Making scuba a real "sport"???

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

In the "I'm better than you" thread, it's been pointed out that many people feel that recreational scuba is some sort of competiton (I did more dives, longer, deeper, saw more things, did more sites, have more gear, blah, blah). The typical American male sees everything as a competiton; however, conventional diving is not a true 'sport'.

But could scuba ever be a real sport? Example: like the biathalon in skiing, divers could swim an obstacle course and use a speargun to hit targets along the way. Sound stupid? Ever watch curling? How about undersea laser tag? Or developing some sort of propelled underwater ball, or even simple scooter drag races? Why, a whole new class of equipment could be sold (souped up DPVs, helmets that reduce drag, like speedskaters wear, racing wetsuits, the list is endless).

Consider the paintball frenzy... languishing dive shops might become gold mines if they could tap into that competitve testosterone-driven need to win contests and trophys. face it... how many average joes want to take an OW class, buy all that equipment and truck themselves to the water's edge to see a goliath grouper or a big pile of rust that used to be a WWII destroyer?


However, form a scuba laser tag league! Now that's excitement!

I'm surprised scuba manufacturers haven't been proactive in this area. The financial rewards for someone devising an appealing scuba 'sport', especially one requiring special equipment, would be huge. Sound dangerous? Racing around underwater, bobbing up and down precariously, with the risk of DCS? Sure, but so is auto racing...several dozen boys die playing high school football each year. Risk is part of the allure of most sports.

My tongue is only half way in my cheek... any equipment companies that want to toss around any ideas, let me know.

 

[almitywife]

back in the 90's i remember a scuba manufacturer had a "ultimate diver" competition.... included diving/racing thru hoops and egg and spoon races.. stuff like that

prizes were good though :multi:

 

[Rainer]

Monkey Bash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T-ro8qGTq4
http://www.dive-xtras.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,209/

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I want the first super mega turbo jet powered DPV so that I can have my mask ripped off and have my second stage freeflow too!!!! sign me up cause diving just aint fun enough the way it is we need competition :nonono:

I dont see why americans have to make everything a competition but on the other hand we were discussing today that the 3 of us should all practice deploying SMB's from 100' to see who is the fastest. We didn't do it though cause its stupid to put the body under unnecessary stress at that depth. Just my $.02

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

egg and spoon races won't get it done...people need to throw something or shoot at something or use some big, expensive piece of equipment...and, again, a little risk doesn't hurt, either...

I can't overemphasize the power of a single good idea. Think of what happen when somebody thought of strapping a skateboard to their feet and skiing on it.Now, a scant few deacdes later,snowboarding is a hugely lucrative Olympic sport. AND that was in an arena where there already WAS a sport (skiing). Right now, there is NO competition "under pressure" so to speak.

 

[underwasser bolt]

strap on 200 pounds of gear in tossing seas, dive to 200fsw or more with trimix and stage bottles, do a decompression, climb back on board in tossing seas with gear. recreational diving may not be a sport, but diving can be as straining and as dangerous as any "real" sport. get you some.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Monkey Bash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T-ro8qGTq4
http://www.dive-xtras.com/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,209/

That's more like it...however, it only uses conventional equipment. To really cash in, you need something that requires even more cash outlays...

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

strap on 200 pounds of gear in tossing seas, dive to 200fsw or more with trimix and stage bottles, do a decompression, climb back on board in tossing seas with gear. recreational diving may not be a sport, but diving can be as straining and as dangerous as any "real" sport. get you some.

Coal mining is dangerous and strenuous, too, but it isn't a sport. No one is going to pay money to engage in, or watch, competitive coal mining.

 

[Rainer]

That's more like it...however, it only uses conventional equipment. To really cash in, you need something that requires even more cash outlays...

$4000 scooters isn't a cash outlay? I guess you could do it in doubles with can lights, but really, I like the simplicity. Sling an 80, backplate, no wing. The paucity of clothing would be huge with the fans. Not sure it'd work in MA.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

$4000 scooters isn't a cash outlay? I guess you could do it in doubles with can lights, but really, I like the simplicity. Sling an 80, backplate, no wing. The paucity of clothing would be huge with the fans. Not sure it'd work in MA.

It doesn't work in MA, but no one snowboards in Texas, either.