Recommendations for a dive shop in Maui?

[Shaka Doug]

In the words of Monty Python....

"and now for something completely different"...a pretty girl with a killer smile in a bikini washing my SCUBABUS windshield at the First Annual Bikini Carwash for Charity at Blackies Pit Stop...

 

[nescubasteve]

Well, clearly I violated the "Never wrestle with a pig..." adage. I should know better and I apologize.

I would simply suggest that Kris has an ENORMOUS chip on his shoulder about this particular dive operation - again, one HE HAS NEVER DIVED WITH. His libelous statements are based not on his own personal experience, but instead on various "reliable" but unnamed (and thus unimpeachable) sources.

I am not aware of, nor have I heard of, a single substantiated safety or law violation perpetrated by B&B. And other than from KrisB and his claimed "sources", I am not aware of, nor have I heard of, a single diver who has had a bad experience with B&B.

Personally, I regret having taken issue with KrisB's post in this thread because he now has turned it into even MORE of B&B bashing opportunity (again, based on nothing more than rumors, speculation and innuendo). Which is what he does. And has done. For the last several years.

The bottom line is that no dive operation is perfect. Nor is every operation a perfect fit for every diver. But it does a huge disservice - not only to the specific business, but to the dive community as a whole - when someone routinely makes negative and nasty comments about an operation they know very little about.

 

[KrisB]

All I'm going to say in reply to that is that I do have first hand experience, and personal knowledge of actions taken by the organisation in question that are blatantly illegal and unsafe.

Just because the authorities chose not to pursue them is not my business.

There's a little thing around here referred to as the "coconut wireless" -- I'm sorry it doesn't reach Nebraska... if it did, you might feel the same way I do.

Tell me something Steve: if you read countless reviews of a particular car's safety record, about evenly based between positive and negative, do you feel the need to purchase said car and drive it? Or perhaps a better question would be... if a rental car agency handed you the keys to that car instead of the one with a much better safety record that is sitting next to it, would you accept them, or request the other one?

The bottom line is that I don't think anyone should put themselves in the hands of a crew and company that behaves this callously, and that includes putting myself in their sphere of influence.

If you want to see the industry / community improved, DEMAND safety and legal behaviour above all else. Next, check with the training AGENCY STANDARDS when you do your next course. Finally, expect EXCEPTIONAL customer service. When all companies choose these three principles above making a quick buck, I won't have any companies to speak poorly towards.

And really, that's what I'd like.

 

[bobmaggi]

B & B is one of the best dive operations in our opinion. Not sure where you get your info or who you are talking to, BUT we have ALWAYS had a super time w/ them and they are ALWAYS looking out for the safety of the divers on their boat. Period. They use many factors when deciding where their boat is going to dive every day. If the ocean is rough, they have beginning divers on their boat, etc., they use all that info to plan their day. When we were there in Feb/Mar. of this year, their boats were ALWAYS full, when others weren't. That should say something right there. And in the future we will dive with them. Take care, Maggi

ps. We have used Extended Horizons when wanting to do the Lanai trips. They are wonderful, too!

 

[okieguy]

For shore diving I would definitely recommend Shaka Doug, had a blast there with him back in May. shakadivers.com

For boat diving John and Emi at Dive & Sea Maui took great care of us and have a great boat. We will definitely use them next trip as well. diveandseamaui.com

 

[k ellis]

I had the opportunity to dive with Maui divers and I was less then satisfied with the fact they fed me a line of Nitrox not common in Hawaii. I later heard from the manager when I spoke to her direct that insurance would not cover them selling nitrox and other supposed reasons.

Now the dive was a great one other then they seem to get alot of facts mixed up and Molokini was awesome.

And I did find out later they were about the only shop in Hawaii that refused to do Nitrox so based on the reason they were not truthful with me at the start I would not choose them again. I wont bash them with anything less then facts so I will say they have a neat store and seemed to be one of the largest I found and appeared to have alot of neat stuff.

Just based on what I heard when I was there and based off of reviews I would try Scuba Shak next time I go there myself.

 

[DiveMaven]

If you're someone who pees in their wetsuit, you might want to seriously reconsider Scuba Shack as the owner has banned it for folks who dive with him.

 

[k ellis]

LOL That would not be me. I dont like the whole pee in the suit thing

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I had the opportunity to dive with Maui divers and I was less then satisfied with the fact they fed me a line of Nitrox not common in Hawaii. I later heard from the manager when I spoke to her direct that insurance would not cover them selling nitrox and other supposed reasons.

Now the dive was a great one other then they seem to get alot of facts mixed up and Molokini was awesome.

And I did find out later they were about the only shop in Hawaii that refused to do Nitrox so based on the reason they were not truthful with me at the start I would not choose them again. I wont bash them with anything less then facts so I will say they have a neat store and seemed to be one of the largest I found and appeared to have alot of neat stuff.

Just based on what I heard when I was there and based off of reviews I would try Scuba Shak next time I go there myself.

Maui Divers is a retail jewlery company with stores in many high end shopping centers and resorts. They are pretty much the reason Black Coral is very small, very few and very far between at recreational depths.

Compared to South Florida in 2001 EANx is not common in Hawaii today. On Maui I only know of 4 EANx pumpers, although there is probably another one. Nearly every operator can get EANx if they get advance notice; very few are going to have it available if you wait until you are boarding the boat to make your request.

Please let us know the details of your Scuba Shack experience when it happens

 

[k ellis]

Maui Divers is a retail jewlery company with stores in many high end shopping centers and resorts. They are pretty much the reason Black Coral is very small, very few and very far between at recreational depths.

Compared to South Florida in 2001 EANx is not common in Hawaii today. On Maui I only know of 4 EANx pumpers, although there is probably another one. Nearly every operator can get EANx if they get advance notice; very few are going to have it available if you wait until you are boarding the boat to make your request.

Please let us know the details of your Scuba Shack experience when it happens

Just as an edit I asked about it long in advance and still got the same answer. I was disappointed in the fact they did not have it but like say it was a set back not a turn away. I still enjoyed the dive and thought it was a blast.

Has something changed about the scuba shak since I was there last (A year ago)? Seems they are getting a negative review on here?