is there anything missing from the dive industry?
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I'll take a whack at this. Although, I can't really say it's something "missing" more like something that seems off to me.
Local dive shops conduct business in a strange manner. There seems to be a culture in dive shops that extreme loyalty is expected of customers. To the point that I've actually had a shop chew me out a little for buying from a competitor. There doesn't seem to be anything unique about this, based on other posts I've seen here. It's odd to me.
Also, it seems to be customary to haggle for prices in a dive shop. I didn't learn about it until after I bought most of my gear. Regardless, I don't like it. Nothing else I've ever bought (except used cars) involve haggling. I wish shops would just put "the price" on stuff and call it a day. They usually DO have a pricetag on things, but apparently I'm just a sucker for accepting that and paying it.
A lot of this seems to stem from fear of competition particularly of online sellers. I don't understand why every dive shop doesn't have an online store. Easy to implement, low overhead... In 2013 a small retail store of any kind should consider a website a necessity as much as electricity and running water.
Well, hope that made some sense.
Local dive shops conduct business in a strange manner. There seems to be a culture in dive shops that extreme loyalty is expected of customers. To the point that I've actually had a shop chew me out a little for buying from a competitor. There doesn't seem to be anything unique about this, based on other posts I've seen here. It's odd to me.
Also, it seems to be customary to haggle for prices in a dive shop. I didn't learn about it until after I bought most of my gear. Regardless, I don't like it. Nothing else I've ever bought (except used cars) involve haggling. I wish shops would just put "the price" on stuff and call it a day. They usually DO have a pricetag on things, but apparently I'm just a sucker for accepting that and paying it.
A lot of this seems to stem from fear of competition particularly of online sellers. I don't understand why every dive shop doesn't have an online store. Easy to implement, low overhead... In 2013 a small retail store of any kind should consider a website a necessity as much as electricity and running water.
Well, hope that made some sense.
Hatul
Contributor
I like Dumster's idea of a 3d scanner to make a good fitting wet/drysuit. We all know that wetsuit fit is a big PITA. Also Emoreira's idea of a small slow personal air pump is great, since most of us don't make more than one dive per week anyway, so there's no need to take the heavy tanks for rapid fill at LDS.
A big obstacle to expanding the sport is the heavy SCUBA unit. Hauling 60 lbs on your back is no fun and discourages many from the sport. The solution is a small, lightweight idiotproof rebreather. It would be a blackbox affair that would mostly check itself out. You just replace the disposable CO2 cartridge, swap out a couple of small gas bottles and you're good to go. We have computers that check themselves out on bootup and the new anesthesia machines check themselves out on bootup, so should the rebreather. It should be made as safe as open Scuba with a fraction of the weight and bulk.
A big obstacle to expanding the sport is the heavy SCUBA unit. Hauling 60 lbs on your back is no fun and discourages many from the sport. The solution is a small, lightweight idiotproof rebreather. It would be a blackbox affair that would mostly check itself out. You just replace the disposable CO2 cartridge, swap out a couple of small gas bottles and you're good to go. We have computers that check themselves out on bootup and the new anesthesia machines check themselves out on bootup, so should the rebreather. It should be made as safe as open Scuba with a fraction of the weight and bulk.
I wished all locations selling mixed gas did it by the CuFt instead of "by the tank".
This really hurts those of us diving 1/2 our tanks or less. We have to pay for a full fill instead of only the gas we're using.
Most of the cave shops in North Florida charge by the CuFt for all gasses. I can fill 5 of my tanks for 1/2 the price vs my LDS near my home that charges the more recreational diver friendly "by the tank"... even though they are a tech shop too. I now just make sure I fill up before I come home
This is also why I make sure I have ALL my tanks filled cheaply from cave shops before I go open water dive down in south Florida. It's too costly to refill a truckfull of tanks for a weekend of diving. I just refill them before my next cave dive when I head back up north. Down in South FL, nobody does cave fills, and freak out if you go past the rated tank pressure. Many also want to empty the tank before topping it off with any other type of gas (I want to top off with air, with a 1/2 full nitrox tank, they freak out, and you have to speak to a manager to get them to not do that...seriously?)
That's about my only gripe. Just gas fills.
This really hurts those of us diving 1/2 our tanks or less. We have to pay for a full fill instead of only the gas we're using.
Most of the cave shops in North Florida charge by the CuFt for all gasses. I can fill 5 of my tanks for 1/2 the price vs my LDS near my home that charges the more recreational diver friendly "by the tank"... even though they are a tech shop too. I now just make sure I fill up before I come home
This is also why I make sure I have ALL my tanks filled cheaply from cave shops before I go open water dive down in south Florida. It's too costly to refill a truckfull of tanks for a weekend of diving. I just refill them before my next cave dive when I head back up north. Down in South FL, nobody does cave fills, and freak out if you go past the rated tank pressure. Many also want to empty the tank before topping it off with any other type of gas (I want to top off with air, with a 1/2 full nitrox tank, they freak out, and you have to speak to a manager to get them to not do that...seriously?)
That's about my only gripe. Just gas fills.
iluvtheocean
Contributor
Corvette.. depends on the shop... admittedly i can't think of any down here that'll do cave fills - although 3500-3600 isn't unheard of for steel tanks. I got my tank topped off with air on sunday with 1750 left in it of 32%. -- they had no problem - and didn't give me any trouble when i wanted to analyze it to verify it was 28% like i figured it would be (this shop only has air right now)
But depending on the shop many of them do partial pressure blending. There are 1 or 2 that charge by the CuFT though.
the question would be how to really figure out the CuFt that is getting added when most just fill to a particular PSI? a quick & easy way that will work for various tank sizes.
i know a spreadsheet would work but any device that will help?
But depending on the shop many of them do partial pressure blending. There are 1 or 2 that charge by the CuFT though.
the question would be how to really figure out the CuFt that is getting added when most just fill to a particular PSI? a quick & easy way that will work for various tank sizes.
i know a spreadsheet would work but any device that will help?
and who's going to enforce that? better call the scuba police!
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If I just dived solo a lot in the boonies would I need to show a mandatory log book to get fills? Or are we just talking about for courses and charters? It would also have to be mandatory that shops, etc. check every diver's log-- since no one has EVER even looked at mine.
I wouldn't mind some form of enforcement for currency. Having certs expire would be a nice start. I'd worry about it turning into something onerous that the LDS would abuse though...
that is one thing that I like about GUE. Their certs expire after a few years and you have to submit proof of diving to renew them. I think that would be great for basic open water and higher level dives, but don't really see a need for certs like aow and nitrox.
Matt S.
Contributor
nice unit, but is not breathing air compatible, so its moot. takes 12 hours to fill a 80cf tank with the hipo model, and 24 hours on the other one. at 5c/hr for the shoebox and another 5c/hr for the primary, still looking at $2.40 in power for a 24hr AL80 fill, $1.20 for a 12hr fill. $650 for the shoebox, and another $200 for primary, thats a looong time to recoup costs vs fills at the LDS (~180 dives for $7 fills vs 12hr, 150 for 24hr; with $5 fills goes to 320 and 220 dives respectively)
awesome if you're REALLY into airsoft, but doesn't really solve anything for scuba applications.
ps: if you're diving THAT much, you likely already got the hookup on free fills
I'd happily pay for something like that if it would let me avoid my local scuba shop.
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