If you could change one thing about the dive industry, what would it be??

[BarryNL]

People who constantly gripe about poor training.

Im a new diver who believes I recieved first rate training through PADI. Most of those who are always ragging on current training standards seem to be those who took thier initial training before I was born. They have had a long time to develop thier skills, and its oh so easy to rag on new divers coming out. Im betting they werent too swooft right when they were newbies either!

Of course, the Catch-22 situation is that novice divers are completely unqualified to select or recognise a good instructor or training course.

I suppose in an ideal world someone who wanted to start diving would spend a few months reading about and investigating the sport before ever approaching a training centre - but that's never going to happen.

 

[Moogyboy]

I like the boneheaded marketers using models in bikinis.

I meant that figuratively.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[djanni]

Safety First:

I would require all dive boat operators to conduct a ROLL-CALL following each dive to ensure all divers are accounted for.

 

[art.chick]

I am hearing so many inspired ideas here, and that can only be because divers value the sport enough to think analytically and envision a bright future for the sport. Whatever we have been lacking, it is not smart cookies among those who stay wet.

What I would like to see changed is the too-many variations in gear that are meant to cater to new/nervous divers but create chaos in knowing how to work with each others' equipment. I really hate Air2s, for instance (do they even make them anymore? I have never spent a summer on the beach without seeing a few dozen get sand stuck in them and have to be disabled). Integrated weights have several variations. Mask purges? Leak city. Most of the issues that they are meant to resolve could also be resolved with more pool time using more standard equipment.

Oh, and I would like to see more available pool time for certified divers who need to self-refresh and practice with new gear. Can we do something thru the agencies to arrange for that with pools?

 

[PhotoTJ]

That's an ambitious proposition. Some in the industry talked about that concept some years ago. The problem is, who is going to be the evaluators? We do have a system like this on a small scale. Most agencies do have an "evaluator" coming over in the last stage of an instructor course to qualify Instructors. Well, the way I see it around, there are no "bad" divers, only bad Instructors who took someone's money and didn't teach them anything. How did they become Instructors? I have seen some of the evaluators. What's wrong?
The industry is not generating enough good new people. Look at the dive show speaker circuit. Most speakers are the same old people every year getting older, me included. There is very little new blood coming in. Why? I think because the way training is today we are not producing divers who's diving is a lifestyle, we are only teaching diving as an occasional side recreation. The way dive training is conducted today, they don't get hooked. A quick weekend course or a home study cd-rom will not hook them. I don't care what some of the magazines are saying, the industry is shrinking and it has nothing to do with the economy or other sports. People spend thousends of dollars on glorified bikes, skis, health spas, etc, but they will not spend the money on scuba gear. They are not hooked.

The consumer has more options for thier disposable income, and more exposure to those options.

We do need new heros.

 

[IlikeItwetPls]

I would remove the limits that big manufacturers place on dealers. Drop the authorized dealer requirement to get a warranty, and drop the minimum price structures. Let the shops compete with online dealers as they wish.

This would make more competition and lower prices!

I can see requiring service to be done by an authorized dealer in order to keep your warranty, but not the sale.

Servicing your equipment yourself, should be your choice. Sell, give, or loan the service manual. My dream would be to have a LDS that has a section with DVD's to rent/buy that show us how to service XYZ regulator, or whatever has been bought from the manufacturer.

 

[Vtdiver2]

I was thinking about this the other day, and I thought it might be interesting to hear what everyone thought.

I'd like to see mandatory time limits and dive numbers between those taking OW and AOW. I've discussed this with many instructors and they all say the same thing, that the agencies just want them to push people thru.
I'd like to think that when someone has an ADVANCED open water card, they have made more than a dozen dives, and have learned to maintain their bouyancy. I've been on charters where these "supposed" advanced divers drop down the mooring line, and bounce off the bottom, ruining vis for everyone behind them, all because they can't control their bouyancy.
I personally waited 3 years and had over 150 dives before I took the AOW course. I now have over 600 dives, and am just starting my DM. It doesn't matter what the question is when you're talking about diving, the answer is always the same....IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY. Stop passing people thru certifications they haven't earned.
Just my two cents.
Chris

 

[cpe111]

Just saw this thread - imo - everyone should use the metric system to dive - no more confusion

Paul.

 

[pants!]

I'd like to see mandatory time limits and dive numbers between those taking OW and AOW. I've discussed this with many instructors and they all say the same thing, that the agencies just want them to push people thru.
I'd like to think that when someone has an ADVANCED open water card, they have made more than a dozen dives, and have learned to maintain their bouyancy. I've been on charters where these "supposed" advanced divers drop down the mooring line, and bounce off the bottom, ruining vis for everyone behind them, all because they can't control their bouyancy.

I see trimix divers doing deco dives like that all the time.

Are they advanced?

I like SSI's standards for AOW. 24 dives, 4 classes beyond OW. Sounds OK to me.

 

[VaDiver]

On all tanks, it should be a standard feature that you can turn on your air with the cylinder on your back without throwing your shoulder out of joint to do so. It is inconceivable to me that valve construction has not progressed to this point. Any engineers out there given this some practical thought?