Scuba Schools of America/Rusty Berry

[Doc]

It never ceases to amaze me that someone can find SCUBAboard to make their first post to complain about an operation, yet somehow they couldn't quite figure out how to sign in and ask a few questions beforehand.

I'm just sayin' that's all.

 

[Diver003]

Sounds like you didn't do your homework. If you'd have taken time to look into scuba diving in general, you'd have realized this is an odd case and probably should be avoided. Likewise, before dropping $8,000 - you didn't think to ask around if it was a good idea? Seems like there are many opinions and thoughts just itching to be told on this guy.

With that said, I do hope everything gets sorted out. That would be a harsh price to pay for such a lesson.

 

[diver_doug]

It never ceases to amaze me that someone can find SCUBAboard to make their first post to complain about an operation, yet somehow they couldn't quite figure out how to sign in and ask a few questions beforehand.

I'm just sayin' that's all.

Sounds like you didn't do your homework. If you'd have taken time to look into scuba diving in general, you'd have realized this is an odd case and probably should be avoided. Likewise, before dropping $8,000 - you didn't think to ask around if it was a good idea? Seems like there are many opinions and thoughts just itching to be told on this guy.

With that said, I do hope everything gets sorted out. That would be a harsh price to pay for such a lesson.

Obviously the OP has to take some culpability here...but it's worth keeping in mind that Rusty is a very convincing guy; I believe he has one of the most successful LDS's in SoCal. He gets you from every angle; he's experienced, knowledgable, somewhat charasmatic...but if those tactics don't work he has no problem morphing into: pushy, manipulative, intimidating, and condescending. The latter traits should be red flags, (and for me they were) but I definitely could see how someone could be lured in by Rusty...if you start out very trusting, you wouldn't even see the latter traits. I should point out that Rusty has been talked about online before and there are definitely people out there who like him...but I despise the guy, and everyone I have personally talked to (ranging from fellow divers to LDS owners) feels the same way.

When I was wanting to get OW certified, I was checking out various LDS's and I went to his shop; it was very impressive. Lots of high end gear, plus a cool clubhouse with a PS3 and HDTV...I thought I had found the shop I was going to get certified through. He sits me down asks me why I want to dive, have I snorkeled before, etc. Then here's basically how our conversation went:


him: we don't even use wetsuits here, you're gonna want to use a drysuit...we do all our dives in drysuits.
me: oh, using a drysuit sounds cool
him: Plus rebreather diving is really the way to go, so we let you try out a rebreather in the pool, and if you like it we'll get you trained on that (tone here sounds like the training is either included in the OW cert, or a small additional charge)
me: wow, sounds impressive, so how much do you charge for OW cert?
him: Anywhere you go charges you about the same for OW.
me: So how much do you charge?
him: Like I said, anywhere you go is gonna be the same...but we offer better quality here.
me: so how much do you charge?
him: all places are the same
me: well there's bound to be some variation from shop to shop...I've already encountered some differences in the shops I've been looking at, so I'm curious to know specifically how much you charge.
him: like I said, everywhere is the same.
me: okay...well that whole drysuit thing, is the rental included in the price of the OW cert?
him: no that's extra.
me: how much?
him: about a hundred dollars
me: and can I just put on a drysuit and be good to go, or is there stuff I need to know about it?
him: no, you'll need to know how to use it.
me: so is that knowledge provided in the OW cert or is there separate training invloved?
him: No, that is extra
me: So how much does that cost?
him: If money is an issue I offer private loans...you shouldn't worry about how much you're gonna spend, you should be concerned with the quality you're gonna recieve.


I could go on, but the point here is that he makes it sound like OW is the same price everywhere but he offers you a phenomenal experience for the same price. You have to cut through his sales pitch and start really asking questions before you realize he's trying to lure you in with the mentality that scuba diving cert isn't all that expensive, so that he can ultimiately talk you into spending thousands of dollars. It's tough to convey "tone" through text, but suffice it to say he didn't like all these questions I was asking and I could tell from his tone and body language that a lot of people simply do what he wants...he was trying to hide that he was hiding answers, but he was definitely intentionally hiding the answers I was looking for...or at least providing the absolute minimal amount information possible.

 

[diver_doug]

I didn’t end up getting my cert through him, but several months later I had decided I wanted to get either the Atomic Frameless or Oceanic shadow, and he was the only dive shop in the area I could find that had them. Here was how our conversation on the phone basically went:

me: do you carry the oceanic shadow and atomic frameless
him: yeah, actually I use both those masks…I have the atomic as my main and I use the shadow as a backup
me: cool, and you have both of those in stock?
him: yeah
me: cool, I’ll be down in a little bit

at SSA, I try on both and decide on the atomic. The floor display didn’t have a mask strap so you could more easily try it on for fit

Me: okay I’ll take the atomic
him: okay, you’re gonna want to get the floating neoprene mask strap
me: I already have one
him: do you have the FLOATING strap
me: yeah, mine looks like the one you’ve got
him: no, these have a piece of neoprene in them so they float, does yours have that?
me: I don’t think so
him: so you’re gonna want to get this one
me: well, alright (I had lost a mask before when a wave knocked it off, so I thought it might be a good idea).
He takes the mask over to the register, rings it up, and hands it to me and says thanks.
Me: do you have a brand-new one?
him: this one is brand new
me: this is the floor display
him: yeah, and it’s brand new
me: it has fingerprints on it, it’s not brand new, do you have one brand new in a case?
him: no
me: well, do you have the default mask strap?
him: no, we throw them away
me: You throw them away?!?
him: yeah, I haven’t used a rubber mask strap in 15 years, the nylon/neoprene straps are the way to go so I throw them away.
me: so, this is brand new, but it doesn’t come with the Atomic strap?
him: no, we throw them away.
me: do you have the case?
him: let me check (he comes back with a big atomic case). Here you go.
me: this isn’t the case this mask comes with, it comes with a low-profile form-fitting case, do you have that case.
him: this is an atomic case for atomic masks.
me: right, but it’s not the case that THIS MASK comes with, do you have the specific case for this mask?
him: no
me: can I just get a refund
him: I can only do an exchange
me: I just bought it!
him: I can only do an exchange

At this point I just left, I was too pissed to keep talking to him. I called Atomic when I got home and explained to them what had happened…they were totally cool and sent me a free strap and case and even gave me free shipping. But needless to say that was the last time I ever purchased anything from from Rusty.

 

[fnfalman]

It never ceases to amaze me that someone can find SCUBAboard to make their first post to complain about an operation, yet somehow they couldn't quite figure out how to sign in and ask a few questions beforehand.

I'm just sayin' that's all.

Believe it or not but Scubaboard isn't the only scuba forum out there, not to mention isn't the center of the world much less the center of the universe.

I've dived for a year and a half before I even heard about ScubaBoard.

Maybe the OP is a spammer, or maybe the OP got scammed and then recently found out about SB. We shall see if the OP were to come back and post some more.

 

[tyesai]

These stories are classic.

 

[on_two_wheels]

Believe it or not but Scubaboard isn't the only scuba forum out there, not to mention isn't the center of the world much less the center of the universe.

I've dived for a year and a half before I even heard about ScubaBoard.

Maybe the OP is a spammer, or maybe the OP got scammed and then recently found out about SB. We shall see if the OP were to come back and post some more.

Given the follow up comments by others, I am guessing it's not just spam. This guy REALLY sounds like a horrible business man. I have a coworker that got cert through that shop. I'll have to refer him here.

 

[orange_diver]

i wish i only spent $8000 on scuba gear

 

[Lina77]

OK...I guess I should have elaborated a bit more. I've always had an interest in scuba diving but somewhat had a fear of being underwater. I can swim just fine and have no problem doing so, I just don't feel comfortable underwater. When I met Rusty and told him this, he says no problem. I signed up for the classes and bought the personal gear that he insists you buy at his store at overinflated prices. He taked you straight back to the pool after you buy your stuff and it becomes automatically used so the 2 day return policy is out. There are also NO prices on anything in the store. I had no intention of buying the Total Diving System, which includes the BC setup, a drysuit, computer, etc...and I told Rusty I wanted to rent the equipment until I was sure that I liked it. Rusty went into this whole speech about how it's so much better to use your own equipment and if I bought everything through them, he said, "if at the end you don't feel comfortable or you just don't like it, we'll buy everything from you at the price you paid for it." His exact words. I even asked him again while he was fitting me for my drysuit if it also applies to the drysuit and his response, "yep, it includes everything you buy today."

After my first day out and diving, I had a really bad experience on the last one and just didn't feel comfortable and out of control. I decided that diving wasn't for me. When I asked Rusty about his guarantee, he completely changed his tune, tried to trick me into the water in order to void the guarantee, which I was never shown or given until I asked for a refund. I finished everything according to the guarantee, but Rusty still claims I didn't finish the program and still has not told me what exactly I didn't complete.

I was eager to learn and a little naive in trusting the owner of the company, but I still believe in people keeping their word, especially when your company's reputation is on the line. I have met others who have told me similar stories about Rusty and the underhanded ways he tricks people into getting stuck with equipment they'll never use again.

So that's mostly my story...I am looking into legal actions because not only is he violating his own guarantee, he's also breaking a verbal contract. I am looking for others who are willing to share their stories so he can be exposed for the liar that he is.

 

[stakanak]

No prices in a retail store is a warning sign.
Pushy salesmanship attached to a sport with inherent dangers is scary.
My LDS will allow you to return anything as long as it has not been in salt water, i.e. you can try it in a pool.
Many LDS salesmen will tell you the positive and the negative of any purchase, allowing you to make the decision.
I would like to here what Mr. Berry has to say about this forum.
Get Wet!