I wish someone else in Cozumel would start doing Nitrox fills...

[deepstops]

If folks sat back and calculated the bottom time benefit on cost/minute basis they gain by diving nitrox at $10/tank, we wouldn't be having this discussion

 

[mstevens]

If folks sat back and calculated the bottom time benefit on cost/minute basis they gain by diving nitrox at $10/tank, we wouldn't be having this discussion

That's another huge thread that's been started a few times. For many of us, there's no benefit in terms of bottom time since we're limited by air consumption more than nitrogen loading. I do dive with nitrox, but the reason has to do with trying to minimize DCS risk.

 

[charlesml3]

Cost per minute of bottom time, cost per tank, cost per week. It doesn't really change the argument.

Bottom line: I can do a week of Nitrox at Cocoview for 1/2 what it costs me in Cozumel.

The pricing in Cozumel is out of line with what I see around the Carribbean. I still think a dozen dive shops (aren't there like 50 or so total?) in Cozumel could form a co-op and fill their own tanks. Sure the mean, nasty monopoly shop would immediately cut their price to a loss hoping to drive the competition out. If the competition can hold on, a market equilibrium will eventually be reached.

-Charles

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

That's another huge thread that's been started a few times. For many of us, there's no benefit in terms of bottom time since we're limited by air consumption more than nitrogen loading.

What size tank are you diving? I just signed up with Aldora for some diving, and they supply 120cf steel tanks. Of course, if you are very conservative about your minimum gas reserves, you may still run out of usable gas before you go into deco... But it does change the equation somewhat.

Also, `to put things in perspective, if a 77cf Nitrox fill is $10 extra and a 120cf Nitrox fill is $12 extra, you're getting a decent deal. If it's $20 extra, not so much

 

[mstevens]

What size tank are you diving?

I usually dive an Al80. Sometimes I'll use an Al100 for the first dive on air, but the central fill station on Cozumel only does nitrox in 80's. The way it usually works out is that the 100 shows up a few times over the course of the week and the rest of the time the 100's don't show up on the boat. Since my wife and son have roughly similar SAC's to mine, we usually turn at about the same time and neither of them wants to deal with larger cylinders anyway.

2 weeks ago, the three of us had much more air left than any of the other divers on the boat (except the divemaster). We did often go ahead and stay together after other divers were already back on the boat, in one case for 20 minutes more. but were still limited by back gas rather than nitrogen (using our computers' model). We're still WAY less efficient than the DM's, though. On one deep dive in high current, where it would have made little sense not to ascend with the group, we had around 1,000 psi left on the 3-minute stop. The DM had over 2,000. For someone like that, nitrox would most definitely increase bottom time if diving on nitrox tables.

Sure, if you're diving steel 120's at 40 feet, nitrogen loading might be what ends your dive, but sadly for me gas supply is practically always going to be my limiting factor.

To get back to the thread topic, I don't personally resent the $10/cylinder for nitrox given how much we're spending to get there, which is usually our highest expense. I suspect it'd annoy me if I were in Christi's shoes, but I'm not.

 

[scubawife]

Cost per minute of bottom time, cost per tank, cost per week. It doesn't really change the argument.

Bottom line: I can do a week of Nitrox at Cocoview for 1/2 what it costs me in Cozumel.

The pricing in Cozumel is out of line with what I see around the Carribbean. I still think a dozen dive shops (aren't there like 50 or so total?) in Cozumel could form a co-op and fill their own tanks. Sure the mean, nasty monopoly shop would immediately cut their price to a loss hoping to drive the competition out. If the competition can hold on, a market equilibrium will eventually be reached.

-Charles

Where in the Caribbean are you comparing to Cozumel? To be fair, look at the destinations where the norm is a 2-tank boat trip a day, not place where you can get a package including unlimited tanks for shore diving.

When I look at Cozumel and other similar type destinations I've been to (similar as in it's mainly boat diving, 2-dives a day, accommodation selection and the services & amenities of the island are in the same range), Cozumel prices for the 2-tank trip are mostly cheaper and the additional charge for nitrox is the same or less.

Yes, there are cheaper places then Cozumel to go for a dive vacation. There are also more expensive ones. There are destinations or specific resorts that offer unlimited tank packages for shore diving and flat rate unlimited nitrox upgrades.

I don't always dive nitrox even in places where it is very reasonable. Even at a buck or two less in Cozumel I probably wouldn't get it for my first tank because of the depth of most of the sites we dive for our first dives. I know several divers who don't bother with it all in Cozumel, not because of cost, but because they just don't feel the diving they are doing there warrants it.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I still think a dozen dive shops (aren't there like 50 or so total?) in Cozumel could form a co-op and fill their own tanks. Sure the mean, nasty monopoly shop would immediately cut their price to a loss hoping to drive the competition out. If the competition can hold on, a market equilibrium will eventually be reached.

-Charles

Anyone have an idea on what the start-up costs would be for a fill station that could do 1000-2000+ tanks/day and EANx?

 

[scubawife]

I usually dive an Al80. Sometimes I'll use an Al100 for the first dive on air, but the central fill station on Cozumel only does nitrox in 80's. The way it usually works out is that the 100 shows up a few times over the course of the week and the rest of the time the 100's don't show up on the boat. Since my wife and son have roughly similar SAC's to mine, we usually turn at about the same time and neither of them wants to deal with larger cylinders anyway.

That's not true. I use a dive op that owns their own steel LP 95's and 120's and we get Ntitrox whenever we want it. They don't have their own compressor so the fill station does fill nitrox on tanks other then just AL80's.

Most dive ops that use AL80's will get you 100's but charge you a few dollars more. If you request them when you book I don't see why they can't have them for you every day.

 

[Christi]

The pricing in Cozumel is out of line with what I see around the Carribbean.
-Charles

Cozumel Nitrox prices = $10 - $12 per fill

Based on prices found today on various websites in each destination...the averages for the following destinations are:

Playa del Carmen = $14 per fill
Turks & Caicos = $12 per fill
BVI = $15 per fill if/when you can get it
Cayman = $16 per fill
Belize - $10 to $12 per fill
Utila = $14 per fill

I'd say that Cozumel Nitrox prices are actually right in line with the rest of the Caribbean. You can't really compare all-inclusive resorts like CocoView and Liveaboards who are completely self-sufficient...it's apples to oranges. WHen you compare other expenses for the trip (airfare, lodging, food, incidentals) Cozumel is still a bargain relatively speaking.

People sometimes forget that inflation happens worldwide...not only in the US. The bottom line is that operational costs have increased here just like everywhere.

 

[sw2]

Anyone have an idea on what the start-up costs would be for a fill station that could do 1000-2000+ tanks/day and EANx?

I just saw a REFURBISHED compressor for $17,000 (it says it was 27K new) that does 26 SCFM. If you fill 1000 tanks per day you need about 50 SCFM running 24 hours a day to keep up (assuming you fill each with about 70 SCFM) . Most likely you would need about 4 of these (or two larger units) + purifiers + cascade bottles + manifolds + nitrox equipment.

Of course all of that is on top of space, maintenace & parts, staff, electricity, insurance.

here is the link i found the price on Maxi Verticus [ ] - August Industries for Bauer Compressors, Davey and Worthington parts and supplies