Might Be Moving To Mobile

[Wayward Son]

well, FWIW, shops that I've been to that have banks also sell fills cheaper. Fills at these shops get expensive when you want a custom blend that they don't bank.

Sea Divers fills 100CF @ 32% for about $8.

Dive Locker, last time I was there, was $7 any size tank. Pat was $5, apparently is now 6$

Fill Express in SE FL charges the same for air or nitrox up to 40%.

Every shop I've been to that partial blends has charged at least $12 per fill.

So I'm not seeing that banks mean it must cost more for a fill.

---------- Post added June 24th, 2013 at 09:46 PM ----------

kill one snake at a time.

I have to get the job, then move down there.

Then I have gear that needs service. Some tanks to breath down -shore dives- so they can be vip'd and/or hydroed.

Then I can worry about doing some other diving, nitrox fills, fishing licenses, etc.

But I do think that it's at least possible that a decades old business model on fills might stand to some reconsidering

The overall situation for diving is still better than it is in the Huntsville area, even if nitrox is too friggin' high

 

[Hetland]

But what percentage of their fills are for nitrox vs. what's being filled in Mobile? How many shops are in Panama City? Pompano Beach? The closest shop to Mobile is 60 miles away in Gulf Shores. I'd charge folks $2.50 more per tank too if the next option was 60 miles away. I'm not saying I like paying that $2.50, I'm saying they're in business to make a profit.

 

[Wayward Son]

Sea Divers is in Ozark AL, at least 90 miles to PCB. Certainly farther from the coast than Mobile is.

And from what I'm reading here it's much more than $2.50. My most costly bank fill, with tax has been $8.64. That's $9.26 cheaper per fill.

 

[DocCarl]

A bank is going to dramatically increase the labor investment in filling each tank, and, it will probably take longer to fill each tank. This is before you drop a load of cash for brass or stainless tubing, bank cylinders, valves, gauges, tubing, and the yearly maintenance required on each element. Since most of the fills they do are on shop tanks, they can do their fills at any time of the day.

Most divers that go through a dive shop get their OW cert, dive a few times, and give it up, or, they dive once or twice a year on vacation (aka, not in Mobile). Look at the mountain of air tanks at GCD, and then look at the nitrox tanks, about 70% of which, belong to shop employees, or are rentals. GCD has been in business since 1972, and there are probably scores of shops within a 50-mile radius that have come and gone during that same period. I have to believe they know what they're doing, even if it results in me paying $2.50 more for a nitrox fill.

I most certainly agree with you concerning the viability of GCDs business model. They obviously do MANY things right!

At any rate, it appears that we have successfully highjacked this thread. I'll drop you a PM to continue the discussion of the more mundane aspects of fill station engineering.

WaywardSon: Sorry about that! Occasionally Hetland and I get sidetracked with friendly debates on various Scuba related topics online (as well as in person). It's always an enjoyable experience and, more often than not, I learn something new!

So in an attempt to steer this boat back on course, when you know if you're taking the job down here?



Carl

 

[Wayward Son]

I'm in a holding pattern now. Supposed to do a 2nd interview with someone who was on vacation last week. It's not scheduled yet.

This is my last week here, contract ends & my manager was unable to renew it. So next week I'm free. And poorer...

---------- Post added June 26th, 2013 at 09:23 AM ----------

2nd mobile interview tomorrow afternoon on the phone. most likely will have a live one in mobile monday or tuesday.

 

[Wayward Son]

interview done. think it went well, now I'm waiting.

have I said how much I hate waiting?

 

[DocCarl]

If you come down the first part of next week, how long will you be in town for?

 

[Wayward Son]

prolly the week

---------- Post added June 28th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ----------

Will be going down for a face to face next week.

 

[jkmjr]

GCD is a great shop with good knowledgeable folks. If you don't like their prices go somewhere else. A small business that has been around as long as they have knows their market and their customers. If you do not get the job maybe you can help them with their business plan. Jeeeeze!

 

[Wayward Son]

well, I'm not there yet. but I do have people who are there telling me that the shop has nitrox at the highest price I've ever seen & that people do indeed go elsewhere for their fills unless they just can't avoid it.