LDS fails to deliver OW portion of PADI rescue, says tough luck

[D_B]

I would be disappointed too, I would have thought along the lines that they would be arranging the OW dives to complete my required training even if I would be paying for it
Some of my AOW & Rescue OW dives for certification were over at Catalina Island, while the trips were arranged with my/our instructor, I had to book the trip over/back with the ferry, so that was not included in the price
... if the instructor was not available in a reasonable time frame to do them, I would have expected my LDS to arrange something with another instructor

 

[PlanetScuba Tucson]

Hi all, I would like to add one very important detail that the diver left out....in an email he sent us, he gave only 3 weekend dates that he would be willing to participate in the Open Water dives. We cannot provide an instructor on those specific dates, but we will definitely have other dates available! However, he demanded specific dates, and since we cannot meet his required time table, we simply told him we couldn't, and that he was free to work with an instructor on his own. And to address awap's above comment that the cost of $200 is not included, that's because we have several locations where we can do rescue dives....not all the trips cost the same price. For example, if the diver would have wished to go to San Carlos for the checkout dives, his trip cost would be $415 plus the $40 for checkout dive instructor fees. Also, AWAP, you reference our Open Water course. This specific diver is referring to his rescue diving course.
-Danya and Chris Goodwill

 

[seriousdiver]

I consider that a breach of contract; the shop failing to provide the opportunity to earn Rescue certification.

What does your contract say?

At the end of the day it boils down to whether or not the scuba store offered you dates THEY are available to do your checkouts. If they offered you ZERO available days THEY are available, then yes I would say you have a case.

The fact is though,if THEY offered days THEY are available, they didn't do anything wrong if YOU cannot make the dates available!

I recently got my OW certification and could not make any of the dates offered by my LDS, so I planned my own trip and found a divemaster willing to do the checkout dives.

My schedule is very hectic and I know I couldn't make any of my LDS's trips or checkout dives, that doesn't mean THEY breached their contract; it means that MY schedule was not flexible enough to work with them.

It really comes down to the following which is that you OR the LDS is fibbing a bit.

Either:

1) The LDS stated they are not available at ALL to do your checkouts in which case they lied in this thread.

2) The LDS offered you 1 or several dates of which they could do the checkout dives and YOUR schedule isn't compatible, you feel they should have worked around your schedule, and the LDS let you know that they can't work around your schedule and advised you to seek someone outside their shop to finish up.

#2 sounds like that is what actually happened, whereas you're saying #1 happened and that they didn't offer you choices of when they could do checkout dives.

Really OP, every dive shop I've looked at clearly states when and where their checkout dives are, and the burden of scheduling isn't on their end.

Recast this as an open water class. The shop offers open water training consisting of classroom sessions, pool sessions, and open water checkout dives, the cost of the open water checkout dives not included. The student is free to take the OW checkout dives with the shop, or go elsewhere for the checkout dives, and pay the additional cost somewhere else. The shop has said to the student "we have several trips a month where you can do your checkout dives", but then never has an instructor available on any of those trips to provide the OW checkouts. Has the shop met its obligation? I say "no", the shop says "yes".

Except shops don't do open water checkouts on ALL of their dives, nor are they required to.

Did they NEVER have instructors available on any of the dives they said they could finish up your rescue diver certification on?

There is a difference between offering dive trips and offering dive trips with certification to finish up classes. You're saying they NEVER had instructors available on any of THEIR dive trips to finish your Rescue diver course.

They're saying they do have instructors available but not for the dates YOU want, it's not their responsibility to cater to your scheduling requirements.


If you can't make a contracted time it isn't the LDS's responsibility to set up a dive to fit YOUR Needs.

I'm based in Maryland so I have no egg in this race.

 

[PlanetScuba Tucson]

Laurie,
We do not include the trip costs with our class costs because we offer several trip options, beyond San Carlos. Some Military and Public Service do not wish to go to San Carlos. We cannot have an all inclusive price for one trip if we offer more than one trip. Thank you for your input in this discussion!
Sincerely,
Danya Goodwill

 

[OldNSalty]

Hi all, I would like to add one very important detail that the diver left out....in an email he sent us, he gave only 3 weekend dates that he would be willing to participate in the Open Water dives. We cannot provide an instructor on those specific dates, but we will definitely have other dates available! However, he demanded specific dates, and since we cannot meet his required time table, we simply told him we couldn't, and that he was free to work with an instructor on his own. And to address awap's above comment that the cost of $200 is not included, that's because we have several locations where we can do rescue dives....not all the trips cost the same price. For example, if the diver would have wished to go to San Carlos for the checkout dives, his trip cost would be $415 plus the $40 for checkout dive instructor fees. Also, AWAP, you reference our Open Water course. This specific diver is referring to his rescue diving course.
-Danya and Chris Goodwill

Well, that changes things then. If they have dates but they don't fit the OP's schedule...well, too bad...get a referral then and stop complaining.

 

[PlanetScuba Tucson]

Serious Diver,
Thank you for your post! The original instructor who did the pool sessions and class session has, in fact, been in contact with this diver to schedule what the industry would consider a "private," that is, based on his schedule. We had 2 weekends available and offered them to him and the other diver who was taking the course with us(who is still, in fact, working on scheduling his trip with us). He provided us with specific dates that worked for him. On those weekends, our PADI staff is obligated to other commitments. We will not pull an instructor away and jeopardize safe instruction ratios. Also, this diver requested this specific instructor to begin with who he is still in contact with. We are under the impression that he is frustrated because we do not have a trip on the dates he needs, which is unfortunate but can sometimes happen.
Sincerely,
Danya Goodwill

---------- Post Merged at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:04 PM ----------

Diver,
We would like to respond and address your concerns directly. In one of your emails, you requested that you would like to finish the cert with the Instructor you started with. He's no longer with the shop, so we clearly can't schedule or charge for anything. Furthermore, per one of your emails, you sent the instructor you started with dates you were available because the dates that we have don't work with your schedule. We have 2 weekends available for PADI rescue diver checkout dives in October and November. At this time, Planet Scuba is unclear with whether you want to complete the class with us, or with the instructor you started with. If you wish to complete the course with him, we cannot help you. Otherwise, we hope you can make one of the available weekends, as we have other PADI rescue students that are interested!
Sincerely,
Chris and Danya Goodwill

 

[D_B]

That makes it a different kettle of fish than I was thinking

 

[manni-yunk]

Hi all, I would like to add one very important detail that the diver left out....in an email he sent us, he gave only 3 weekend dates that he would be willing to participate in the Open Water dives. We cannot provide an instructor on those specific dates, but we will definitely have other dates available! However, he demanded specific dates, and since we cannot meet his required time table, we simply told him we couldn't, and that he was free to work with an instructor on his own. And to address awap's above comment that the cost of $200 is not included, that's because we have several locations where we can do rescue dives....not all the trips cost the same price. For example, if the diver would have wished to go to San Carlos for the checkout dives, his trip cost would be $415 plus the $40 for checkout dive instructor fees. Also, AWAP, you reference our Open Water course. This specific diver is referring to his rescue diving course.
-Danya and Chris Goodwill

hmmmm..thats a different story then.

If the Dive shop is offering several options and dates to finish the dives....and the OP isnt available - then the dive shop is attempting to complete their side of the requirement. The OP cannot insist and frct the dive shop to be available at his request and at the drop of a hat.

As long as reasonable attempts are being made to finish his training - you guys are OK in my book.


Where you started to lose me is where you previously stated that you had fulfilled you obligation.

 

[Laurie S.]

Laurie,
We do not include the trip costs with our class costs because we offer several trip options, beyond San Carlos. Some Military and Public Service do not wish to go to San Carlos. We cannot have an all inclusive price for one trip if we offer more than one trip. Thank you for your input in this discussion!
Sincerely,
Danya Goodwill

That's nice you do offer different locations, although there is no reason to avoid San Carlos. It's a very safe location, easy drive, not offlimits to military personnel, and the best diving around this area.

 

[koozemani]

That's nice you do offer different locations, although there is no reason to avoid San Carlos. It's a very safe location, easy drive, not offlimits to military personnel, and the best diving around this area.

You're preaching to the choir.