small.

 

[tursiops]

My first scuba class was a Phys Ed class in college....no cost to me, and i got credit for it.
It NEVER would have occurred to me to go outside the university and actually pay for something.....

 

[KathyV]

Maybe marketing scuba as an exciting sport that couples can enjoy together in tropical settings would attract some young couples. That's what attracted me to the sport. My husband was an avid and proficient swimmer and I was not, but we did some snorkeling in Florida and the Bahamas during our Honeymoon and early trips I enjoyed it. We both love nature and wildlife. I had never even seen the ocean before our Honeymoon trip. He was eager to pursue diving and I thought it would be fun if we could do it together - so I learned. It wasn't easy or cheap but I stuck with it and I am glad that I did.

 

[TheSnowBeast]

$1000 bucks to get OW certified?? That seems steep.. But yes the costs do add quite fast!

I am in Alaska-link to OW pricing at one of two LDS here: PADI Open Water Course | DiveAlaska
The other shop has similar pricing.

$699 for OW, plus $99 for drysuit which is pretty much mandatory to dive here in the open water, plus whatever padi material is required (usually $50-$100-OW and drysuit if in state) Not quite $1000 but getting pretty close.

OR

we we just do classroom local and spend money on airfare and go out of state for our certifying dives-not necessarily a money saver either.

I do realize that I am probably in a relatively unique geographic location.

Not saying money is an excuse per say, just that the steep cost of entering is enough to turn away many potential divers who are curious but not dead set on it.

 

[Ben_3]

I am in Alaska-link to OW pricing at one of two LDS here: PADI Open Water Course | DiveAlaska
The other shop has similar pricing.

$699 for OW, plus $99 for drysuit which is pretty much mandatory to dive here in the open water, plus whatever padi material is required (usually $50-$100-OW and drysuit if in state) Not quite $1000 but getting pretty close.

OR

we we just do classroom local and spend money on airfare and go out of state for our certifying dives-not necessarily a money saver either.

I do realize that I am probably in a relatively unique geographic location.

Not saying money is an excuse per say, just that the steep cost of entering is enough to turn away many potential divers who are curious but not dead set on it.

Wow diving Alaska must be pretty cool!

I feel you. Someone who just wants to try but sees that high a price tag might think twice about it.

The LDS at my place charge about $300.00cad for the OW class (that's all included) and $150.00cad for equipment rental on the certification weekend. So total around $450,00+tax They lend dry suites but the OW students do not complete with a dry suit certification.

With current exchange it might be cheaper to fly here than the tropics to cert

 

[Esprise Me]

@Ben_3 does that course take only one weekend, with pool work and everything? Most shops around here take 2 weekends. Does the gear rental include personal gear (mask, fins, snorkel, booties), or do you have to buy it? Do they do all beach dives?

I hope it's kosher to refer to posts in other threads, but I just read @The Chairman as saying when he got started diving, early BCs were available but not considered mandatory, and as a kid he couldn't afford it, so he just didn't get one. Would any dive instructor endorse that for a new diver today? That's another couple hundred bucks to buy, or recurring rental fees, that new divers face that the OGs didn't.

 

[Marie13]

@Ben_3 does that course take only one weekend, with pool work and everything? Most shops around here take 2 weekends. Does the gear rental include personal gear (mask, fins, snorkel, booties), or do you have to buy it? Do they do all beach dives?

I hope it's kosher to refer to posts in other threads, but I just read @The Chairman as saying when he got started diving, early BCs were available but not considered mandatory, and as a kid he couldn't afford it, so he just didn't get one. Would any dive instructor endorse that for a new diver today? That's another couple hundred bucks to buy, or recurring rental fees, that new divers face that the OGs didn't.

I highly doubt it. It’s going to be a mandatory part of rental gear, and it wouldn’t surprise me if many charter ops would refuse to let someone lacking a BC dive off their boat.

 

[The Chairman]

I hope it's kosher to refer to posts in other threads,

Sure, why not?

Would any dive instructor endorse that for a new diver today?

I wouldn't. That's old school and a bit advanced. When I bought my first pair of fins, I was told I could kick the crap out of the reef and not hurt the fins. Let that sink in for a bit. In addition, I didn't have an SPG (j-valve), nor did I have a PDC (red ribbon). Diving has changed for the better and there is no need to backtrack on that.

and it wouldn’t surprise me if many charter ops would refuse to let someone lacking a BC dive off their boat.

I have not been denied as of yet. There's always a first time. But hey, I make "no bladder" look good!

 

[Angelo Farina]

I just read @The Chairman as saying when he got started diving, early BCs were available but not considered mandatory, and as a kid he couldn't afford it, so he just didn't get one. Would any dive instructor endorse that for a new diver today?

When it was time to teach diving to our sons, both I and my wife (both instructors) evaluated the pros and cons of giving them a small BCD, and in the end we decided that it was better and safer NOT using it.
Both my sons had their first air cylinder (2 litres) at 2.5 years age, but of course just in a swimming pool, at 2.5 meter depth maximum. They started diving in the sea, in Sardinia, around 5 years old, using a small 5-liters cylinder, with a plastic plate and harness and no BCD. Only after 3 or 4 summers with that very simple setup we introduced them to the usage of a compact back-inflating BCD (attached to the same harness they were already using, and with the same 5-liters steel cylinder):
We did find that effectively it is much easy for a small child to learn diving without a BCD, with a short suit, and proper weighting, using decently-powerful fins.
Here my son Adriano inside a small cave at 6 years age: