How to make diving affordable?

[diversteve]

Charleston Diving -> Charleston Diving - another resource for local diving? (most posts are from 2011)

---------- Post Merged at 06:42 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:36 PM ----------

even $160 seems excessive for two dives, aren't there other dive shops around?

Charleston isn't exactly a diving mecca - too shallow and sandy. Most of the diving is far offshore wrecks so part of the cost is the fuel/time to get out there. Advanced divers can drift dive in the Gulfstream if they do an all day charter. Afaik (and it's been a few years) the only other operator nearby is Low Country Scuba in Mt. Pleasant - their rates are similar.

IDK why but there's about 1/2 dozen commercial dive operators/training facilities located there. It is a big harbor/container port so maybe...

 

[GlowWorm]

PS - why are you "thumbing the dive" in your profile picture?[/QUOTE]

Ah! embarrassing. I should be giving the OK signal and not the go up to the surface one! I'm just so used to always giving a thumbs up. In my defense I just took the pool class last weekend :]

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The OP might find it more cost effective to move to a place with more available shore diving! Only half-kidding. We moved to California explicitly for the easy access to the kelp from shore

That thinking is not unreasonable at all. I've known people to relocate to be closer to better skiing, better mountain climbing, Better surfing, etc.
I don't kow why moving to better diving would be any different. I guess it all depends on your priorities. Some people put a very high value on their sports and hobbies and the rest of their life and work is there to support it.
I'm kind of that way.

 

[Bombay High]

i got my own gear and compressor and couple of tanks, initial investment was high,(Coltri MCH6, coltri dive gear and Catalina tanks) but dives are free, i dunno about the rule position at your end, here there are lot of crystal clear rivers, caves, boats available for cheap if one needs to go off sunderbans, cheap ? for free (boats hiring charges are like 20 $, thats it) no questions asked by the state authorities.

Is it illegal to get your own gear and dive at wherever you want to or shore dive ? (Of course safety & certification taken care)

You dive in the sundarbans ? Whats the viz like ? 2 inches ?

---------- Post Merged at 08:19 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:15 AM ----------

IDK why but there's about 1/2 dozen commercial dive operators/training facilities located there. It is a big harbor/container port so maybe...

There's oil rigs offshore ... have never worked there, but amongst the few American divers who come to the North Sea, a lot are from there.

 

[JeffWaldrop]

My take on buying used "cheaper" equipment...

Unless you know the prior owner and how well the equip was cared for, be very careful....

This equipment will support your life while underwater and should not be taken lightly! I rented some gear sometime ago for a boat trip out to the Flower Gardens from my LDS and the dive computer didnt even work. Rented gear is used by many people and most people probably would care for it as if it were there own.

I suggest any new diver take some time to get into this wonderful sport. Rent what you have to, save what you can and get what you really will be happy with when you can purchase....

Jeff


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[scubadiver888]

I want to go dive as often as I can, but my LDS charges about $240 for each of their dives. I don't have the money to spend on that since I'll have to rent all my gear. Even so, I can't afford to spend 200 bucks every time I want to dive! How do I go diving without breaking my bank?

This sounds like your LDS is getting rich. Around here I can rent all my gear for $100 for the weekend. A boat charter with a 2 tank dive is around $100, tops. For $240 I could get a weekend of diving. All my gear and two days of boat charter with 2 dives per day. And this is not even hunting around. If I look hard enough I can find 3 dives a day for the same price. So you should be getting in 4 to 6 dives a weekend. Some shops will also charge less to rent during the week because so few people dive during the week.

I think you need to look around at other dive shops. Go to PADI The Way the World Learns to Dive and use the shop locator to find other shops in your area. Do the same for the other dive agencies. Google for "South Carolina Scuba Club". You find things like:

Dive Guide Scuba Diving Clubs Diveguide.com
Lake Diver :: South Carolina Dive Clubs

I don't know what these are like but might be worth checking out. I went to 7 shops in my area until I found one which is reasonable and helps me get more diving in.

Everyone is right though, getting your own gear makes it much more affordable. Once you have the gear it tends to cost less. You'll need to get the regulator serviced. Buy one which requires servicing every 2 years rather than annually. Continue to rent tanks rather than buy them. Watch Craigslist for locals selling gear. I often see weights for a buck a pound. If you take good care of it, it should all last for a decade or more. Buy open heel fins and use boots. When the boots wear out you don't have to replace the entire fin. Just buy new boots. I have used fins which are 20 years old and work great still.

Once you find other divers in CLUBS, not shops, you'll find other places to get good used gear. See if there is a local forum that everyone hangs out on. I get the occasional GREAT deal from a forum local to me.

The owner at shop I work at occasionally likes to sell me his old gear so he can buy the latest and greatest. Found a charter who I wanted to dive with but just could afford to. The boat captain said drop by the dock and he'll show me some good shore dives. Some people just want to make some money. Some people just want to help you dive. Find the latter.

 

[flots am]

I want to go dive as often as I can, but my LDS charges about $240 for each of their dives. I don't have the money to spend on that since I'll have to rent all my gear. Even so, I can't afford to spend 200 bucks every time I want to dive! How do I go diving without breaking my bank?

Buy a good used regulator that you can get serviced locally, and that has a reputation for long term parts availability, on eBay. You should be able to get one for about $100 if you have patience. You'll need to get it serviced, but they all require service anyway, so that's no big deal. Also, a used, awesome $100 regulator will make you much happier than a cheap new one.

You can also buy a BC on eBay, although they're a wear item with a lifetime determined by where and how it's been used and maintained. A 1 year old BC from the great lakes will probably have 10 years left in it, while a 1 year old BC from a Florida or a Caribbean rental place might be ready for the dumpster (sun, salt and sand are really hard on a BC).

I'd probably buy the tanks new, unless you can get a friend to give you one or two. Computers are nice, but not necessary. You can easily get started with a pressure gauge, depth gauge, watch and tables.

All things considered, with a little patience and luck, you can have all your own gear for around $500.

Then you need to find some shore diving friends!

Also, your LDS isn't robbing you. If my guess on your location is correct, the reason dives are expensive is that it takes several hours to get the boat from shore to the wrecks, and boats aren't cheap and aren't cheap to run. I'd suggest sticking with shore diving for a while. Once you own your own gear, a dive will only cost you a could of air fills and gas for your car.

flots.