Post-pandemic comeback? Not yet! The dive industry is still crashing.

[bletso]

Here in Louisville Ky we have gone from 5 dive shops in the heyday to two part time shops now. Of course it's complicated by the fact that there is no local venue for diving anymore. (Nearest is 2 1/2 hours away.)

On wages the one shop refuses to pay over $15/hour for service technicians working on your "life support equipment"

There are of course many reasons the industry is and has been in decline over the last 10-20 years. i.e. roll models, venues, money, societal changes, etc.

 

[Beau Holden]

On wages the one shop refuses to pay over $15/hour for service technicians working on your "life support equipment"

This is a vicious circle. For example, I started taking care of my regulator, wing and dry suit repairs myself several years ago. Reason is didn't trust any shops to do it in-house and I didn't want to be mailing them off. This in turn took business away from the shop, took away their volume and revenue, therefore shop not able to pay the technician as much.

 

[Wookie]

This is a vicious circle. For example, I started taking care of my regulator, wing and dry suit repairs myself several years ago. Reason is didn't trust any shops to do it in-house and I didn't want to be mailing them off. This in turn took business away from the shop, took away their volume and revenue, therefore shop not able to pay the technician as much.

Perhaps.

Most dive instructors do it for the love of diving, and the "free trips".

Most (real) technicians are professionals, and do it for the wages.

The problem comes in when a hobbyist dive shop owner hires a hobbyist reg tech who shows up sometimes and does a half-assed job.

I know of a number of dive shops who hire professionals who work full time servicing regs. But they aren't the norm, they tend to have government contracts to provide service, they service all equipment, not just regulators, and there are less than 10 in the country. I know 3 well enough to call the owners friend.

But you don't want to send your regs off for service, so you are self-taught (or maybe took a class), but the technology changes rapidly. Maybe you're still diving that Mark 15 ScubaPro you bought in Metarie from Dave Delgar back in 1995, nothing wrong with a Mark 15. And putting Aquaseal on a Dive-Rite 901 isn't rocket science. But I wouldn't want to jump in and repair a Mark 11 C370, I don't know a thing about them. Nor could I change the zip seal ring in my TLS-450. I personally don't want to study hard enough to learn how. Mailing gear off doesn't worry me in the slightest. I happen to be lucky enough to live near the largest navy base in the world and have a dive shop close enough that does all that stuff.

So the hobby dive shop that were ubiquitous in the late 80's through 2010 or so are failing at a fairly rapid pace. Good. Leave the dive shops to professionals who run professional shops and do things in a professional manner.

 

[Germie]

This is a vicious circle. For example, I started taking care of my regulator, wing and dry suit repairs myself several years ago. Reason is didn't trust any shops to do it in-house and I didn't want to be mailing them off. This in turn took business away from the shop, took away their volume and revenue, therefore shop not able to pay the technician as much.

Not really true. If you buy the servicekits there, they still get some profit from selling it. It is just a 3 minute job to wrap it and sent it to you. But you still pay for the job they are doing for you.

I also do my own regulators as I got problems after letting it do. So I trust myself better than the technician in a shop. But I don't mind if they complain about not earning enough money. Most shops won't sell you servicekits, but then you go to another shop and then they loose more money.
I think shops must sometimes change some small things. Like doing service on 200 regulators a year now selling 180 servicekits without doing the service on the regulators anymore and only 20 where they have to do the service on. But selling servicekits for regulators is also a service. And maybe they can organise an evening to show people how to service the regulators and then people can do it theirselves. This also brings money again. Such evenigns are organised in my country by some shops. You service your own regulators in 2 evenings and then can do it the next time yourself.

 

[lexvil]

Not really true. If you buy the servicekits there, they still get some profit from selling it. It is just a 3 minute job to wrap it and sent it to you. But you still pay for the job they are doing for you.

I also do my own regulators as I got problems after letting it do. So I trust myself better than the technician in a shop. But I don't mind if they complain about not earning enough money. Most shops won't sell you servicekits, but then you go to another shop and then they loose more money.
I think shops must sometimes change some small things. Like doing service on 200 regulators a year now selling 180 servicekits without doing the service on the regulators anymore and only 20 where they have to do the service on. But selling servicekits for regulators is also a service. And maybe they can organise an evening to show people how to service the regulators and then people can do it theirselves. This also brings money again. Such evenigns are organised in my country by some shops. You service your own regulators in 2 evenings and then can do it the next time yourself.

This is the model that will save the industry

 

[MidOH]

My LDS has a reg class. Never considered it, until now.

 

[Island23]

Well, the LDS all got COVID & closed. Why would we go & get a hot fever, pickup the virus in the highest fatality country? That's their problem, no one is under any obligation.

 

[Centrals]

I am at one of the most popular diving destination in Philippines, Puerto Galera. There are many very quiet dive operators at this moment ie. the peak season.
Same applied to Koh Lanta in Thailand 2 weeks ago.
I suspect the russian invasion in Ukraine has also affected European except russian travelling to SE Asia.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Governments and airlines work collectively. While airfares remain high, no one travels. I expect rock bottom to stabilize over the next few years. With more LDS closures and more Scubaboard disclosure. . . whatever that means?

 

[Fibonacci]

This is the model that will save the industry

Sadly in Australia any suggestion of servicing regulators yourself is met with vehement opposition starting with "It's life support equipment, you will DIE" to LDS refusal to sell the smallest OEM spare part direct let alone a service kit!

I recently enquired about Poseidon service training, seeing as that company seems to have a more enlightened view of owner servicing in other countries, but nope... had to be affiliated with a dive shop, and they were going to confirm with any dive shop nominated!