My LDS just keeps getting crazier!

[TheRedHead]

In all honesty, their classes are the best in the area. The OW class runs for 4 weeks with 9 classroom sessions. The students can drop by the shop and practice skills in their heated pool during business hours (there is always someone watching the pool and practice).

I've taken classes elsewhere - AOW in St. Croix, Advanced Nitrox in Cozumel - and I'm going back to them to finish my TDI classes. You get excellent instruction for the price. It is not dumbed down like my PADI AOW class.

 

[utdivermatt]

Oh wow... didnt know anyone else shopped at the dive shop in memphis. I got certified in Memphis a few years ago, and the instructor I use has a 'relationship' with the dive shop, but does everything independently. I went in there and was horrified by the service, and vowed never to shop there again. However, my instructor in Memphis was amazing, she taught PADI, and I have yet to meet an instructor I enjoy and respect as much as her. If your friend is still looking for a place to certify, Id recommend her in a heartbeat. I shopped around Memphis and couldnt find a better instructor anywhere.

 

[*Floater*]

Today, they call him and tell him he will not be able to use the BCD because no one there knows how to instruct on it.

The instruction there is top notch, however.

Doesn't sound like it to me.

 

[TheRedHead]

Oh wow... didnt know anyone else shopped at the dive shop in memphis. I got certified in Memphis a few years ago, and the instructor I use has a 'relationship' with the dive shop, but does everything independently. I went in there and was horrified by the service, and vowed never to shop there again. However, my instructor in Memphis was amazing, she taught PADI, and I have yet to meet an instructor I enjoy and respect as much as her. If your friend is still looking for a place to certify, Id recommend her in a heartbeat. I shopped around Memphis and couldnt find a better instructor anywhere.

Tell me about your experience. I've groaned a bit about the reg service fee, but never felt they had bad service. Did you talk to Randy or Lisa?

 

[Charlie59]

Man! those damn bc's can be so confusing to intruct on. You might have to find out how to open 2 or 3 clips, or find which right side the octo is on or maybe which front side the tank goes on. Durn, I am so confused. This teachin stuff is tiring, I think I will take a nap. Where is someone to charge $50.

 

[TheRedHead]

Doesn't sound like it to me.

You haven't taken a class from the Floater. How do you know this? Everyone here complains about PADI quickie classes and here is a shop that offers a longer, more comprehensive class - and you pay for that. They also teach technical diving classes as well as all of the SSI specialities and Rescue. They have a private boat that customers can use any weekend in the summer.

They don't like Leisure Pro because they sell Aqualung below the agreed price. They don't have any problem with Scubatoys and know I shop there too.

 

[Carolina Diver]

Knowing their instructors, they probably hate the idea of instructing someone in one of those wrap around, integrated things. No offense intended.

None taken, but if that's the case they should probably say that they don't like to instruct on that type of equipment, not that "they don't know how". Just comes across as not being forthcoming.

 

[utdivermatt]

I dont remember all the details, this was a couple of years ago. I hate to sound as though I am bashing, so I really dont want to go into it. I know I went in there once, felt I was not serviced for a long time, then when I got help, they continuously pushed me. One of the things I hate most about a dive shop is them pushing products on me. I walked in looking for fins, and they were trying to sell me a full set up (no matter how many times I said I didnt want it). Shops need to learn sometimes that when customers walk in, they dont want everything you sell. That whole experiance has led me to never go back there again. A very similar thing happened to one of the dive shops here, and I refuse to walk into their door again. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but mine remains that I do not like the dive shop. My money has since gone elsewhere, and I am very happy with the places that service me.

 

[utdivermatt]

Everyone here complains about PADI quickie classes and here is a shop that offers a longer, more comprehensive class - and you pay for that.

Actually, my instructor, who was right down I-40 from them teaches PADI, over the same ammount of time, and charges about half. I have no doubt I learned just as much, if not more, than I would have anywhere else. Please dont bring this into a PADI debate, because I can almost assure you in Memphis, there is not a better instructor, and her being PADI has nothing to do with it.




Edit: And you talk about the dumbed down PADI AOW... you should look at multiple instructors. I promise you there are some out there that it is not dumbed down. It has to do with the instructor, not the agency.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

... He bought a new Mares Morphous Pro Airtrim BCD, Dacor Viper America reg and octo, Dacor Supreme gauges ... he carries his BCD, regs and gauges to have them put the package together. They charged him $70 to put it together, and told him that since they sell Aqualung, if the regs need any parts, they would have to order them. He told them that if they need parts to let him know and he will send them back to Leisure Pro to be repaired under warranty.

Since it appears that your friend did not purchase the regs and BC from this dive shop, I think they are entirely within their rights to charge for assembly. If your friend had purchased this gear from this shop then they should do it for free. It is no different than going into your local mechanic and asking him to install the fuel pump for free that you just purchased from the Pep Boys store a mile down the road. As far as stocking the parts, would you expect your local Toyota dealer to stock Ford parts?

You also mentioned that they don't want you to use their pool with gear you purchased elsewhere. Since I assume that your pool use was not part of a class, but rather some general time on your own to work on skills, again since they own the pool they get to make the rules. If you don't like it you can go buy your own pool and make your own rules. If however you were going to use the pool as part of a class that you were paying for, then they should not be concerned about your gear.

As far as the boat trip, was this a trip where you paid for a spot on the boat, or was it some free trip, also did they OWN the boat or were they simply purchasing spots on a commercial dive boat? Same thing, if they own it they make the rules, if they are just buying spots for you then they should not care about your gear.

Mark Vlahos